After graduating in 2018, Vincent Nguyen continued with Fordham Law School working as a post-graduate fellow before beginning his position as a law clerk for Judge Lucy Billings, New York County Supreme Court.

Vincent pursued the clerkship after receiving advice that it would provide invaluable exposure from the beginning to the end of a litigation matter.

He believes his clerkship provided him with valuable insight into the day-to-day functions of the judiciary, not only granting the opportunity to observe and evaluate hearings for motions but also trials.

In addition, Vincent was able to regularly interact with the practicing attorneys who would appear at the courthouse. This public service role required Vincent to remain wholly impartial at all times, which could certainly be a challenge when one party was being
particularly uncooperative or when applying the same standards for a pro se litigant, who is obviously less familiar with New York’s Civil Rules of Practice and Procedure.

Although this role was originally intended to last for one year, the global pandemic began about halfway through the clerkship, and, as a result, Vincent extended his clerkship to provide assistance during the period of uncertainty.

While work as a public servant has its own set of personal and professional rewards, Vincent envied the opportunity to advocate for a particular position instead of having to impartially decide the matters before the court.
Vincent recently transitioned into the private sector and began working as a Complex Commercial Disputes associate for Nixon Peabody LLP’s Long Island office. He pursued the opportunity to work at the firm to obtain further experience on more complex and sophisticated legal matters. Nixon Peabody LLP provides him the opportunity to assist clients with their soft intellectual property issues that appear infrequently, if at all, in New York state court.

In addition, Vincent’s work at the firm requires the same amount of research, writing, and editing as his prior clerkship. Although Vincent appears before a judge
on a weekly basis on behalf of a client, Vincent hopes to gain more experience in trial advocacy.

Vincent hopes to continue making a positive impact through his work and to meet more of his colleagues within the legal industry.