While working as a summer law clerk at Nebraska Appleseed I have had the opportunity to be exposed to a wide range of public interest issues, as well as a number of strategies for addressing those issues. Every situation is unique, requiring creative thinking and hard work to reach the best solutions. For example, certain complex legal problems necessitate combing through online legal databases to read cases and find precedent. When dealing with legislative or policy issues regarding public health programs, a firm understanding of statutes and policy is required, as is the ability to clearly articulate the benefits or problems with a policy or legislative proposal. When trying to deal with this country’s broken immigration system, it has been meaningful to support the brave individuals who take a stand on the issue, and to be a part of rallies supporting important legislation.
The variety of the work Appleseed does, and the positive impact Appleseed can have, has made for an exciting and encouraging time clerking this summer. It has also opened my eyes to the many systemic problems that need to be addressed both in Nebraska and across the country, and has helped me recognize that I would like to have a career in public interest law. The only thing standing between me and a career in public interest law is two years of law school and the Bar exam!