Clerking had a number of benefits, including starting my legal career by working directly with a judge who had spent 30 years in private practice; seeing multiple examples of contracts that were not drafted in a way that allowed the parties to resolve their differences without litigation; participating in settlement conferences as a neutral, allowing me to evaluate the benefits of a potential settlement from both sides; and gaining substantial courtroom, conference, and dispositive motions experience, which allowed me to contribute to more complex projects at a reasonable billable rate immediately upon joining the firm.