3L Natalie Dybeck Builds Courtroom Confidence and Refines Legal Research and Writing Skills as a Judicial Extern

Natalie Dybeck

Third-year law student Natalie Dybeck applied classroom learning to real-life cases during her externship with the U.S. District Court, Northern District of California by analyzing legal disputes and experiencing procedural rules in action.

3L student Natalie Dybeck reflects on her experience externing for a federal judge through UC Law San Francisco’s Judicial Externship Program. 

  • Honed practical legal skills through extensive research, drafting court documents, and observing live proceedings in the U.S. District Court, Northern District of California. 
  • Applied classroom learning to real cases by analyzing legal disputes, collaborating with court staff on complex issues, and seeing procedural rules in action. 
  • Deepened her understanding of law’s human impact by hearing the personal stories of individuals in an alternative sentencing program. 

3L Natalie Dybeck:

In the Judicial Externship Program, I worked full time as a judicial extern for the Honorable Judge Charles R. Breyer in the U.S. District Court, Northern District of California. From this experience, I sharpened my legal research skills and further honed my legal writing skills. I also gained a deeper understanding of the court system and got to see the rules I learned in civil and criminal procedure applied to real-life proceedings.   

Federal district courts are a vital part of our democratic society, and their work profoundly impacts many peoples’ lives. Two standout moments from my externship include working on civil and criminal cases and attending a Conviction Alternatives Program (CAP) graduation. The CAP graduation was deeply moving. Some members of CAP spoke about their childhoods and how crime had long been a means of survival. They spoke about breaking the cycle and how, through the unwavering support of the entire CAP team—including a district judge, magistrate judge, Pretrial Services officer, clinician, federal prosecutor, and public defender—they were now on a stable and promising path. It was inspiring to see alternative ways that defendants can be supported by the judicial system.   

From this experience I gained invaluable insight into the inner workings of a district court. While I have enjoyed law school, there can be a disconnect with the rules we learn in class and how they play out in the real world. Getting to step out of the classroom and acquire hands-on knowledge was especially meaningful to me. Prior to law school, I dedicated my career to government service. It has always been a goal of mine to return to civil service, so getting to contribute—however modestly—to the federal court system was an incredibly rewarding experience.    

I would absolutely recommend UC Law SF and this externship! UC Law SF has provided me with an exceptional environment to grow both as an attorney and as a person. It has also introduced me to outstanding mentors along the way. The Judicial Externship Program was a great opportunity to apply what I learned in the classroom and gain experience in the courtroom before I graduate and start my legal career. I deeply enjoyed the cases I worked on and the legal research I performed. Furthermore, the externship professors were phenomenal, as were supportive resources throughout the externship. The externship included an intensive two-day boot camp that thoroughly prepared me for my first day in chambers.     

I have truly enjoyed my three years at UC Law SF. I’ve been involved in great campus communities and clubs and have enjoyed getting to know my peers and professors. Among my top law school memories are the experiences I’ve had in the externship programs. I absolutely loved the Corporate Counsel Externship Program, where I was fortunate to extern with Recology and spend a full semester in the field gaining a richer understanding of the waste industry and the role of in-house lawyers. In the Judicial Externship Program, I fondly remember watching a criminal trial before Judge Breyer and getting to debrief with him and his staff afterwards. It was incredibly rewarding to see the procedures and rules I’ve learned in class be applied in a real-life setting while having the unique opportunity to ask the judge and his clerks questions about the process. 

The Evidence of Success series highlights UC Law SF students as they share how the college’s opportunities equip them with the experience, skills, and confidence to excel in the legal profession.