Annette Bevans ’17 is a clerk in the Supreme Court, Queens County. But before choosing a career in the courts, she took advantage of opportunities to gain experience both within law school and through clerkships and internships both inside and outside of the court system.
Hofstra Law Involvement
While at Hofstra Law, Bevans served on the Moot Court Board and participated in international arbitration tournaments. She even had the opportunity to travel to Vienna for one tournament. She remained involved after graduation, moving on to coach the moot court team the following year. She also worked closely with the American College of Trusts and Estates Journal (ATEC), was a member of the Black Law Students Association (BLSA) and worked heavily with the Frederick Douglas Moot Court Tournament.
“There was a network of support through those organizations at Hofstra Law,” Bevans says. “I got connected to alumni through these organizations and developed mentors. And I had some great professors at Hofstra Law who became mentors. I could come to them with questions even after I had completed their classes.”
Internships and Clerkship Experience
In addition to being active in law school, Bevans also held several different internships and clerking positions during her time at Hofstra Law, including positions with Northwell Health, at a small law firm, and at Nassau Suffolk Law Services, as well as a clerkship with a state court judge. “All positions shape you in some way,” she says.
Justice Doris Ling Cohan served in the Appellate Term, First Department when Bevans clerked for her, which was an exciting experience. “Judge Cohan was a foundational part of marriage equality rights in New York State, and she was featured in a news article when I was there,” Bevans says. “I had the opportunity to sit in on oral arguments and work with law clerks on building cases. Justice Cohan was a wonderful person to work for.”
Bevans’ first experience with trial work outside of the courtroom came while working at a small law firm doing insurance regulation work in state and federal court. She was involved in motion practice, observed depositions and read transcripts. “Although I had interned for a judge, this was a different; I was seeing litigation from the other side,” she says.
Bevans also worked with Nassau Suffolk Law Services. “They did a lot of work involving children and families, and that shifted me away from that as a career path,” she says. “I didn’t have the heart for that. I appreciate the people who do it, but it wasn’t for me. Sometimes, getting these experiences through law school help you narrow down your career choices.”
Choosing a Career in the Courts
All of her previous experiences led Bevans to ultimately choose a position with the court system after graduation. She says she knew she wanted to clerk because she was interested in many aspects of the law. “As a clerk, I could see multiple types of law from the point of view of the decision-maker, which would give me knowledge and exposure to develop my interests.”
In her current position with the Supreme Court, Queens County, Bevans hears cases, holds conferences, and drafts motions, primarily on personal injury and contracts cases. She still enjoys the process of issue spotting. “I enjoy learning and the process of developing the law — building upon what has come before and seeing that translate into real cases. I like seeing how the law evolves and what the trends are. I appreciate the novelty of the work that we do on a daily basis — the variety of what comes before the court.” She also appreciates the experience of working with different judges. “I enjoy learning how the judges approach each issue, how they interact with their staff. Each judge does things differently. But there is still a community.”
Her advice to law students: “Remain open — do what interests you. Try new things. Have advisors and consult them; talk to people about what your goals are and how things work. Make connections where you can in the organizations that interest you. Understand life from different perspectives. Academic performance and getting involved are both part of the puzzle.”
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