Josh Voss (2009) sensed for a very long time that he should devote his career to trying cases.

"I've always known that I want to be litigator," said Voss, who began imagining a courtroom career when he took part in mock trial exercises during his middle school years.

Both the art of persuasion and the satisfaction of solving practical problems held a powerful allure.

"People who have that gravitas and can tell you a story and make you lean forward in your seat — I've always been impressed by that," he said.

Growing up in Iowa, Voss said his father approached decisions in a sensible fashion that he called "cowboy logic — you do what makes sense." That habit informed Voss' own professional outlook.

"Although I'm opinionated, I'm not very grandiose. I don't necessarily see myself championing the First Amendment," Voss said. "When I see problems I can fix, then I can find a way to help. I like the idea of taking a case and approaching it in a way that compels a specific outcome: one that benefits my client."

Having married soon after receiving his B.A. from the University of Iowa, Voss put his law school aspirations on hold for several years while he worked in retail management with CVS Pharmacy.

While considering his options at different law schools, Voss said he was impressed by the opportunities to gain practical experience through the Earle Mack School of Law as well as the dedication of its faculty and staff to combining theory and practice.

As a member of the school's inaugural class, he gained experience in leadership positions such as helping to launch the Student Bar Association and to establish the Drexel Law Review. As the inaugural treasurer of the SBA, Voss helped establish a requirement that all student organizations at the school fulfill philanthropic activities as part of their mission.

"I'm very proud that we established that requirement," he said.

Voss graduated in May 2009 at the top of his class, earning the Dean's Award for Outstanding Performance as a Law Student.

But perhaps most importantly for Voss, he gained experience in a variety of legal settings, completing a co-op placement with the University of Pennsylvania's Office of the General Counsel, an internship with Judge Joseph Rodriguez of the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey and a summer associateship with Conrad O'Brien Gellman and Rohn.

That range of experience with transactional law, litigation and legal research provided insights that are serving Voss well in his current role as clerk to Judge Robert Kugler of the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.

Voss said his experience working with contracts at the University of Pennsylvania General Counsel's Office enabled him to quickly grasp a pivotal provision of a contract that was in dispute in a case before Kugler.

"I had a much better understanding of contracts, having seen how they come about, instead of seeing them in a vacuum," Voss said. "It really aided my analysis of the case."

For now, Voss said he is enjoying the busy but manageable schedule of a judicial clerk.

"There's no shortage of work, but it's not as fast-paced as being a litigation associate," Voss said.

That will change in August 2010, when Voss begins work as an associate with Conrad O'Brien.