Jake Putala, a third-year law student at Michigan State University College of Law, is embarking on a prestigious clerkship with Chief Justice Elizabeth T. Clement of the Michigan Supreme Court. Having externed in the Chief Justice’s chambers last spring, Putala’s dedication to honing his advocacy skills is evident in his participation in several moot court competitions. Notably, he served as a briefwriter and oralist in the Summer 2023 Zehmer National Moot Court Competition, where his team achieved the remarkable feat of national runners-up among 26 competing teams. His success continued in the Winter 2023 and 2024 Kurth National Moot Court Competition, where his team secured the same national runners-up position in a challenging 16-team “best of the best” competition. Putala’s prowess extended to the Spring 2024 Wechsler Criminal Law Moot Court Competition. Acknowledging the importance of moot court experiences, Putala emphasized, “Moot Court is great training for appellate-related opportunities, like clerking. Competitions require students to study tough legal issues and then identify the strongest arguments on each side.”
Putala’s commitment to academic excellence is reflected in the numerous Jurisprudence Achievement (JP) Awards he received for achieving top grades in various courses like Research, Writing, & Analysis; Government Relations & Lobbying Law; Pretrial I; Pretrial II, Professional Responsibility; Trial I; and Michigan Civil Procedure.
Putala’s commitment to academic excellence is reflected in the numerous Jurisprudence Achievement (JP) Awards he received for achieving top grades in various courses like Research, Writing, & Analysis; Government Relations & Lobbying Law; Pretrial I; Pretrial II, Professional Responsibility; Trial I; and Michigan Civil Procedure.
