Countless articles have been written about what makes a great law clerk. You readers are no doubt familiar with the principles. You have to be able to present yourself powerfully, in both written and verbal form; you must have great listening skills to really hear what is being said to catch important details; you must collaborate well with colleagues and foster connections with other judges and their clerks; you must work to build trust; you must be organized, resourceful, and adept at gathering materials to support and empower the desired position; you must be able to think outside the box, to move outside the norm of possibility and see the creative angle; you must be able to wade through copious amounts of information to read, absorb and distill technical and subtle details needed to resolve the matter and then to present it in a way that is understandable and compelling.

Then there's the matter of how to push back on your judge, to prevent her from making mistakes. This means you need to speak up if you believe the judge's tentative decision may be based on some misunderstanding as to the facts of the case or the law. Don't let your inclination to defer interfere with performance of your job. If you plan to recommend that the judge decide the issue differently, be prepared to explain why; in fact, be prepared to defend your position as if your life depended on it.