Summer Experiences: Brendan Kiernan, ’26, Judicial Intern, US District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, Judge Benjamin Beaton
Brendan Kiernan, ’26, is spending his summer in Kentucky working as a judicial intern for US District Court Judge Benjamin Beaton in the Western District of Kentucky. The opportunity has allowed him to conduct legal research, write briefs, learn the ins and outs of trial work, and discover the crucial skills needed to succeed as a litigator.
How did you connect with this summer opportunity?
A 2L who had interned for Judge Beaton last summer told me that he was accepting applications, so I emailed him my application directly.
How does your experience connect with what you currently envision doing with your law degree?
I would like to be a litigator, so working in a district court gave me the opportunity to witness the day-to-day in a trial court and find out what litigation entails. The internship also gave me the chance to get valuable experience doing practical legal research.
Please describe a “typical” day at work.
On a typical day, I would be given a research assignment related to legal issues briefed by the parties in a case. I would then produce a brief summary of the relevant case law, apply the case law to the case at bar, and make a recommendation on how I thought Judge Beaton should rule, or what factual issues or legal arguments needed to be clarified in a hearing. Periodically, the clerks would ask me to cite check or proofread opinions that they had written.
What is something you learned or experienced that was surprising or particularly compelling during this summer position?
Most legal research questions don’t have clear right answers (and many don’t even have much case law to research). Especially when it comes to procedural matters, the district court has a lot of discretion. I was surprised by how often first principles (federalism, fairness, efficiency) rather than hard and fast rules formed the basis of my recommendations and Judge Beaton’s ultimate decisions.
What are a couple of your key takeaways from the experience so far?
My time in Judge Beaton’s chambers highlighted the importance of clear and accurate legal writing. Briefs that get the law wrong or are impossible to understand are completely unhelpful to the Judge and do a huge disservice to the authoring lawyer’s client. By reading so many briefs, I was able to get a good sense of what makes for good, helpful writing and what doesn’t.
What advice would you offer another law student contemplating working in a similar position next summer?
Be intentional about taking on as much work as possible. With the 2L summer hiring timeline creeping earlier and earlier, it is easy to devote a lot of energy to applying to other positions and preparing for interviews. But try to compartmentalize and get as much out of the internship as you can.
How are you spending your free time this summer?
Catching up on some (non-law related) reading, spending time with my family, and hiking.
What are you most looking forward to in returning to UChicago Law this fall?
I look forward to being able to pick interesting classes and reconnecting with the rest of the rising 2Ls.