This sponsored column is by Law Office of James Montana PLLC. All questions about it should be directed to James Montana, Esq., Janice Chen, Esq., and Taryn Druge, Esq., practicing attorneys at The Law Office of James Montana PLLC, an immigration-focused law firm located in Falls Church, Virginia. The legal information given here is general in nature. If you want legal advice, contact us for an appointment.
Here at The Law Office, we have a long (and happy) tradition of benefiting from the work of paid law clerks. In the nature of things, these relationships don’t last forever, because our law clerks go on to other things — actual clerkships, brilliant legal careers, &c. That means that we have to hire new clerks every so often. Every So Often is, as it happens, Now.
Daniela Corona, pictured above, is leaving us soon as well as she finishes up her studies at American University Washington College of Law. So, as one of her parting hazing rituals assignments, I asked her if she would sit for a public exit interview.
Are you a college student (or especially) a law student? Do you want to work here as a paid law clerk? Email James at [email protected]!
Montana: In one sentence, why should law students work here?
Corona: The clients you work with here are exactly the kind of people I want to help in my future career.
Montana: What sorts of people are those?
Corona: The kind of people who are most in need of help. Over the course of my time here, I’ve done five or so U Visa petitions — those are for people who have been victims of crime and have cooperated with the police. That’s not a moneymaker for the private bar.
Montana: Before you came here, did you have any prior immigration experience?
Corona: I come from a family of proud immigrants. I hadn’t worked in an immigration law clinic in law school.
Montana: Were you given interesting assignments? (In other words: Is this like working in BigLaw?)
Corona: Yes! (Also: No!) The assignments put me in the position of a working immigration attorney — completing immigration forms, taking affidavits, handling client contact. I attended immigration court hearings and even represented a naturalization applicant at her interview.
Montana: How many times were you sent out for coffee?
Corona: Zero. Well, it depends how you look at it. You dragged me out to pick up Friday morning coffee and pastries for the office once.
Montana: Village Sweet at Westover, best coffee and pastries in town.
[…]
Montana: Does the office pay its law clerks? Does the office offer flexible hours? Does the office offer a retirement plan matching benefit from day one? Answer these softball questions, please.
Corona: Yes, the office pays. Yes, the office offers flexible hours, but the hours are entirely in-person, no remote. Yes, clerks get a 3% retirement match.
Montana: As they say in English court: Is there anything that you wish to add to your testimony?
Corona: I would say that the lawyers at this office really care about helping the clients. Working at this law office has been a great introduction to the practice of immigration law.
Montana: I hope you end up acquiring us someday in a friendly, highly compensated purchase. But I will insist on the same autonomy and independence when I’m your law clerk, too. Thanks for your time, Daniela, and good luck out there!
As always, we are grateful for your questions and comments, and will do our best to respond.
