Judge Christopher Bradley took the bench in October 2023, becoming the “newest” member of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Texas. Before his appointment, Judge Bradley was a law professor at the University of Kentucky Rosenberg College of Law and the University of Florida Levin College of Law, practiced law at both large and boutique firms, and clerked for Judge Patrick E. Higginbotham of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and for Judge Tony M. Davis of the United States Bankruptcy Court for Western District of Texas.

We’ve had the privilege of working in Judge Bradley’s chambers; Beverly Bass as a Law Clerk and Ella Cornwall as an Intern. Throughout our time with him in chambers, Judge Bradley has been an incredible mentor and teacher. In this Q&A, we look forward to sharing some of the insights and wisdom he has generously offered us.

1) What is the best way to stand out as a law clerk applicant?

We have a busy docket to take care of, and law clerks are involved in every aspect of it. So an application that shows work ethic and legal skills, for instance through academics and extracurricular accomplishments, is important. I also look for a demonstrated commitment to public and community service in some form.

But we also look for people who can communicate and get along well with others. It’s a small workplace. We all have to get along, we work closely together, and there needs to be mutual trust and cooperation. So an application (and interview) that shows that you will be able to do that is also really important.

2) How should law students approach judicial internships to gain the most value from the experience?

For both interns and clerks, my goal is to help you develop professionally by being involved in the work of the court. It’s not a passive experience, it’s active learning. To get the most value out of it, it helps to: (1) work hard, putting in the time and focus necessary for any good legal work; (2) work smart and creatively, by really thinking about how to approach the cases and issues from every angle; and (3) work collaboratively, communicating with everyone in chambers about where your projects are, if you’re stuck, if you’ve got questions, and so on.

3) To you, what qualities make a great law clerk?

The previous question probably answered a lot of this. But a couple of more in-the-weeds thoughts that are probably good for any young lawyer:

Dig into the record—pay close attention to the facts of cases. Teach yourself the details of the case—be curious, ask questions—don’t take things at face value, verify them. This will enable you to contribute meaningfully (and you’ll learn a lot along the way).

Also, I don’t want law clerks just to confirm my own views—to the contrary, I rely on you developing and articulating your own views (especially if you’ve put in the work to become really informed, as recommended above). I am under no illusion that I am perfect, and your job is to help save me from as many mistakes as possible. And even if we end up with a ruling you don’t agree with, having worked through the disagreement will make the ruling better.

4) Based on your experience, what advice would you give to first-year associates as they navigate private practice, its demands, and the importance of networking.

There are no magic bullets. Time management is hard especially at the beginning. The curve is steep at first. It doesn’t ever get easy, but it does get much easier as you go.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help, whether professional or personal, when you need it. Trusted friends, families, and colleagues are invaluable. Relationships you build early in your career can be really special, as you cut your teeth together, grow up together, and commiserate with and support each other. So can mentorships with more senior attorneys. Don’t let cynicism take over—there are a lot of good people out there

A final point: sometimes it takes a few years, or even a few “false starts,” before you find your fit in the legal profession. I generally try to follow the principle (which the Internet tells me is wrongly attributed to Winston Churchill), “If you’re going through hell—keep going!” But sometimes, you may need to pivot, and that’s OK too.

5) What are some key professional development activities in the bankruptcy world that you would advise young lawyers to attend?

The primary goal is to build your community and develop your skills.

First and foremost, it’s OK not to do everything. A lot depends on your personal, family, and professional circumstances. Your involvement might ebb and flow over time.

Some concrete suggestions: Inns of Court can be excellent, so can bar service and general community service. Depending on your circumstances, you might try to include a mix of some local activities (Inn of Court or local bar association), some statewide activities (we are blessed to have a great state bar), and some national or international activities (NCBJ, ABI, ABA Business Law Section). If you jump in and get involved, you’ll often find “your people” quickly, and you’ll have cool opportunities presented to you. You have to discover what you enjoy and what works for you.

For my own professional development, in addition to involvement with organizations, and because I am a huge nerd, I spend a lot of time educating myself— carefully reading Rochelle’s Daily Wire from ABI, the ABI Journal, the Texas Bar Journal, and a few other publications, in addition to skimming various other regular sources of information.

Finally, remember that your community extends beyond just bankruptcy lawyers! Relationships with other lawyers and with folks in the broader community are all very important, so don’t feel like you need to restrict yourself.

6) At what point in your career did you first consider becoming a judge, and what steps did you take to position yourself to embark on this career.

Clerking first planted the seed. I loved clerking. It was such a sobering but exciting experience essentially to tell a judge how you thought they should resolve a case. Being able to put your time and brains to work for the rule of law always seemed really inspiring to me. (Just to be clear, I loved practicing in firms as well, and teaching law—but I’ll keep my thoughts on those experiences for another question or occasion!)

As I began to cross that mysterious line between “junior” lawyer and “experienced” lawyer, and especially after I had been a law professor at the University of Kentucky for a few years, I discovered that I really enjoyed mentoring young (and future) lawyers and engaging in public service. My family and I also knew that we would love to return home to be nearer to friends and extended family.

