On-Campus Interview Program Helped Alumna Land Position that Led to Trip to U.S. Supreme Court

October 27, 2015

Some externships lead to great real-world experience and networking opportunities, some lead to a permanent job, and others lead to…the Supreme Court?

Alumna Samantha Jones (’15) earned a position with FEM Law Group After a successful experience in an
On-Campus Interview
session during her second year at Chapman University Dale E. Fowler School of Law. After working for more than a year as a legal clerk on one of the firm’s cases, she was invited to visit Washington, D.C. when the case ended up being reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court. Continue reading for more about Jones’ experience and her advice to current law students.

Q: Tell us a little about what you were doing in Washington D.C.:

A:
I flew out to Washington D.C. for the U.S. Supreme Court case
DirecTV v. Imburgia
[No. 14-462, Argued October 6, 2015] and related events leading up to the hearing, such as counsel meetings, client and team dinners, and a moot court at Georgetown University.

Q: Why were you invited to attend the hearing?

A:
The trip came about after working for a year and a half on the case. I first became involved when the case was going up on appeal here in California. We had secured a win at the trial court level, which ended up being affirmed at the Court of Appeal and was denied review by the California Supreme Court. DirecTV then appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS). We thought there was no way it was going to be taken up as it really boiled down to a case about contract interpretation, which of course is a function of the state courts and which SCOTUS does not typically review for error. However, we believe that SCOTUS may have disagreed with some Ninth Circuit/California arbitration decisions and with DirecTV framing the issue as one of preemption in regards to the Federal Arbitration Act, may have seen an opportunity to develop law in the area, or at least make a point. My boss knew how involved and passionate I was about the merits of the case, and offered to take me along for the ride to Washington D.C. when she found out we were going to the Supreme Court!

Q: How were you involved in this case?

A:
During one of the On-Campus Interview (OCI) sessions in 2013, I interviewed with Edie Mermelstein, the sole practitioner at the then Offices of F. Edie Mermelstein, now the FEM Law Group. Edie later called to offer me an intern/law clerk position at her office. However, in the time between the interview and the offer, I had accepted an externship position with a criminal judge at the West Court here in Orange County. I told Edie I would love to be considered for future semesters. Amazingly, I got a call in February 2014 – she had remembered me from the year before and I have been working with her since.

I became involved in the briefing at the appellate stage of the case. I helped to develop arguments through many hours of research, and, as the time for court came nearer, helped prepare Edie for court. I was in court for the appellate argument. I subsequently helped with the California Supreme Court briefing, and then for the U.S. Supreme Court briefing for as long as I could until beginning bar preparation after graduation. Once the bar exam was done, the briefing had been completed and our office was heavily focused on preparing for oral argument. That’s when the fun began. I got to observe the moot courts we had before our trip to Washington D.C., and even got to participate in the post-moot discussions and conference calls leading up to the October argument.

Q: What was it like to see something you worked on in the Supreme Court?

A:
During one of the post-moot discussions, I offered up an opinion to the litigator we hired for the case, Tom Goldstein, as to a tactical approach in answering one of the weaker areas of our case. While my idea wasn’t something that he used at oral argument in the form I had suggested, it was used at the next moot, and became a crucial theory in our SCOTUS case as we continued to develop and sharpen it. Seeing my work in the briefs was extremely rewarding. Watching an idea play out before the justices on something I had offered was nothing short of amazing!

Q: What do you feel like you gained from the experience?

A:
I have gained so much. In the weeks, days, and hours leading up to our argument date, I was included in every step of the process. Including FEM Law Group, there are four firms representing the consumers in this case. I was able to sit at the table with counsel (as the only law clerk) in the meetings and discuss the merits of our argument with seasoned and successful attorneys. I got a “behind the scenes” view and crash course on preparing a case at the highest court in the U.S. The style of arguments at SCOTUS is so different to oral arguments at lower courts; it’s an entirely different structure. It was truly an indescribable and invaluable experience.

Q: What have you been up to since graduating?

A:
After finals, I went back to work for the month or so until bar prep got underway. I did bar prep and sat for the bar in July. The Tuesday after the bar was over, I went back to work. I am now awaiting bar results, and hoping to continue with FEM Law Group as an associate once I pass.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to add about your trip or your experience at Fowler School of Law?

A:
My time at Fowler School of Law prepared me for this amazing experience in a way I’m not sure any other school could have. Attorneys in Orange County really love Chapman students – the Career Services Office and OCI experience prepares us for successful interviewing skills and securing jobs, and the professors prepare us to wow employers with our writing abilities and substantive knowledge.

However, I think an important message I’d really like to get out there, is that you don’t have to be at the top to have these rewarding and fulfilling experiences. I struggled my first year, and never could recover enough to get back towards the top of the class. But, I stayed the course and during my 2L and 3L years, I worked to get the most out of my education and time at Chapman. If you’ve been accepted to study here, it’s for a reason: you belong and the professionals are confident you will be successful!