Planning an academic schedule in law school is rarely a simple task. Between fulfilling core graduation requirements, exploring clinical opportunities, and pursuing niche legal interests, students must weigh an array of competing priorities each term. For those aspiring to secure a post-graduate judicial clerkship, this planning process carries even greater significance. The courses appearing on a student’s transcript do more than satisfy degree benchmarks—they signal to judges an applicant’s commitment to academic rigor, foundational legal doctrine, and courtroom readiness.
Understanding what judges look for in prospective clerks can often feel opaque. While conventional wisdom points toward staples such as Federal Courts, Administrative Law, Evidence, and advanced writing seminars, specific judicial expectations can vary considerably based on the court, jurisdiction, and docket. An applicant targeting a federal appellate bench might need a slightly different curricular balance than someone preparing for a state trial court or a specialized court such as bankruptcy. Knowing how to sequence these demanding courses alongside extracurricular responsibilities like law journal or moot court can make a substantial difference in both academic performance and application competitiveness.
To assist students in resolving these questions, tailored academic support is directly available. Betsy DiPardo, Director of the Office of Student Academic Affairs, offers specialized guidance to help students align their upcoming course selections with their clerkship ambitions. Bringing a strategic academic perspective to registration season, DiPardo provides students with actionable advice on building schedules that maintain manageable workloads while demonstrating academic seriousness.
DiPardo’s guidance is informed by deep, practical experience in the clerkship ecosystem. Before stepping into her current leadership role in Student Academic Affairs, she served directly as a clerkship adviser, working closely with candidates through the nuances of the hiring cycle. Crucially, her insight also stems from firsthand knowledge of the bench, having completed a judicial clerkship herself. This distinctive blend of administrative expertise and personal clerkship background equips her to offer pragmatic, candid answers to questions that general course catalogs simply cannot address.
Students can explore a wide range of questions during advising sessions, such as how to balance experiential and clinical offerings with traditional doctrinal classes, when to take critical writing-heavy electives, and how to distribute heavy reading loads across multiple semesters. Consulting an adviser before finalized registration lists are submitted helps prevent common pitfalls, such as leaving essential prerequisites until the final semester or taking too many research-intensive courses concurrently.
Students wishing to discuss their options can take advantage of DiPardo’s dedicated weekly availability. She holds open office hours on Friday afternoons from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Her office is situated in WCC 3025, located within the building’s clinical wing. Whether students arrive with a tentative multi-semester outline or are just beginning to evaluate whether a clerkship fits their future path, these hours provide a supportive setting to review schedules and ask questions.
As registration deadlines approach, taking time to consult with experienced academic leadership can remove much of the uncertainty from course planning. A thoughtfully constructed academic program not only enriches the law school experience, but also helps candidates present a compelling, coherent narrative when applying for judicial roles. Students aiming for the bench are encouraged to drop by WCC 3025 on Friday afternoons to ensure their course choices support their long-term legal ambitions.
