https://www.bgalaw.com

Brandon Gardner & Associates, PLC

Law Clerk

August 2020 - September 2021 • Grand Rapids, MI

What I liked

I came on to Brandon Gardner & Associates looking for an internship opportunity and left with six months of experience as a law clerk and, six months later, paralegal in family and criminal law under my belt. Attorney Gardner gave me incredible opportunities to learn the ways of legal practice, from drafting legal documents, to research, to trial preparation, to brainstorming on possible legal theories and approaches on a case by case basis together. I really appreciated the freedom in my work, and felt encouraged to learn as much as possible about the practice of law from the perspective of both an aspiring attorney and from a legal support staff member.

What I wish was different

I really appreciated Brandon Gardner's flexibility in scheduling - if I needed to work remotely, Attorney Gardner was very encouraging of that. I do encourage future employees, however, to attend in person, as it is easier to collaborate with an in-person approach as opposed to remotely.

Advice

Do not be afraid of asking questions, exploring different concepts, and challenging one another's thought processes in a respectful and encouraging manner. I found that the best conversations pertaining to cases came from employees challenging one another to see things from a perspective outside of their own.
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Legal Assistant

February 2021 • Grand Rapids, MI

What I liked

I enjoy the firm environment the most. The attorneys and other support staff are very welcoming and willing to help with all tasks. I learn a lot from the attorneys, and because of this job I have been able to learn a magnitude of knowledge on criminal and family law in Michigan. The office itself is a very comfortable, brand new office so this environment was very pleasant to work in. Usage of Avaya, email, and Clio ensures efficient and effective communication and organization for success.

What I wish was different

At times, tasks have been assigned without specifics and that can be challenging. To increase productivity and use time efficiently, I prefer to be assigned a task with all the specifics of what the attorney wants instead of having to go back and revise, so descriptions of tasks could be better. However, now that I have been at the firm for nearly a year I am better able to predict what the attorney wants and I am more familiar with all legal documents and cases so this problem is not as much of an issue at present.

Advice

I would advise that you take notes early on and familiarize yourself with the templates on OneDrive. I would also advise that you not be shy and ask all questions that you have, everyone is willing to help and friendly. I would also advise that you keep record of all of your tasks and write yourself reminders to follow up on correspondences and other tasks so as to not let anything fall through the cracks.
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