Recent Iowa Law alums share the formative experiences they had serving as judicial clerks for the seven justices on the Iowa
Supreme Court. Through their clerkships, these alumni have gained unparalleled experiences, honed legal research and writing  skills, and witnessed the inner workings of the state’s highest court.

 Rebekah Cochran (22JD), clerk for Justice Matthew McDermott

“I’ve been exposed to cases ranging from property tax disputes to qualified immunity. With every case, I gained valuable legal skills and knowledge. Clerking provides some needed perspective after law school, providing one more year to determine what area of law you want to practice, while learning a lot and hopefully gaining a lifelong mentor.”

Ryan D’Eliseo (22JD), clerk for Justice Dana Oxley

“Iowa Law was instrumental in preparing me to get the most out of my clerkship. I learned the fundamentals of legal research and writing in my LAWR classes, but law school also offered tremendous opportunities to hone those skills. The first thing that stuck out to me when I started working on real cases was the quick turn-around on opinions—sometimes the court can get opinions out within just a few weeks of arguments. I was also surprised to learn that clerks help give tours of the judicial building, which has been a fun way for me to learn about the building and Iowa history. So, to anyone even remotely considering clerking: Do it!” 

Stacy Massey (22JD), clerk for Justice Christopher McDonald

“I am leaving my clerkship with an incredible job. I am also leaving with something even more valuable: confidence. I spent an entire year under the wing of a brilliant judge, and he valued my opinion. I will move through my career differently because of this experience. First-generation students like me are more likely to worry about whether they ‘belong.’ I think clerking is a good way to secure an early sense of ‘belonging’ in the legal profession.”

Georgia Carroll (22JD), clerk for Justice David May

“My biggest takeaway from clerking is a recognition and respect for the amount of research, thought, and analysis that goes into each opinion. I am going into civil litigation, so clerking was immensely helpful for me. I learned more about our court system from the judges’ side of the bench. My experience with the justices and the opportunity to see different attorneys argue helped shape my approach as a new attorney.” 

David Banta (22JD), clerk for Chief Justice Susan Christensen

“My clerkship involved two main tasks. The first was helping prepare for oral argument, which always included breaking down the record into digestible pieces and often writing a type of bench memo. The second task was helping create a first draft of an opinion. It surprised me to see how much clerkships vary. Your work—and your whole clerkship experience, really—depends on your judge. The seven term clerks at the Iowa Supreme Court work for the same court, but have different responsibilities. Overall, clerking made me more confident and will make me a better lawyer.

Lauren Hoover (22JD), clerk for Justice Edward Mansfield

“A clerkship has a lot of value. You get past legal research and writing basics and into more advanced work. You see how opinions are written, cases are decided, and conflicts are negotiated. Even if you’re in transactional work, you’re going to be using legal research and writing your entire career, and you’re going to be negotiating with parties. You also get to know a judge personally
and gain a mentor. Receiving professional and life advice from an accomplished legal professional is unmatched.” 

Luke Zahiri (22JD), clerk for Justice Thomas D. Waterman

“I help Justice Waterman draft his opinions, share my thoughts about pending cases, and edit opinions for publication with the assistance of our staff attorneys. I research issues that come up in pending cases to help him analyze how he should vote or whether to recommend changes to the opinion writer. During oral argument, I ran the court’s cameras or served as bailiff. I also joined Justice Waterman when he visited local schools. There is a learning curve in understanding how to do your work and do it well. That takes some time, and then by the time you get the hang of it, the term is already beginning to wind down. I would enjoy staying longer, but I’m excited to move on to what’s next.”