Summer Job Diaries: Collaborating with Justices During Externship at California Court of Appeal
Melanie Corral ’28 was honored to work closely with Justice John Segal during her externship at the California 2nd District Court of Appeal this summer. While working together to draft appellate opinions, Corral learned from Justice Segal’s writing techniques and strategies for constructing compelling arguments. She also had the opportunity to use her own knowledge of California pleading standards that she learned in Professor Allan Ides’ Civil Procedure class.
How did you land your summer job?
The Career Development Office emailed that the California Court of Appeal was hiring summer externs. After I applied, the court shared my file with the justices. Justice John Segal called my cell directly to schedule a Zoom interview, and at the end of our meeting, he offered me the externship on the spot.
What is the most interesting part of your job?
The most interesting part of the job was drafting three proposed appellate opinions under Justice Segal’s supervision, involving a dependency case, a breach of contract case, and a civil rights case. Collaborating on these draft opinions with such an experienced justice was truly an honor. I enjoyed working through difficult issues together, contributing my ideas while learning from his expertise on nearly every legal question presented.
Additionally, observing how compelling appellate attorneys write and argue provided helpful examples of how to be a strong advocate. It was equally valuable to analyze weaker arguments and discuss their logical gaps with the justices and other externs.
What has been your most challenging assignment thus far?
The juvenile dependency opinion I drafted proved especially challenging. We had to determine whether an appeal was legally moot because the lower court had already terminated its jurisdiction (essentially closing the active case). Usually, terminating jurisdiction ends the appeal because it becomes impossible for the appellate court to grant the appealing party any effective relief. However, an appeal remains active if a party faces ongoing legal consequences, such as a mandatory listing on a state child abuse registry. Because determining whether the specific conduct in our case triggered that registry was a difficult question without direct case law, I relied on Justice Segal’s guidance and revised the analysis multiple times.
What new legal skill have you acquired during your summer job?
My writing improved tremendously during my summer at the Court of Appeal. I learned to keep my writing clear and succinct while avoiding heavy legalese so the opinions could remain accessible and easy for non-lawyers to understand. I can now quickly comb through my writing to eliminate unnecessary passive voice and nominalization. I feel deeply privileged that Justice Segal reviewed my writing so carefully and provided in depth feedback.
What bit of legal knowledge have you been able to display?
My 1L Civil Procedure class primarily covered federal rules, but Professor Allan Ides also taught us California pleading standards. That prepared me to draft an opinion reviewing a trial court’s decision to sustain a demurrer. Because I understood the distinction between the federal Iqbal standard and California’s requirement to plead ultimate facts under code pleading, I could analyze the complaint under the correct framework.
How has Loyola helped you map your career path?
My career counselor, Rebecca Ruschell, played a huge role in guiding my path. Before the actual court interview, she ran a mock session with me, which calmed my nerves and helped me structure my answers. She also fielded my many emails, answering all my questions about judicial and law firm recruiting.