Students Share Externship and Judicial Externship Experiences
Every summer, Villanova Law students participate in law-based externship positions to further their legal education with hands-on experiences in professional settings throughout the United States and even abroad.
Students also participate in summer judicial externships, where they assist judges and their staff members with active cases to gain an in-depth experience of the litigation process. These positions often open doors to post-law school clerkships.
Both externships and judicial externships help students practice numerous skills, including legal research and writing, case analysis, court proceedings and working directly with clients. They can also help students determine which path they’d like to pursue upon graduation.
Several Villanova Law students discussed the takeaways of their experiences as externs and judicial externs this summer.
Externships
Bianca Gonzales ’26
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), Office of General Counsel
“The attorneys in CHOP’s Office of General Counsel work on a variety of health care legal issues that impact the organization, including but not limited to regulatory compliance, transactional work, employment, research-related matters, privacy, patient rights and litigation. I worked on several projects, such as reviewing and drafting NDAs, conducting legal research on various regulatory and patient rights issues and composing a training on a recent Pennsylvania statute. I also had the opportunity to shadow attorneys during negotiations and contract meetings and meet with other departments the OGC works closely with, such as the Research Institute and Risk and Insurance. The biggest takeaway from my externship at CHOP is the importance of exploring and keeping an open mind about the areas of law you might want to practice. While I have always had some interest in health care law, it often took a back seat to other specialties. Now, I feel a much stronger pull toward the field. The experience deepened my interest in health care law by exposing me to the complexities of the field, which I found both challenging and rewarding. By working closely with such seasoned attorneys, I was able to receive formative mentorship and gain practical insights that will help inform the next steps in my professional journey.”
Jonathan Passero ’25
Nashville Predators Professional Ice Hockey Team
“I supported the Nashville Predators’ in-house legal team, with an emphasis on working with contracts. I improved my contract skills by drafting, reviewing and revising many contracts the organization enters into. My biggest takeaway from the experience is that to work as an attorney in-house for a corporation, you need to have an understanding of all different aspects of the law, because you can be asked to work on many different things simultaneously. This externship will benefit my future legal career because it has given me the foundational skills I will need as I enter an in-house counsel position for a professional sports team. I can also apply the transactional skills I gained during this externship experience to my remaining classes.”
Samantha Thompson ’26
Air Force JAG (Judge Advocate General), Whitman AFB, Missouri
“As an Air Force JAG extern, Headquarters Air Force will place you in a base legal office. The base legal office provides legal services for/on behalf of the federal government and has three focus areas: military justice, operations law, and civil law. I spent time in both the military justice and civil law sections. As an extern, my assignments included proof analyses, legal reviews of commander punishments, pre-trial requirements for Court-martials and reporting on deferred cases. I was also able to observe victim and subject interviews, and interviews with children on behalf of a case. I also supported the civil law section through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, labor law issues, fundraising reviews, commander-directed investigations, general legal question email inquiries and contracts. Air Force JAG also provides legal assistance to Airmen, which I was able to participate in and support. This externship provided valuable contextual knowledge of the things we are learning in our classes at Villanova Law. For instance, during my military justice rotation, we often talked about ‘speedy trial’ requirements and discovery, which I will have as a reference point when taking criminal procedure, evidence, etc. As someone who had never previously considered the military as a career field, I am now very interested in pursuing JAG.
Judicial Externships
Emma Bertsch ’26
Supporting The Honorable Patricia M. Mayer, United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
“Throughout this experience, with the help of Judge Mayer and her law clerks, I was able to learn a significant amount about bankruptcy in a short amount of time. One of the most significant things I’ve learned is that various areas of law are often intertwined with bankruptcy. For example, during my externship, I frequently observed disputes involving civil procedure and property law. Learning about this characteristic of bankruptcy has been eye-opening, as before I began my externship, I was unaware of the impact that other areas of law could have on bankruptcy cases. Throughout my externship, Judge Mayer was also incredibly accessible and transparent, which allowed me to learn which characteristics and methods constitute good and bad lawyering. I enjoyed learning from Judge Mayer, being in the courtroom and evaluating arguments after each hearing.”
Taylor Eiserman ’26
Supporting The Honorable Christopher Hall, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas
“The most enjoyable aspect of being a judicial intern was having daily insight into the mind of a judge. Judge Hall was a litigator for the majority of his career, as I desire to be, so I was able to pick his mind about topics beyond his judgeship, which I value tremendously. I have truly taken heed to the advice he has given me regarding life and a career as an attorney and judge. It's also an exalting feeling to have a judge ask for your legal opinion every day. My experience this summer has solidified my aspiration to be a litigator in either the criminal or civil court, something I was unsure of beforehand. The skills I have learned - particularly writing, research and legal application - will aid in my coursework and help me perform better academically. This experience has also given me clarity on what specific practice area I'm interested in, so I will pursue opportunities and courses that reflect that while at Villanova Law. This experience has made me so eager to begin my career as an attorney.”
Evan Fitzgerald ’26
Supporting The Honorable Chancellor Kathaleen St. J. McCormick, Delaware Court of Chancery
“This summer, I had the amazing opportunity to learn about Delaware corporate law while externing for Chancellor Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick. I honed my research and writing skills by taking part in comprehensive research projects and drafting orders. In hearing and trial observations, I observed high levels of advocacy from counsel dealing with complex issues of law. I learned the most from my daily interactions with the judicial officers, law clerks, judicial assistants, and co-interns at the Court of Chancery. I will take those lessons that I have learned and apply them in class and in extracurricular activities throughout my 2L year. Externing for Chancellor McCormick has increased my appreciation and respect for Delaware law, and I am excited by the prospect of returning to the Court of Chancery as a litigator.”