Help me - trying to reconnect with a mentor

[Anonymous User]

A couple years ago, a college professor introduced me to a judge who took a liking to me and was very nice and helpful. I had the typical TLS "biglaw or bust" mentality and was also short-sighted about networking, so I didn't bother to keep in touch with this judge. When I started law school last year I found out that whenever he met my professor, he'd ask after me/how I was doing, etc. I still didn't bother to keep in touch. Like I said, short-sighted idiot.

Well, now I'm a 2L and on track to strike out at OCI, and it's suddenly occurred to me that HEY REMEMBER THAT JUDGE WHO LIKED YOU? Now I'm trying to compose an email to him asking about a clerkship opportunity, and I have no idea what to say. "Sorry I forgot about you after meeting you 2 years ago, but now I need a job?" Or, "How bad does it look that I'm contacting you now only because I need you?"

I need help writing this email. What do I say? How do I phrase my clerkship request? Do I give an excuse for not keeping in touch, or just ignore it? Should I be friendly or formal? NEED HELP GUYS.

[Gorki]

A couple years ago, a college professor introduced me to a judge who took a liking to me and was very nice and helpful. I had the typical TLS "biglaw or bust" mentality and was also short-sighted about networking, so I didn't bother to keep in touch with this judge. When I started law school last year I found out that whenever he met my professor, he'd ask after me/how I was doing, etc. I still didn't bother to keep in touch. Like I said, short-sighted idiot.

Well, now I'm a 2L and on track to strike out at OCI, and it's suddenly occurred to me that HEY REMEMBER THAT JUDGE WHO LIKED YOU? Now I'm trying to compose an email to him asking about a clerkship opportunity, and I have no idea what to say. "Sorry I forgot about you after meeting you 2 years ago, but now I need a job?" Or, "How bad does it look that I'm contacting you now only because I need you?"

I need help writing this email. What do I say? How do I phrase my clerkship request? Do I give an excuse for not keeping in touch, or just ignore it? Should I be friendly or formal? NEED HELP GUYS.

Dude, some social niceties are needed before blindly mailing this judge. Email asking to take him out for coffee, lunch, etc. to "catch up." At this meeting, ONLY if the reasonable person would do, bring up your bad luck. The thing about networking is its not about the immediate cash-in, but developing favors to call in later... In this case later needs to be very soon, and thus I would take the judge out or offer to meet up somewhere prior to asking for a jerb.

[Myself]

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[Anonymous User]

OP here. Good point. I would've actually sent that email out if you hadn't saved me.

[DrGuano]

Exactly what everyone else up here said. You're not going to clerk for a while anyway. Just take the time to catch up, let him know how school is going, the job search, etc. There's a chance he may even offer to help you before you even ask. As a 2L you have a ton of time before you need to secure a clerkship post-graduation.