This past February, University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law students were able to attend this prestigious conference, where they strengthened their legal writing skills and gained insight into the judicial decision-making process.

This year’s student representatives from the law school included Travis Letellier, Mayson Coyle and Julianne Severson—each of whom are third-year students who have accepted judicial clerkship positions that will start post-graduation.

Letellier will be clerking for a federal judge, while Coyle and Severson will be clerking for two members of the South Dakota Supreme Court.

Attending the conference at Columbus School of Law helped them prepare for the next step of their legal careers. The following are Letellier’s, Severson's and Coyle’s own reflections on the experience.

Travis Letellier

Attending the JCOW conference was a wonderful opportunity! I love legal writing, and the JCOW conference helped me grow as a more focused writer. The conference pairs each of us with a federal judge who gave us valuable feedback on our writing styles. Those of us at the conference learned powerful tools to transform our writing into effective and succinct court opinions.

As a future clerk, this conference is a unique chance to work with judges from across the country in a small, intimate setting. Only a few dozen students are selected each year, and USD's Knudson School of Law was well-represented. For any 1Ls and 2Ls who enjoy legal writing and are curious about multiple areas of the law, a clerkship is the perfect experience. The USD law school faculty are a great resource for students to learn not only about clerkship opportunities, but also about workshops like the JCOW conference. It was a fantastic experience!

Julianne Severson

I am so grateful for the support of the University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law in making it possible for me to attend the JCOW conference.

The conference was open to anyone clerking for a federal or state appellate judge. Since I will be clerking for Justice Salter of the South Dakota Supreme Court this fall, I applied because I want to step into the position with confidence and a clear understanding of what my judge will expect from me. I believed this conference would be a valuable opportunity to prepare for that role.

Federal judges from across the country joined us to teach opinion writing, with a particular focus on writing structure, voice and clarity. We even received individualized feedback from federal judges on our own writing. In addition, the judges offered guidance on clerkship best practices, professionalism and the great responsibility that comes with clerking. I am excited to take what I learned into my judicial clerkship with the South Dakota Supreme Court this fall. Because of the value I gained, I would strongly encourage future law students to apply and attend this conference.

While in D.C., I was also able to do something I’ve always wanted to do—attend oral arguments at the United States Supreme Court. One of my classmates and I woke up very early to stand in line at 5:45 a.m., hoping to be among the lucky few admitted to observe oral arguments. Thankfully, after waiting more than four hours, we were allowed in and had the incredible opportunity to watch two cases argued before the Supreme Court Justices. After reading countless opinions authored by the Justices and discussing their legal philosophies in law school, it was surreal and exciting to observe them interact with each other and with advocates in person.

Between the conference and attending oral arguments at the U.S. Supreme Court, my time in D.C. is an experience I will never forget.
It is only because of the encouragement and support of the law school that I was able to attend this incredible conference and have this experience. So, I am incredibly thankful for the support of the USD Knudson School of Law for encouraging me to apply, helping me work through the logistics of attending and for my professors’ flexibility while I was at the conference.

Two USD Knudson School of Law students are dressed in winter gear, posing for a photo in front of a building in Washington D.C.

Mayson Coyle

I am clerking for the South Dakota Supreme Court after graduation. So, as a future clerk, I applied to this conference because I saw it as a unique opportunity to better understand how judges think about cases, what they value in clerks and how they approach legal writing. Being chosen to go to the writing conference was both inspiring and motivating. It pushed me to ask thoughtful questions, network intentionally and think critically about my career trajectory.

Coming from a smaller, close-knit academic community, Washington D.C., felt fast-paced and high-level. But rather than feeling out of place at the conference, I felt prepared. The Knudson School of Law gave me the writing skills, and professionalism to engage confidently and meaningfully at the conference. The experience reinforced that, while our school may be smaller, the caliber of clerkship preparation is strong.

I also got to watch oral arguments at the Supreme Court. Seeing advocates respond to the Justices’ questions and watching how the Court engages with complex legal issues is something I know helped prepare me for my future state Supreme Court clerkship. While the jurisdiction differs, the core dynamics of appellate review, statutory interpretation, legal questioning and legal reasoning are consistent.

I would encourage any future federal or state appellate clerk to apply. Opportunities like this can expand your professional network, clarify your goals, and expose you to perspectives you may not have encountered in the classroom.

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