Antoinette Snodgrass

Experiential Opportunities

One of the greatest things about Temple Law is its experiential programs. At Temple, I had the opportunity to participate in the Integrated Trial Advocacy Program and directly apply the skills I learned there in two year-long experiential programs. First, I was a legal intern in the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office, at the Bureau of Consumer Protection. This was one of the most rewarding experiences I had in law school. I was given a lot of responsibility from day one, from assisting attorneys with their preparations for hearings and depositions, to drafting complaints and motions and conducting consumer interviews for investigations. It was very rewarding to know that my work helped to protect Pennsylvania consumers.

After that, I participated in Temple’s Federal Judicial Clerkship Honors Program, through which I was paired with a federal district court judge who served as my supervisor and mentor. I worked in federal chambers several days each week, during which I sat in on hearings, watched trials, drafted opinions, and attended a biweekly course held by another federal district court judge. Not only was the Judge I worked with a great mentor, but the experience of being in federal court gave me a bird’s eye view into all stages of litigation.

Volunteer Service

One of my favorite experiences at Temple was the Academic Core Enrichment (ACE) program, created by Professor Jim Shellenberger to help first-year students get their bearings. As a first-year student, I valued the program because it helped prepare me for the unique challenges of law school. But what was even more rewarding was paying it forward in my second year, when I had the opportunity to help the next year’s students. The ACE program is a great example of Temple’s community atmosphere.

Favorite Faculty Member

It would be impossible to answer this question with just one name. Every professor I had at Temple brought something unique to the class, from Professor Craig Green creating his own terms of art in Civil Procedure to help us remember the concepts, to Professor Laura Little’s profound discussions and debates in Constitutional Law. Professor Mary Levy had incredible insight into the profession and beyond that took an interest in helping each one of her students succeed. I would not have been able to learn Evidence without Professor David Sonenshein’s references to “My Cousin Vinny” and “The Sopranos.” There are many more professors that I could name but don’t have space for here. Every semester I struggled to decide whether to take the courses being taught by my “favorite” professors or to get to know someone new.

Favorite Memory

It is hard to pick a favorite memory so I am going to cheat on this question too. Some of the best memories that I have are from my first year. As an evening student, I was surrounded by a lot of interesting people. We all had other responsibilities during the day, and came to Temple after a long day for a long evening of classes.

This was a tough schedule and demanded discipline. But what I remember most about it was the passion that we felt for what we were learning. Some of our classes that first year wouldn’t end until around 10 p.m.—and yet, we often did not finish our night there. I will remember the times that we would get together after those late evening classes and continue the discussions or debates. Our interest in the law and associations with each other were not limited to the classroom.

Being surrounded by these great people not only solidified my passion for the law, but gave me a home at Temple. I have a lot of wonderful memories as an upper-level student, but I will always remember those late nights during my first year.

Making an Impact

I am proud and excited to be going to a great national firm, Drinker Biddle & Reath. As part of the Philadelphia office, I will represent both small and large businesses in a variety of matters. When I was there as a summer associate, I was nervous but soon discovered that Temple had taught me the skills I needed to do the work assigned to me. Even more, my Temple Law education has given me confidence in myself and a sense of direction for my career.