Fordham Law School Helps Legal Graduates During Recession

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) March 31, 2010 -- Recent Fordham Law School graduate Charles Nerko never expected to work in the chambers of the Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. But then he never thought he'd have to weather a recession after graduation either.

Charles Nerko is one of thousands of recent law school graduates facing an economic climate that is challenging them as well as the big law firms that many of them hope to work for after they pass the bar. Some of these firms have decided to cut back on the number of new associates they hire. Others, like O'Melveny & Myers—the firm that had offered Charles Nerko a job after graduation—asked their new hires to defer their start date until later in the fall. Charles Nerko agreed to this deferral period, and before he knew it, he was sitting face to face with Judge Preska as she interviewed him for an interim clerkship position.

Fordham's Career Planning Center was instrumental in helping Charles Nerko land the interview. The Center had encouraged him and his graduating classmates, including Sarah Prutzman and Steve Penaro , to consider working as clerks during the gap between their graduation and their deferred start date. Charles Nerko and Sarah Prutzman got in touch with Professor Dan Capra, Chair of the Faculty Clerkship Committee, who quickly arranged an interview with Judge Preska for Charles Nerko and with Judge Shira Scheindlin of the Southern District of New York for Sarah Prutzman.

Both graduates got clerkships, and both honed their legal skills during their time in the courtroom: "I've been able to participate in many behind-the-scenes court proceedings that will give me a significant advantage," said Sarah Prutzman, who joined the litigation department at Morrison & Foerster. "I'm thankful for having had the opportunity to see how the process works."

"The clerkship kept me active in the legal profession during the deferral period, refined my writing skills, and gave me a taste of what was to come in my current position at O'Melveny," Charles Nerko said of his experience. "I have a much better understanding of effective advocacy."

During his clerkship, Charles Nerko helped draft opinions, observed court proceedings and settlements, and received helpful feedback from Judge Preska. Perhaps most importantly, Charles Nerko has been able to incorporate these experiences into his current position at O'Melveny.

In Steve Penaro's case, his clerkship opportunity came straight from the professor who was teaching him Trial Advocacy. That professor was Judge Richard Sullivan of the Southern District of New York, whom Steve Penaro ended up clerking for from September to January before beginning his job with Alston & Bird.

In addition to working as law clerks, other graduates of the law school have taken temporary positions in government or public service during the recession.

charles nerko     fordham law school     legal recession     sarah prutzman     steve penaro