Kathleen Johnston Back - Ventura County Bar Association

NOVEMBER 2008 • CITATIONS 11An apprenticeship program, however, may notbe suitable for all would-be attorneys. Macri-Ortiz cautions that apprentices need to bringcertain skills to the table. She suggests thatdiscipline, the ability to write, and an affinityfor hard work may be prerequisites for successin the program. Similarly, attorneys or judgeswho wish to supervise apprentices need to beprepared for the training and reporting tasks.Finances can be complex, as well. Macri-Ortizreports that she recently completed training ofher first apprentice, Jessica Arciniega, a UFWcolleague. Arciniega passed the baby bar and iscurrently waiting for her July bar exam results.Because so much of Macri-Ortiz’s practiceis pro bono, she could not offer full timeemployment sufficient to sustain Arciniegafinancially during the four year program.However, Arciniega was a recipient of threeannual Mexican American Bar Associationscholarships that helped with her expenses,and she landed a part-time position thatcomplemented her study at Macri-Ortiz’soffice. On the positive side, once admittedto the bar, the former apprentice will alreadypossess practical skills rivaling her peers, mostof whom graduate from law school neverhaving prepared a witness for trial or writtena brief. Macri-Ortiz encourages local firms,especially those able to offer work/studyincome, to take on apprentices. For bothapprentices and supervisors, she promises thatthe experience will be extraordinary.Panda Kroll is an associate at the Law Officesof David M. Karen and a member of theCITATIONS editorial board. She is studyingfor her brown belt in karate.