Do Firms Replace Clerks? Forum

[Anonymous User]

If an offered SA takes a clerkship, does it create a vacancy in that class, or do firms always assume their clerk is going to come home and thus leave that spot empty?

More directly: if you know that someone at an office took a clerkship, is it worthwhile to send an app there?

[Wholigan]

Are you a 2L and you know a 3L from that firm who took a clerkship? That isn't going to create a space for the class you want to be in anyway. In fact, if the 3L took a 2013-2014 clerkship, it would mean they are starting full-time in Fall 2014 assuming they don't change firms - which is the same time you would start, assuming you are a 2L.

Beyond all that, I think that firms with large incoming classes estimate that a certain number of students from each class will clerk, so I doubt it will create an opening. If it's a firm with a smaller summer class, I don't know. It can't hurt to apply if it's not a firm you have already applied to.

[Anonymous User]

OP

I'm a 3L. I know at least one person from a three-person summer class is taking a clerkship. It's a satellite office (40 attorneys) of a much larger firm. Just wondering how worthwhile is to throw an app at 'em.

[dingbat]

OP

I'm a 3L. I know at least one person from a three-person summer class is taking a clerkship. It's a satellite office (40 attorneys) of a much larger firm. Just wondering how worthwhile is to throw an app at 'em.

Considering how little effort/cost is involved in throwing an app their way, why wouldn't you?

[thesealocust]

Not directly. Most firms assume that a portion of their summer class will go to other firms, clerk, flame-out, etc. and thus higher more summers than they expect needing fulltime lawyers.

But things change, so it's definitely possible that heightened demand or summer departures create need.

You can't sniff it out by watching clerk hiring, however. It's basically never 1-to-1.

[IAFG]

OP

I'm a 3L. I know at least one person from a three-person summer class is taking a clerkship. It's a satellite office (40 attorneys) of a much larger firm. Just wondering how worthwhile is to throw an app at 'em.

Considering how little effort/cost is involved in throwing an app their way, why wouldn't you?

Exactly. It's always worth it to apply. If applying is a big strain on your time, you're doing applications wrong.