Nas Lawal ’25 grew up in Dallas, Texas. He attended the University of Texas at Austin for his undergraduate degree. This summer, he clerked for the Honorable Paul R. Scoggin in the Fourth Judicial District of Minnesota. He has always been interested in litigation and says, “Clerking has always been on my radar as something I knew I wanted to do.”
How did you find this summer opportunity?
I found this job on Symplicity. My career counselor sent me an email about the job posting and I applied from there!
How does your experience connect with what you currently envision doing with your law degree?
I hope to become a litigator. Having the experience of being in court every day and witnessing real hearings and trials is invaluable to my future career path.
Please describe a “typical” workday on the job.
Every day is different. Generally, I start the day by answering emails, then I go prepare the courtroom for that day’s hearings. After hearings, I spend some time updating MNCIS (Minnesota Court Information Systems). On trial weeks I assist with things like voir dire, handling exhibits, and handling other tasks as needed. I am typically pretty occupied the whole day and always have something to do to keep me busy.
What is something you learned or experienced that was surprising or particularly compelling during this summer position?
Through this clerkship, I learned just how important good legal writing is. In my time I got the opportunity to read a number of briefs and memorandums and quickly realized that while IRAC can be “boring” it makes reading and understanding your argument a lot easier. This made me more conscious of making sure my legal writing is clear and concise going forward.
What are some key takeaways from the experience so far?
One of my biggest takeaways has been that empathy is crucial to criminal justice reform and rehabilitating people. A lot of times I saw people on one of the worst days of their lives. I quickly grew to understand that people are much more than the worst thing they’ve done.
How has your summer experience compared with your expectations?
I have learned so much more than I expected. Being in court and seeing everything happen has made what I have learned thus far in law school much more tangible.
What advice would you offer another law student thinking about working in a similar position next summer?
Externing is a great first step. I externed for the Honorable Thomas A. Gilligan Jr. last summer. Through a judicial externship, you get to learn about how courts really work, with less of the responsibilities of being an actual clerk making it a great opportunity to learn.
How are you spending your free time this summer?
In my free time, I enjoy being active and exploring the cities. When not at the gym I’m out playing tennis with friends, thrifting, trying out new food spots, or going on walks in nature. I am also an amateur baker in the making, so I like attempting to bake new recipes every week!
What are you most looking forward to in returning to Minnesota Law this fall?
This fall I will be studying abroad at University College Dublin in Dublin, Ireland. I am looking forward most to learning how the law works in Ireland and exploring all the country has to offer!