Real practice experience at NDLS

Lauren Nottoli, 2L

Choosing a law school can be a very difficult decision, and it is definitely a very important one. There are a lot of factors to consider, and sometimes you don’t know what factors can be most important. In my opinion, one of the most critical things to consider is the availability of practical experience you can get before you even graduate law school.

There are many ways in which NDLS offers practical experiences that you simply cannot get anywhere else–I’m currently participating in two of those programs. First, as a member of the Notre Dame Moot Court Board, I am able to participate in tournaments on behalf of Notre Dame. The aspect of being on the Moot Court Board I’m so excited about, however, is the opportunity I will have my 3L year to argue a real case in front of the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Along with four of my classmates on the Seventh Circuit team, we will all have the opportunity to receive our own case, work with a local attorney, write our own briefs, and conduct our own oral arguments. This is the type of experience that some people who are already lawyers will never have in their lifetime.

Also this semester, I participated in our Intensive Trial Advocacy class. We conducted both jury and trials before a just in January. The program is “intensive” because we spent eight days being taught by attorneys, judges, and professors from both near and far before the spring semester even began.

The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals externship and ITA don’t even scratch the surface of what is available at NDLS. When you visit NDLS, be sure to ask about the skills courses and experiential learning opportunities. With five clinics and externships with public defenders, prosecutors, the NCAA, corporate counsel, you’ll be able to find a way to get real, practical experience at NDLS no matter what your interest may be.

Written by Lauren Nottoli, 2L. Originally from Columbia, South Carolina, Nottoli received her bachelor of arts in public relations, advertising and applied communication from the University of South Carolina. Nottoli is a Seventh Circuit advocate on Notre Dame Moot Court Board, a member of the Journal of College and University Law, the American Bar Association representative on the Student Bar Association, an officer for the Federalist Society, and a student ambassador. During her 1L summer, Nottoli worked at the Sexually Violent Predator section of the South Carolina Attorney General’s office and interned for a judge in the Federal District Court for the District of South Carolina.