PIMA COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT
Vedat Teke
In 2022, The David A Paige Foundation awarded Vedat Teke (’23) its inaugural full-time summer externship with a Pima County Superior Court judge on the Civil Bench. As branch director and public representative at the Sema Foundation, Vedat sharpened his research and writing skills. Vedat was committed to improving these skills and had a genuine desire to learn about the law from a judge’s perspective. The Foundation also appreciated Vedat’s volunteer efforts with the Anatolia Turkish-American Cultural Center and his involvement in the University of Arizona College of Law’s different student groups. Vedat also earned his Bachelor of Law from the University of Ankara College of Law in Ankara, Turkey.
“During the externship with Judge Gordon, all my expectations were perfectly met. First and foremost, I benefited substantially from Judge Gordon’s assignments, feedback, and explanation of difficult topics. Most importantly, Judge Gordon’s teaching experience and education methods helped me to absorb complicated matters easily. During the externship, I observed so many different trials and court proceeding such as civil and criminal jury trials, bench trials and oral arguments.
“I also acquired legal, social, and administrative skills. Firstly, I learned many different legal concepts such as the legal process of a case, jury deliberations, civil law subjects and trial motions. Also, I learned how to communicate with other people in a legal setting like lawyers, law clerks, judicial assistants, and reporters. Furthermore, I learned how to work with people from different backgrounds and professions in a court setting while observing how Judge Gordon dealt with the plaintiffs and defendants in his courtroom.
“Overall, it was a real privilege for me to work with Judge Gordon as a David A. Paige Foundation scholar. The experience and skills that I acquired through the externship will definitely help me in my legal education and future career. I believe that this program is a great opportunity for law students to have legal experience and get ready for the practice of law.”
The David A. Paige Foundation has committed to funding a full-time judicial clerkship with a Pima County Superior Court Judge on the Civil Bench in the summer of 2023.