11.3 Learning from the Judicial Supervisory Relationship

As with other placement-based learning, students have greater flexibility and control than they would in a traditional course setting with a pre-fixed syllabus. Students may be surprised by how much control they have over their own experience and workload. This freedom creates both an opportunity and an onus on the learner to ask for work assignments, schedule time to check-in, and ask to debrief after reviewing files or attending court on complicated matters. Every judge and every student is unique; there is no way to prescribe what a working relationship with a judge should look like. However, this is an opportunity to practice relationship building skills and be proactive is setting up an experience that meets the student’s learning goals.

It is important to assess student capacity, predict how much time may be required to complete work, and communicate this to the supervising Judge. An earlier Chapter expands on the importance of cultivating a positive relationship between a supervisor and student. Getting the most out of supervision requires the student to first know themselves. It might be helpful to reflect on past work environments and take note of the strategies that did and did not work well. Some students are readily able to take advantage of an “open door policy” and feel confident approaching their supervisor as needed. Others are concerned about imposing on their supervisor and would prefer the predictability of a fixed check-in where they can bring a list of items to discuss. These approaches are different but both have value and can lead to a productive supervisory relationship. Wherever a student’s preferences fall on this spectrum, the key is to be able to articulate those preferences and be ready to adapt.