Weekend Warrior - Matthew Whipple

What inspired you to pursue a career in law after such a vibrant career in music and the arts?

My family is my biggest inspiration in this career path. My grandfathers were both federal judges, my mom was a judge in the state Superior Court, and my dad has been in private practice for many years. Whether I was eventually headed for law school is something people have been asking me since I was a small child. I have always been equal parts creative and analytical, and after over ten years as an entrepreneur and small business owner in creative fields, I was ready to pivot toward using my intellect and abilities in a different way.

How has your background as a bassist, composer, and tour manager influenced the way you approach your legal work?

I definitely tap into the same creative headspace I used when composing music when thinking through potential arguments or counterarguments in my writing, and even when approaching in-class discussions or exam hypotheticals. When I would sit down to write a piece of music, it was always in the context of “the album we are building needs a particular kind of song or mood to become a complete work.” I was often called upon to fill those gaps when a handful of songs were already taking shape. I use that same creative-analytical nexus when I approach legal research and writing.

What has been the most valuable lesson you’ve learned during your time at Seton Hall Law?

I tend toward anxiety when the work starts to pile up toward the middle of each semester. During my 1L year, I considered it a personal failing if I wasn’t able to read every single word of the assigned material, and I subordinated my health and mental well-being to that voice of anxiety. The most valuable lesson I’ve learned came from working with a therapist at Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS): ask for help. Ask for more time. My therapist used to say, “When time is short, work slowly.” Staying calm under pressure allows you to think clearly and make the most effective use of limited time, which is the name of the game for weekenders. Talking to someone at CAPS is the best “surviving 1L” hack, in my humble opinion.

Can you share a favorite moment or proudest achievement from your summer at Carella, Byrne, Cecchi & Agnello, P.C.?

My time at Carella Byrne has been wonderful. I work primarily with the class actions practice group, which is an area I previously knew nothing about and which consistently presents interesting research projects due to the firm’s nationwide practice. Early in the summer, I was tasked with writing an in-depth memo on personal jurisdiction over foreign holding companies under a tight deadline. It felt incredibly rewarding to submit something I knew reflected my absolute best effort—and even more so to hear that the partner found it genuinely useful.

How did you prepare for—and ultimately win—Best Brief, Respondent in the Eugene Gressman Moot Court Competition?

I wrote about whether the warrantless use of utility-pole-mounted cameras to peer into a suspected drug dealer’s home and yard constituted a search under the Fourth Amendment. I viewed the case as less about where cameras are allowed to be and more about whether the Supreme Court would continue engaging in arbitrary line-drawing in the face of increasingly intrusive surveillance technologies. My theory rested on persuading the Court to extend the analysis of a case it had explicitly described as narrow.

With that in mind, I wrote my portion of the brief—co-authored with the brilliant Derek Miller—in the form of an amicus brief aimed squarely at that issue, narratively highlighting the Court’s own evolving jurisprudence. I spent relatively little time analyzing the fact pattern and focused instead on showing where there was room for solid precedent. It felt risky to step outside the traditional brief structure I had learned in Appellate Advocacy, but it paid off.

What are you most looking forward to in your upcoming clerkship with The Honorable Maritza Berdote Byrne?

I’m most looking forward to honing my writing abilities. Much of my current work involves quick-response research assignments that require rapidly reading and synthesizing cases, but not necessarily writing full memos. Having more time to sit with issues, deepen my understanding, and write thoughtfully is incredibly exciting.

In your experience, how does creativity play a role in legal problem-solving?

For me, creativity is essential when stepping into the role of storyteller. Persuasion is more effective when your argument unfolds as a story your audience can connect with. In my Gressman brief, for example, I didn’t just cite authority—I wove those authorities into a narrative showing that the Court had already been moving toward the outcome I was advocating.

What advice would you give to fellow students looking to bring their unique backgrounds into their legal careers?

There is so much humanity in the practice of law—the world needs lawyers with diverse backgrounds and experiences. There will always be moments when what you’ve done or who you’ve been informs your legal work in unexpected ways. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that there are about a thousand different ways to be smart, and most of us can only hope to master two or three in a lifetime.

Outside of law, what passions or hobbies keep you inspired?

I’m a bit of a gym rat, and working out has become a major part of how I take care of myself during law school. I’m also an interior design enthusiast and have developed a few tricks for collecting great furniture and art for very little money through estate auctions. And I’m an avid X-Men comic book reader.

Looking ahead, what’s your vision for combining your legal expertise with your artistic and design skills?

I don’t have a fixed vision for how creativity will show up in my career. What I hope is that I can continue applying a creative mindset to helping people navigate difficult situations and solve complex problems.