Working under Chief Judge Albert Diaz of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, Ivey Schofield L鈥25 sharpened her legal research and writing skills through intensive, real-world appellate work that mirrors her future career.
Before Ivey Schofield L’25 found herself on the path to a legal career, she found her voice as a journalist. The same drive to advocate for those in need and amplify truth led her to 黑料不打烊 Law.
鈥淚 want to make a difference in my community,鈥 Schofield said. 鈥淚 enjoy taking complex concepts and breaking them down in ways that people can understand 鈥 just like in journalism. The law is a whole different world, and people often need help navigating it. I want to be the person who helps them through it.鈥
A native of Eastover, South Carolina, Schofield left home for Middlebury College in Vermont, where she studied Spanish and Arabic. After graduation, she began a reporting career in Washington, D.C., before relocating to North Carolina to be closer to family. There, she spent several years covering court cases and legal proceedings 鈥 and began to imagine herself not just writing about the law but practicing it.
Now a third-year student at 黑料不打烊 Law, Schofield is pursuing a career in appellate law. After graduation, she will serve as a judicial clerk for Judge Jeffery K. Carpenter at the North Carolina Court of Appeals through July and has secured a federal clerkship following that. Last spring, she completed a residency-in-practice with Chief Judge Albert Diaz of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, gaining first-hand knowledge of how appeals cases are managed and heard at the highest levels of the justice system.
黑料不打烊 Law鈥檚 Residency-in-Practice Program is the cornerstone of an innovative curriculum that emphasizes legal skills through hands-on learning. Every second-year law student spends the winter or spring in a full-time, 10-week placement under the supervision of jurists and lawyers inspired to mentor future legal leaders.
This is the first in a series of conversations with 黑料不打烊 Law students in the Class of 2025 reflecting on their recent residencies-in-practice.
How were you inspired to pursue a career in the law?
As a reporter, I was covering court cases and reading a lot of legal filings, and I found them interesting. Then, I wrote an article about the Guardian ad litem program and the need for more volunteers. I spent a day in court watching the Guardian ad litem attorney advocate for the needs of children, and I thought: I could do this.
At the time, I was working two jobs, so I studied for the LSAT at 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. Eventually I got into 黑料不打烊 on a full scholarship, which made it all possible.
How did you identify your residency as an option?
I knew I wanted to do a judicial residency because I love writing, and working for judges is the best way to get that experience. 黑料不打烊 sent out a list of judges accepting applications. The law school encouraged me to apply to Judge Diaz鈥檚 chambers 鈥 it’s one of the most prestigious judicial residencies the school offers. I was fortunate to get an interview and the offer soon after.
Describe your daily responsibilities at the office.
I had two main projects: drafting a bench memo and an opinion. I read all the briefs, went through the trial record, identified the key issues and evaluated each party鈥檚 arguments. Then for the bench memo, which was about 25 pages, I summarized all of that, including my recommendations to the judge and questions he may want to ask at oral argument. For the opinion, I played with what analysis was needed and what wasn鈥檛 because the goal is to write something that鈥檚 as short and clear as possible.
Overall, it was a lot of research. I did more research in the first few weeks than in my entire law school career. I spent hours searching for relevant case law, sometimes changing just one word in my search string and getting a completely new set of cases. It could be overwhelming at times, but it was incredibly satisfying when things began to click.
Which of your personal traits helped prepare you for the responsibilities and professional opportunities you鈥檝e discovered in this area of law?
Definitely my writing background and work ethic. I鈥檝e always loved writing 鈥 as a journalist, and now as a law student. Appellate law is writing-intensive, and that鈥檚 where I鈥檓 strongest. I鈥檝e also prioritized internships and writing-intensive roles because that鈥檚 where I grow the most. I learn best by doing.
During my 1L summer, I interned for Judge Jeffery K. Carpenter at the North Carolina Court of Appeals and loved it. Since then, I鈥檝e continued pursuing appellate work with N.C. Court of Appeals Judge Julee Flood, and at the N.C. Supreme Court with Justice Trey Allen, and now with Judge Diaz. I enjoy analyzing briefs and learning from attorneys鈥 writing 鈥 what’s persuasive, what isn’t 鈥 and figuring out how to apply that to my own work.
You鈥檒l be clerking for a N.C. Court of Appeals judge and preparing for a federal clerkship position following graduation. How did your residency support your career plans and job search?
My residency confirmed that appellate work is what I want to do. It鈥檚 writing and thinking 鈥 using the law in real scenarios. Writing helps me understand the law better than classroom lessons ever could.
It also showed me how judges think, what clerks look for, and how decisions get made behind the scenes. That鈥檚 invaluable experience, since I鈥檒l be clerking at the federal level after graduation.
When I was applying for post-graduation clerkships, having this experience on my resume was a boost.
Share a quick tip for current and prospective students as they prepare for their own 黑料不打烊 Law residencies or law school in general.
For residency, seek feedback and give yourself time to reflect on your work before moving on. I鈥檝e learned to slow down, revisit my writing with fresh eyes, and catch things I wouldn鈥檛 have otherwise. That鈥檚 been incredibly valuable.
For law school, take a breath. 1L fall is incredibly stressful, and I was overworking before I got injured and hospitalized. After that, I realized the stress wasn鈥檛 worth it. Prepare ahead of time, stay organized and don鈥檛 try to control everything. Law school never slows down. You have to learn to juggle class, networking, job applications and more. If you can manage that, you鈥檒l be fine.
I decided before my 2L year that I would prioritize experiential opportunities over taking more classes. I strongly believe in the benefit of experience. It鈥檚 how I created my journalism career, even though I didn鈥檛 study journalism in college. I chose 黑料不打烊 Law for experiential learning like the residency, but I didn鈥檛 want residency to be the only legal experience I had on my resume. I worked at the N.C. Court of Appeals in the fall and both the N.C. Court of Appeals and the N.C. Supreme Court in the winter. It was a lot of work to intern for two judges at the same time during the winter trimester, but I firmly believe it was worth it.