NCLA Internship Spotlight

Ethan Beck

Summer Law Clerk

Law School: University of Notre Dame Law School

Expected Graduation: 2021

Hometown: Columbia, South Carolina

Campus Activities: Notre Dame Law Review, Staff Editor; Federalist Society, Christian Legal Society

Hobbies: Reading classic novels and history from various periods, taking long walks, and spending time with friends and family

What were your duties as an NCLA intern?

My duties as an NCLA intern primarily consisted of researching a variety of potential and ongoing litigation projects, as well as drafting extensive legal memorandums regarding the specific interaction of statutes, administrative regulations, and case law. 

What did you most enjoy about your internship?

I greatly enjoyed the opportunity to participate in active, ground-breaking litigation projects, while receiving direct, tailored feedback from highly experienced attorneys at the top of their fields in a close-knit work environment.

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

One thing that stood out to me over my time at NCLA was the sheer complexity of the often overlapping, multilayered administrative regulations that confound American citizens, corporations, and nonprofit organizations. I am glad there are places like the New Civil Liberties Alliance to explain, challenge, and reform administrative law.

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

Beyond even the substantive knowledge about administrative law, the research and writing ability that I have developed at NCLA, especially as refined through the advice and mentorship of senior litigators, will be invaluable at every stage of my legal career.

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

Apply!