TJSL’s Saipan Connection
July 8, 2013
The Pacific island of Saipan an unincorporated territory of the U.S.in the Northern Marianas Islands has become a career stop and destination for many TJSL alumni, who are finding opportunities there.
Presiding Judge Robert C. Naraja of the Superior Court for the Northern Mariana Islands has selected David Ellis, a May 2013 TJSL graduate, as his next judicial law clerk. Ellis will start in August, after taking the Florida bar exam.
During law school Ellis worked hard to develop his research and writing skills through internships with the California Attorney General’s Office, the San Diego Superior Court, and two small local litigation firms.
“I would like to thank everyone in Career Services for all their help, and I am really looking forward to this great experience!,” said Ellis. “I have been informed that this position will include, not only working closely with the judiciary, researching and drafting orders and memos, but also working with students in the local school system and other such involvement in the community.”
“Thomas Jefferson School of Law helped to build the foundation of my legal knowledge and guided my education and understanding of complex legal issues and offered support every step of the way, without which I would not be prepared for this undertaking,” Ellis added.
“As some of you may know, we have had a strong track record of alumni landing clerkships with the judges in Saipan,” said Beverly Bracker, TJSL’s Director of Career Services. “We continue to be very grateful to Professor Marybeth Herald for helping us establish and build our contacts there. Charity Hodson ’12, Cindy Nesbit ’07 and Sean Smith ’11 are all currently clerking with judges in Saipan.
According to Bracker, at least 11 other TJSL Alumni have worked in Saipan and several of those continue to work there.