Meet the 2026 Summer Law Clerks
How would you describe the work you do as a law clerk from day to day?
William: We mostly do research into specific issues that the attorneys don’t have time to look into. A lot of it is doing deep dives and double- and triple-checking the law to make sure that what we’re saying is accurate. That’s pretty time consuming. So we help the attorneys save a lot of time, since they don’t have to go down these deep rabbit holes.
Sometimes we get to shadow someone into court, which is always fun, or listen in on a deposition. But most of the time it’s going back and forth between researching and meetings, going into more depth on how our research applies to the issues.
Olabisi: We do the basic research on different cases and assist or sit in on depositions or conversations with clients when it’s something that the attorneys want us to be a part of.
The attorneys here are very helpful in terms of letting us get experience with different kinds of cases. If they have court, they try to loop us in for the experience and learning.
Summer law clerks Olabisi Efunnuga (left) and William Knudsen.
What have you been researching recently?
Olabisi: I’ve been doing SOL research, looking up the statutes of limitations for different states and different kinds of cases. I’ve also worked on a brief for a hair relaxer case and worked on some mediation. Currently, I’m working on a motion in limine with Molly Condon Wells on a sexual abuse case.
William: A lot of the stuff I’ve been working on has been pretty in the weeds, like preemptively researching how a recent Supreme Court ruling will impact how we proceed in certain types of cases. That meant going in and reading case after case about the legal issues and analyzing how the Supreme Court’s decision might change our approach in those cases.
What has been your favorite part of your work with the firm?
William: One of my favorite parts is finally putting together everything I’ve researched into a memo. I really enjoy writing and having the culmination of that research, but that is also the most challenging part.
Olabisi: I feel like I’m investigating every time I’m assigned a specific case I need to write about. Being able to go back, look in-depth at the cases, read the depositions—those things take time, but I really enjoy doing it because it feels like I’m putting the pieces together and making it make sense.
Tell me a little bit about how you both ended up here. Olabisi, you worked here before, correct?
Olabisi: I always knew I wanted to go to law school. After undergrad, I took a break, for the experience and the financial side. When I applied to work here, I ended up on the intake team, which was good because I got to see the pre-litigation aspect of it. I was talking to people, seeing what the problems are, the issues, the administrative side, before going off to law school. But I always knew I wanted to be more involved in the cases.
After my first year of law school, I knew I really liked torts, but I hadn’t gotten the experience that I wanted before going off to school. So I thought, let’s go back to where we started, a full circle moment. Coming back, I was like, “Okay, I actually like this kind of work.” That helped confirm, but I’m also not sure yet what area of law I’m going to end up in. So I appreciate being able to work with all of the attorneys and being thrown into different cases and different practice areas. That’s been very helpful in narrowing down my career path.
William: I’ve known since late in high school that I wanted to go into law, because that’s where all of the skills I have and enjoy using are, like reading and writing and analysis. I’d also briefly wanted to go into astrophysics, but then I hit calculus and decided, “I don’t like this at all.”
During my first semester of law school, it was a lot of adjustment and I knew that getting more work experience would be valuable. When I was looking for where to work this summer, I was going through a directory of a lot of Chicagoland law firms that were plaintiff side. I found Wallace Miller in that directory, and it seemed like an amazing practice. And here I am.
Has this clerkship helped focus what area of law you want to go into?
William: It’s helped solidify that I want to go into plaintiff-side work, hopefully mass torts because I really like that practice area. Looking into some of the class action cases with Matthew Goldstein has also been great, and while I’m not quite as involved in personal injury, that’s also a really cool practice area that gives you a chance to help people with massive life-changing issues. The little work I’ve done on the Survivor Advocacy practice has been really fulfilling as well, helping people through some of the hardest times in their life.
Olabisi: I’m still deciding what area of the law I want to go into. But one thing I see that the attorneys here have in common—they all have a deep sense of caring for people. They understand how important and difficult these cases are for people and try their very hardest to help them find justice.
From your perspective, what makes a good lawyer?
William: I think the number one thing is diligence. Being willing to go through and double- and triple-check every case, leave no stones unturned. To make sure that not only do you not leave any openings for opposing counsel, but also that you’re doing right by your clients and taking every advantage to do what’s right for them.
Olabisi: I think being a good lawyer starts by knowing your why. Knowing your reason drives you. Knowing why you started in the first place really helps you go far. In terms of diligence, if you don’t have the drive, then it’s easy to tap out. It’s important to know why you’re doing this and be able to stick to that reason. And remind yourself, “This is the reason why I have to keep pushing.”
What have you done so far this summer that you’re proud of?
Olabisi: After my first semester of law school, I felt like I just had to get through law school. But after my second semester, and being here and seeing the accomplishments that come with being a lawyer, I know that I don’t want to be just a lawyer. I want to do other things, like be involved in my neighborhood. Attending a Women’s Bar Association of Illinois event really solidified that.
I could be a lawyer and do politics. I could be a lawyer and do other things to help people. I don’t have to be in a courtroom all the time to help people. I can show up for people in other ways too. My new goal is to be more involved on campus.
William: I’m proud of surviving and improving myself, getting better at what I do, because that’s what’s going to allow me to accomplish things in the future.
What does the next year of law school look like for you?
William: Honestly, I wonder if going back to school will feel a little bit like a vacation now. Law school is difficult and it requires your attention and dedication, but you’re not actually dealing with other people’s livelihoods like you are when you’re working with clients. I want to make the most of my time at school to ensure that I have everything I need to support people when I do get to put my skills to use in a courtroom.
Olabisi: Right. It’s exciting, but stressful. In school, you’re doing it for a grade, but here, people’s lives actually depend on it. You have to lock in.
Something I’m excited for is being better at what I do. I feel like the first year of law school was just figuring it out. And now I have good leverage and I have such high expectations for being a lawyer. It’s like, okay, we have the experience, so now let’s kill it.
