Next semester I am going to be practicing in one of my law school’s clinics. I will be seeing real live clinics with real live legal problems. Although I will be supervised by a licensed attorney, that supervisor will be providing guidance and assistance, but will not be running the case.
So, I am trying to figure out how to write this up on my resume, and am at a loss for a correct job title.
I will be more than “respondent’s advocate.”
I will not be a licensed attorney.
I’m surprised the clinic - or the legislation permitting such law student practice, wouldn’t provide some guidance.
Also not sure of many circumstances where your choice of particular “job title” would matter. So pick one you like. Maybe Consummate Lawyer In Training - or just use the acronym.
I’d just call it “Law Clerk” and be done with it. Your description will make plain what you’re doing, and most practicing attorneys (who are, I presume, the intended audience for your resume) will know what you did in the clinic.
I wouldn’t use attorney in the title, because of that whole UPL thing (even though you won’t be practicing law unauthorizedly, but under supervision pursuant to Rule blah blah of your state).
Alternatively, you could ask someone who did clinic last year what they put down; or ask in career services what they recommend. I mean, the first rule of practicing law is crib off of others when possible!
At our law school’s clinic, we’re known as “caseworkers,” and that’s the word I’ve used on my resume. Practicing lawyers who see “caseworker” and “Student Legal Services” (or whatever your clinic is named) on a resume will know pretty much what that means, especially if it is clarified a bit: “Caseworker, Criminal Division,” “Caseworker, Civil Division,” etc.
I would recommend you look at your state’s professional responsibility or practice code which authorizes you to do this under faculty supervision. I know someone who got some flack from the bar admission character committee for listing herself as a lawyer on some unrelated document before she was formally admitted. It is better to be safe on this.
I agree with Campion. I would go with Law Clerk. I’ve even seen people working in law firms doing almost lawyer type work use Law Clerk because they hadn’t been admitted to practice yet. From what I recall, that’s what the Federal Government does as well. If you get hired in a Legal Honors Program, you are a law clerk until you pass the bar.