Judy He, a Chicago-based associate in Haynes Boone’s IP Practice, was interviewed by the American Bar Association about her experience in law school and as a judicial intern.
Here is an excerpt of the interview:
[Judy’s] practice focuses on intellectual property litigation in federal courts and the Patent Trial and Appeal Board involving various technologies, including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and consumer products.
Judy participated in the ABA Litigation Section’s Judicial Intern Opportunity Program (JIOP) during the summer after her first year of law school by serving as a judicial intern to the Honorable Linnea E. Thompson in the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit of Illinois. She credits her JIOP participation for teaching her how representation matters and attorneys play an important role in ensuring access to justice. …
Q: What drew you to attend law school?
A: I’ve always wanted to be an advocate and use my talents to help people. Law school drew me because I have strong writing and analytical skills, and I wanted to use them in a way to bring positive change in the community.
Q: What are some of the lessons you learned through JIOP?
A: One lesson I learned through JIOP is the importance of being represented by counsel in court. As a judicial intern, I had lots of opportunities to observe litigants, and when parties appeared pro se, they often faced additional challenges with navigating the judicial system. Another lesson I learned is how to handle several different matters at the same time. Being in state court, I worked on a wide variety of issues, and it was such a unique experience to interact with the judges and learn more about how they see cases from their perspectives. There’s definitely that opportunity to help move the system forward as an intern, and I view my JIOP experience as one of the first steps in my journey to becoming a litigator.
To read the full interview with the American Bar Association, click here.