Page 48 - Briefcase Volume 36 Number 2

LAW CENTER

CLERKSHIP TRADITION

After completing law school in 1969, Jerry Snider made
Bilma Canales ’18 will clerk for history as the first University of Houston Law Center graduate
Judge Gray Miller ’78 of the to clerk in the U.S. Supreme Court. From 1969-1970, Snider
Southern District of Texas. clerked under former Chief Justice Warren Burger and
Associate Justice Tom Clark.
Snider went on to practice for more than four decades
at the firm formerly known as Faegre and Benson LLP in
Minneapolis. He died on June 9, 2018 at the age of 75, but
his legacy will be felt for generations to come as Law Center
students continue to follow his footsteps by establishing their
careers with prestigious clerkship opportunities.
One of those alumni include Rebecca Cutri-Kohart, a 2016
alumna of the Law Center. Cutri-Kohart clerked with Judge
Gray Miller of the Southern District of Texas and a 1978
Law Center alumnus, from August 2016 to August 2017. She
followed that up with a clerkship opportunity from August
2017 to August 2018 with Judge David Sentelle of the U.S.
Court of Appeals in Washington D.C.
Cutri-Kohart determined that a clerkship would be an ideal
Henry Legg, 3L, will clerk
for Texas Supreme Court opportunity to further enhance her legal writing, observe a
Justice Jeff Brown '95. wide variety of legal practice and benefit from the mentorship
of an experienced jurist. She applied broadly to clerkships
throughout the federal judiciary, and credited Professor
Sapna Kumar for helping her understand the different types
of experiences she could get working for a district court or
appellate judge.
“Clerking is a really magical experience,” Cutri-Kohart said.
“A judicial chamber is an intimate work environment that
allows time and freedom to really think about the cases in front
of the judge. You hone your writing and advocacy skills; you see
varied examples of good and bad lawyering; and you develop
a relationship with your Judge and your co-clerks that will
leave you with a legal network for life. It is a wonderful way to
transition from law school to the full-time practice of law.”
Cutri-Kohart noted the different rhythm of the work
between an appellate court and a district court. While
working at the district court, the subject matter was varied,
and she worked on criminal cases, torts, constitutional issues,
Rebecca Cutri-Kohart '16 clerked intellectual property, employment, civil rights, and contract
with Judge Gray Miller '78 of the disputes, among other issues. Though the subject matter
Southern District of Texas.
can also be varied in an appeals court, the bulk of her work

48 UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON LAW CENTER