When Chief Judge King stepped down from his W.D. Texas position in 2021, that was the first time I really set about considering and ultimately applying for the job. As it often does, it took me several applications before I got the job. Each time, in terms of the steps I took, I spent a tremendous amount of time working on the application forms; talking to mentors, friends, and colleagues to get advice and let them know what I was up to; and preparing for the application and interview process. Of course, those were just the steps taken directly with respect to the application process (and I am happy to speak to anyone one-on-one about that in more detail). In a sense, I had been preparing my whole career, so that the application and interview could tell a story about how my various activities and experiences suited me for the job. That story is different for every judge, but in general terms, I think some mix of expertise, commitment to service, and ability to get along with others is what an applicant should strive to demonstrate.

7) Do you have any advice for young attorneys who are still considering clerking based upon your experience having clerked after being in private practice.

I clerked for Judge Higginbotham of the Fifth Circuit immediately after law school, but as this question indicates, I am a bit unusual in that I worked for a few years before my second clerkship, which was with Judge Davis of the bankruptcy court here in Austin. I don’t have any particular advice except that it can be a good way to pivot or at least develop a different perspective on bankruptcy. For me, at that point, I was considering if I wanted to go into law teaching, and I was also interested in bolstering my bankruptcy knowledge. It served those purposes really well. I’m very grateful for the opportunity.

I will note that one of my current clerks, An Nguyen, practiced for a number of years before he came and clerked. You can ask him if it’s been a good experience for him (I hope it has!), but I can say, from my perspective, he’s been amazing at the job.

8) What’s the best advice you received as a young lawyer?

Judge Higginbotham really emphasized the facts of cases and scrutinizing the record of cases. That remains hugely important to me. A good quotation for this principle might be from the great biographer and historian Robert Caro, who conveys advice he received from his editor (Alan Hathway) as Caro embarked on his first assignment as an investigative reporter: “Just remember,” he said. “Turn every page. Never assume anything. Turn every goddamn page.” That’s excellent advice for a lawyer, or a judge.

Another really helpful piece of advice: You’ve got to put the hay where the horses can get it. (I’m not 100% sure I learned this one from Judge Higginbotham, but it sounds like him.) This one has all sorts of implications in every area of lawyering (and life). To me, for instance, as a junior attorney, it meant to make sure that when I’m emailing the busy partner, the main points or concerns are very clear in the top of the email (even in the subject line, where appropriate). Or, as lawyer writing a brief, it might mean, don’t bury your best points in a pile of weak points or, even worse, underneath a bunch of empty and overheated rhetoric. For me as a judge, it means trying to summarize the key points early in an opinion, and to use extensive section headings, so people may be able to get what they need without reading the whole thing. Many, many more examples come to mind. Maybe the less folksy way of saying it is this, as our excellent new Southern District colleague Judge Perez emphasizes: Know your audience. Very good advice.

A lot of the other lessons I learned as a young lawyer were lessons in professionalism from mentors and colleagues. I came from a background where I didn’t really have a lot of lawyers or business people around. The whole office environment felt like a strange new world. So I relied a lot on observing and emulating people around me, many of whom I still deeply admire and view with gratitude, to navigate that world.

9) How can young lawyers contribute meaningfully to complex bankruptcy cases early in their careers?

If you do a great job with the small things—getting the details right, being timely, and understanding what you’re doing—you’ll be entrusted with slightly bigger things.

Often, you’ll just be a small part of the team on something much bigger. That can be frustrating and difficult, because sometimes the danger with a big team is that the right hand won’t know what the left is doing—or the folks at the bottom may not have enough clarity on the goals of the folks at the top. I think a real key is to cultivate a “growth mindset,” a concept that I have found really useful in all areas of life. The basic idea is to remain curious and to focus on improvement and growth rather than on your current limitations. If you stay engaged and contribute what you can, you will be able to contribute more over time. 

Also, assuming you’ve learned enough about the relevant facts and law, you may sometimes be surprised how a fresh perspective can help. There’s a Zen saying that “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s mind, there are few.” Having a “beginner’s mind” on a big complex issue or situation can sometimes be a real asset. Note that a beginner’s mind isn’t the same as a naïve or ignorant one— depending on this situation, you often have to have a certain amount of background and preparation in order even to ask good questions. But if you put yourself in the position to contribute, sooner or later, you will be able to.

10) What mentorship opportunities should young bankruptcy attorneys actively seek out?

I guess we’ve already covered a lot of this. One final comment about mentoring. It’s not just top-down, you getting something from your mentors. Senior attorneys and judges have plenty to learn from junior attorneys and clerks. Your perspectives can be helpful and interesting. Most of the best lawyers and judges I know are well aware of that, and view “mentoring” as simply another name for a solid, mutually respectful professional relationship. And sometimes, when it goes well, mentoring becomes just another name for friendship. Personally, some of my most important relationships have been with folks at a different stage of life and career than me, which started out as them mentoring me and became us just being colleagues and friends.

Authors:

Beverly Bass: Beverly Bass is an Associate in the Bankruptcy, Restructuring & Insolvency section at Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C. in Austin, Texas. Prior to joining Munsch Hardt, Beverly served as a term law clerk for Judge Christopher Bradley and Judge Christopher Mott of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Texas.

Ella Cornwall: Ella Cornwall is an Associate at Shannon & Lee LLP in Houston, Texas. Prior to joining Shannon & Lee, Ella earned her L.L.M at the University of Texas and was a judicial intern to Judge Christopher Bradley in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Texas.

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