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what do u guys write in paragraph 1, 2, and 3?

Anonymous User wrote:what do u guys write in paragraph 1, 2, and 3?

dr judge,

i am 1l who needs a summer gig

i'd like to work in your chambers

i took a legal writing class so i no what's up

hit me up, iafg

dear j

sup i need a summer gig im a law student

if ur lookn 4 xtrns gr8 cuz im bout 2 hav free time kk

will work 4 free no $$ needed u just gotta let me rite n shit

thx

I prefer to write the actual body as a haiku - showcases your ability to think outside of the box, as well as displaying your writing skills:

Dear Judge X,

Law student seeks job

Hire me please, can write real good

Don't have grades, who cares?

Respectfully,

Beardown

I am a law clerk, i.e. the one who actually reads these letters and hires the externs for the summer. They never make it to the judge's desk, as a rule.

Your goal in this letter is to show me that you're minimally competent even though you don't have grades yet. I know I want an extern so I can delegate simple and tedious shit that I simply don't want to do, like service checks. The thing about service checks (and the like) is that a lazy extern could really fuck me over, because just saying service was proper without looking is going to be right 99% of the time... and that other 1% would leave me totally fucked. I want an extern I can delegate to without ever having to double-check their work. None of the work is going to be hard, I just can't have anyone who's lazy doing it.

All of this is my way of saying, I care that you're a competent writer (you don't need to dazzle me with your cover letter, but a single type-o will convince me you're lazy and sloppy, and you're out) and that you've had a real job before. I pretty much look exclusively at pre-LS work experience and when I pick an extern, it will be someone who I know has held a full-time job before.

I also don't care much where the externs went to law school. If anything, I tend to disregard applications from HYS students because I know they don't need a good letter of rec from the judge, and thus that they have less incentive to spend their summer busting their ass doing boring shit for me for no money. Sucks to say, but that's what externs do, so I need someone who is a little hungrier. TTT students are more than welcome--you don't need to be a genius to check service for me and keep the judge's library tidy.

If you had good grades in undergrad, that will help, but it's not critical. People who don't list their UG GPA on their resumes get a bit of a raised eyebrow from me, because I immediately assume you got less than a 3.5.

In short, I'd write something like:

"Dear Judge,

I am a 1L at (School). My grades (if known and good) are ___. I'm involved with (Shitty Secondary Journal) and (Club No One Cares About).

Prior to law school I worked as (This is the important part. Describe your job and any research or writing it involved if possible.)

I hope to hear from you,
OP"

Also, I'd make a practice of never ever using "u" and "ur" because, like a trailing scent of Axe Body Spray, it leaves you redolent with the stench of idiocy, and that stench can linger long after you log off TLS.

Anonymous User wrote:Also, I'd make a practice of never ever using "u" and "ur" because, like a trailing scent of Axe Body Spray, it leaves you redolent with the stench of idiocy, and that stench can linger long after you log off TLS.

+1

would we just call this a clerkship or summer internship? if we are 1L?

I have seen people call internships with judges during law school "clerkships," and as a current clerk (post-grad) I think this is wrong, wrong, wrong. But I have to presume that someone is telling people to do this.

A. Nony Mouse wrote:I have seen people call internships with judges during law school "clerkships," and as a current clerk (post-grad) I think this is wrong, wrong, wrong. But I have to presume that someone is telling people to do this.

Ditto. I would use intern or extern. Clerk implies another job.

It's 100% wrong to say clerkship for anything other than a post-grad paid position.

kalvano wrote:It's 100% wrong to say clerkship for anything other than a post-grad paid position.

And yet pervasive.

kalvano wrote:It's 100% wrong to say clerkship for anything other than a post-grad paid position.

I agree - I have a post grad term clerkship and am working for a judge next semester. I got explicit instructions from my CSO about calling the job next semester a "judicial internship" or something like that. I knot it looks better to put "clerk" but if it is not a full time paid position I think it would actually hurt you with employers.