NCLA Internship Spotlight

Tabitha Kempf

Summer Law Clerk

Law School: Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law

Expected Graduation: 2022

Hometown: Monument, CO

Campus Activities: Federalist Society, Officer; CUA Law Review, Staff Editor

Hobbies: Books, Rock Climbing, Horseback Riding

What were your duties as an NCLA intern?

Providing substantive research memoranda, legal drafting and revisions, and evaluating potential NCLA litigation opportunities.

What did you most enjoy about your internship?

Hands down, working with NCLA staff and gleaning from their passion and expertise.

What interesting thing(s) did you learn about Administrative Law?

It’s shockingly more expansive than I imagined.

How might you use what you’ve learned later in your professional career?

I’ll use the practice skills I’ve acquired—particularly stronger research strategies and writing skills—in every future position. More fundamentally, the clerkship has reshaped my understanding of how U.S. government actually works and offered greater inspiration to pursue a career in public interest advocacy.

Any advice for other students who want to intern at NCLA in the future?

Do well in legal writing—you’ll use those skills daily! And familiarize yourself with the APA, deference doctrines and Professor Hamburger’s scholarship on the Administrative State. It’ll help with the learning curve.

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