minority & diversity clerkship
Minority and Diversity Clerkship Program
By Alex Weaver
Emory University of Law, 1L
A
s I researched the issues of a criminal appeal in the
office, a lively debate began behind me. Judge Doyle
and her staff attorneys were discussing a contentious
case that had recently entered the chambers. Everyone
was offering his own opinion on the appeal at hand. I was
quietly absorbing the information when Judge Doyle turned
to me and asked what I thought about the case. At this
point, I realized that my experience at the Georgia Court of
Appeals would be unlike any classroom experience offered
by law school. The robust debate that filled the walls was a
welcome change from the occasionally stale routine of the
Socratic method during the school year. Instead of pouring
over the writings of Justice Learned Hand or the Restatement
of Torts, I was able to directly contribute to the evolution of
law and truly appreciate the work of the Georgia Court of
Appeals.
From office discussions to the opinions I drafted, my valuable
summer with Judge Doyle provided me with a glimpse into
the inner workings of the court and a practical understanding
of the law. The first appeal I was assigned
contained strong briefs from both sides and a
daunting record. with the feedback from Judge
Doyle and her staff attorneys, I was able to adjust
my thought process and effectively evaluate the
different arguments. By shadowing Judge Doyle
at oral arguments, I was able to observe Georgia’s
finest litigators bring the cases to life, and I was
able to witness appellate advocacy in action.
when my time at the chambers came to an end,
my writing and research skills had tremendously
improved.
legal professions to create lasting contacts.
Although the Georgia Court of Appeals has one of the
largest caseloads in the country and its talented employees
are kept busy, they were always smiling. Even with the
summer distress deadline approaching, Judge Doyle and
her clerks kept a positive attitude. Although my internship
was only scheduled to last six weeks, my experience with
Judge Doyle was so great that I decided to stay for the rest
of the summer.
The Atlanta Bar Association Minority and Diversity Clerkship
Program, currently chaired by Charles Lester, provided this
unique and exciting opportunity. T he competitive program
matches law firms and judges with first-year minority students
in Georgia law schools. The Minority and Diversity Clerkship
Program began in 1985 and was the first of its kind in the
country. I hope that this program will continue to inspire
others in the country and allow other first-year minority
students to have similar experiences.▪
The knowledge I gained at the Georgia Court of
Appeals, however, transcended academic skills.
Judge Doyle and her staff attorneys regularly
interacted with me and the other interns. They
shared their journeys that brought them from law
school to the chambers and imparted the wisdom
they learned along the way. Judge Doyle also Shown from left to right are Bryn McDermott, Alex Weaver (Atlanta Bar
brought me to various networking luncheons and Association intern), The Honorable sara L. Doyle (Court of Appeals of Georgia)
shared her tips on interacting with others in the and Brittany Bolton.
8
THE ATLANTA LAWYER
August/September 2011
The Official News Publication of the Atlanta Bar Association