Order in the Court: Law Clerk Tips for Managing a Docket (Presented by the Federal Bar Association Judiciary Division and Federal Judicial Law Clerk Committee)

Moderator, Caryn Peterson, Career Clerk for Magistrate Judge Carmen Henderson | Northern District of Ohio

Caryn Peterson is the career law clerk for Magistrate Judge Carmen E. Henderson in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. Prior to clerking for Judge Henderson, Caryn clerked in the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, and the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. Combined, Caryn has fourteen years’ experience clerking in the federal courts.

Prior to joining the court, Caryn worked for four years as a litigation attorney in a midsize law firm in Akron, Ohio. Caryn graduated cum laude from the University of Akron School of Law in 2007, where she also worked for two years at the Legal and Appellate Clinic assisting indigent criminal defendants with their federal and state appeals. Caryn graduated cum laude from Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois in 2002 with a degree in mathematics.

Kelly W. Chadwick, DTS Training Branch, Training Division, Systems Development and Support Office | Administrative Office U.S. Courts

Kelly W. Chadwick is a member of the AOUSC-DTS-SDSO Training Division’s Microsoft Collaboration and Communication Training (MCCT) team in San Antonio, Texas and focuses on Microsoft Cloud Technology Consulting services. Through his work as an internal cloud technology consultant, he has developed working relationships and trust with judges, circuit executives, and assistant circuit executives for IT (ACEs) throughout the federal judiciary. He delivers Microsoft 365 technology presentations at judicial conferences, national judiciary IT conferences, and divisional conferences.

Kelly graduated from Boise State University with a Master of Science in Instructional and Performance Technology. His past professional positions have included: instructional designer, computer application instructor, training media consultant, distance learning/media researcher, and project manager.

Hon. Landya McCafferty, U.S. District Judge | United States District Court, District of New Hampshire

Hon. Landya Boyer McCafferty currently serves as Chief District Judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire. In 2013, President Obama nominated and the Senate confirmed her to the federal bench, and she is the first woman to serve as a federal judge in N.H. Prior to that, she served for 3 ½ years as Magistrate Judge in the same court.

Before joining the district court bench, Judge McCafferty served as Disciplinary Counsel for the N.H. Attorney Discipline Office (2004-2010). Most of her career was spent as a staff attorney for the N.H. Public Defenders Office (1995-2003), including two years as an appellate defender arguing appeals on behalf of indigent defendants before the N.H. Supreme Court.

Judge McCafferty also worked briefly in private practice for the McLane Law Firm. Immediately out of law school, she clerked for the Hon. Norman H. Stahl at both the federal district and First Circuit Court of Appeals. Judge McCafferty graduated from Harvard University and Northeastern University School of Law.

Hon. Stacey D. Adams, U.S. Magistrate Judge | United States District Court, District of New Jersey

Magistrate Judge Stacey Adams was appointed to the Federal bench in 2024. She currently sits in the District of New Jersey, Newark vicinage where she presides over both civil and criminal matters, ranging from single plaintiff cases to class actions. Judge Adams also served as a Superior Court Judge for the State of New Jersey from 2019 through 2024, where she sat in the Family and Civil Divisions.

Prior to her service in the judiciary, Judge Adams was a labor and employment litigator. From 2006 until joining the bench, Judge Adams was a shareholder at Littler Mendelson, P.C., the largest labor and employment firm in the country, where she had a thriving practice and also sat on several firm management committees – such as the Womens’ Leadership Initiative, Alumni Committee and the Client Investment Management Committee. From 2002 through 2006, Judge Adams worked at Decotiis, Fitzpatrick, Cole & Wisler, LLP, where she was first elevated to partner. Judge Adams began her career at the New York City office of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP, where she worked as an associate from 1997 through 2002, in the labor and employment department.

In addition to being a seasoned litigator with significant trial and appellate experience (including arguing and prevailing before the New Jersey Supreme Court), Judge Adams frequently conducted diversity, antiharassment, and other forms of training for her clients. Beyond her legal practice, Judge Adams served on several different boards and committees including the New Jersey Women Lawyers Association, District Court of New Jersey’s Lawyers Advisory Committee, the Association of the Federal Bar of New Jersey and the Sidney Reitman Employment Inn of Court.

Judge Adams graduated from Seton Hall University School of Law in 1998 and received her undergraduate degree from the George Washington University School of Law in 1998, both magnum cum laude.

I. Daily Review and Action on NEFs | 12:00pm – 12:10pm

II. Electronic Platforms by Kelly Chadwick | 12:10pm – 12:20pm

III. Planner App by Judges Adams & McCafferty | 12:20pm – 12:30pm

IV. One Note by Judges McCafferty | 12:30pm – 12:40pm

V. Ribbon and other Word App Tricks by Caryn Peterson | 12:40pm – 12:50pm

VI. Q&A | 12:50pm – 1:00pm