3L -> 1 yr. biglaw -> clerk (does name of law firm matter) Forum

[Anonymous User]

I'm planning on working in big law for 1 year after graduating from law school, and then do a district court clerkship (Boaltie here). Obviously, I have to kick tail in my 2L and 3L years, but other than that; my question is this:

Does it matter which law firm I go to after law school for that 1 year? I'm a rising 2L, and the law firm will obviously be wherever I end up this summer (unless I get no-offered). Couldn't judges care less where I go? (Considering accepting offer at V50, and cancelling callbacks at a string of elite firms). My basic question is this; do judges solely care about law grades/journal/rank, or do they also care about which law firms their applicants are applyin from?

You may think, why would I not just wait out the recruiting cycle and wait for the elite firms to decide on my application.
The reason my question is relevant is this: all the elite firms I'm shooting for are in LA/DC, but I'm out here in Berkeley - so I could just go to this job offer in SF, this would work out really well for me for next summer + the year after law school. (I wouldn't have to move to LA or DC for the summer, and then after law school, I could just chill in my cheap situation here in Berkeley)

I cannot finnacially afford to just go do a clerkship right after law school (that 1 year worth of big law money is a big deal)

[Anonymous User]

I'm planning on working in big law for 1 year after graduating from law school, and then do a district court clerkship (Boaltie here). Obviously, I have to kick tail in my 2L and 3L years, but other than that; my question is this:

Does it matter which law firm I go to after law school for that 1 year? I'm a rising 2L, and the law firm will obviously be wherever I end up this summer (unless I get no-offered). Couldn't judges care less where I go? (Considering accepting offer at V50, and cancelling callbacks at a string of elite firms).

It could help if the judge worked at or has relatives/friends who work at your firm. I suppose the more prestigious the clerkship, the more likely the judge worked/has connections at an "elite" firm. In the end, I doubt it matters much, though this is a prestige-driven profession . . . .

[Anonymous User]

if your firm has a clerkship signing bonus, you are lighting $50k on fire (in addition to a year of seniority at the firm for salary purposes) by not doing a clerkship first, no matter how much debt you have.

[LawSchoolWannaBe]

if your firm has a clerkship signing bonus, you are lighting $50k on fire by not doing a clerkship first, no matter how much debt you have.

$50K + $XK (pay from clerkship) <<<< $160+K

[Anonymous User]

if your firm has a clerkship signing bonus, you are lighting $50k on fire by not doing a clerkship first, no matter how much debt you have.

$50K + $XK (pay from clerkship) <<<< $160+K

you should read the OP more closely

[Anonymous User]

if your firm has a clerkship signing bonus, you are lighting $50k on fire by not doing a clerkship first, no matter how much debt you have.

$50K + $XK (pay from clerkship) <<<< $160+K

Though, you could always take that clerkship and try to go to another firm (and end up getting the 50k anyways).

[wiseowl]

if your firm has a clerkship signing bonus, you are lighting $50k on fire (in addition to a year of seniority at the firm for salary purposes) by not doing a clerkship first, no matter how much debt you have.

yea ask all the peeps who got firm offers rescinded while in court this year whether that's a good idea or not.

if you're at an elite lit boutique that basically requires a clerkship then by all means...but at a run of the mill biglaw firm i'm not sure it matters anymore. so few people have jobs that it seems awfully cocky to walk away from one.

[ToTransferOrNot]

if your firm has a clerkship signing bonus, you are lighting $50k on fire by not doing a clerkship first, no matter how much debt you have.

$50K + $XK (pay from clerkship) <<<< $160+K

True.

However:

Clerk straight out: ( [year one] $50k (clerkship bonus) + ~$60k (going rate for federal CoA on the 7th circuit - not sure if that varies)) + ( [year two] ~$180k (2nd year salary) = $290k
Clerk after a year: ( [year one] $160k (1st year associate pay)) + ( [year two] ~ $66k (pretty sure that's what a clerk with a year gets paid)) = $226k [+$50k clerkship bonus at some firms]

Many firms don't pay the clerkship bonus if you work for a year, leave, then come back.

The disparty is even greater at some firms, because they won't bring you back as a '3rd year associate' - you'll come back as a second year.

Financially, it's better to go straight through. That doesn't even account for the fact that professionally, leaving a firm after 1 year basically means you're leaving as soon as you're finally starting to build relationships and get your hands in to substantive work.

[vamedic03]

I'm planning on working in big law for 1 year after graduating from law school, and then do a district court clerkship (Boaltie here). Obviously, I have to kick tail in my 2L and 3L years, but other than that; my question is this:

Does it matter which law firm I go to after law school for that 1 year? I'm a rising 2L, and the law firm will obviously be wherever I end up this summer (unless I get no-offered). Couldn't judges care less where I go? (Considering accepting offer at V50, and cancelling callbacks at a string of elite firms). My basic question is this; do judges solely care about law grades/journal/rank, or do they also care about which law firms their applicants are applyin from?

You may think, why would I not just wait out the recruiting cycle and wait for the elite firms to decide on my application.
The reason my question is relevant is this: all the elite firms I'm shooting for are in LA/DC, but I'm out here in Berkeley - so I could just go to this job offer in SF, this would work out really well for me for next summer + the year after law school. (I wouldn't have to move to LA or DC for the summer, and then after law school, I could just chill in my cheap situation here in Berkeley)

I cannot finnacially afford to just go do a clerkship right after law school (that 1 year worth of big law money is a big deal)

Short answer - quality of firm matters for clerkships.