What To Do The Year Before Clerking? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hey TLSers,

I will be clerking in the 2016-2017 term, but for long and complicated reasons I don't really want to explain, I will not be clerking in the 2015-2016 term. I graduate in 2015.

What should I do during 2015-2016? I don't want to work for a firm, so my options are limited. A lot of fellowships are off the table because the duration is two years (and I only have one year between graduation and my clerkship). Are there other options I am missing?

Thanks.

[BVest]

Hey TLSers,

I will be clerking in the 2016-2017 term, but for long and complicated reasons I don't really want to explain, I will not be clerking in the 2015-2016 term. I graduate in 2015.

What should I do during 2015-2016? I don't want to work for a firm, so my options are limited. A lot of fellowships are off the table because the duration is two years (and I only have one year between graduation and my clerkship). Are there other options I am missing?

Thanks.

I assume the long and complicated reasons that your are not clerking for 2015-16 mean you either don't want to or can't clerk for that term?

[Frayed Knot]

The most obvious options are:

Work for whatever firm you spend your 2L summer at. Pros: Getting paid. Getting to know the firm a bit better (and thus make a better decision about if you want to go back there/elsewhere post-clerkship). Cons: You're probably going to be at a firm eventually, so you won't really be learning anything that you wouldn't learn later.

Some other clerkship. It's probably not too late to line up another clerkship if you want one—especially in your 2016–17 judge is appellate, they likely know some trial judges and could put you on the fast track. Pros: get to see a different side of being in chambers/see the difference between two judges. Learn what trial level is like (if the 2nd is appellate). Get paid a bit (and, at least with some firms, a larger clerkship bonus). Cons: might be somewhat redundant with your 2nd clerkship. Probably won't add much to resume.

Tax LLM. Pros: helpful if you want to do tax. Cons: expensive.

MBA. Might be an option if your law school has a 4 year JD/MBA program and you haven't missed the application deadline. Pros: all the normal pros of JD/MBAs. Cons: Normal JD/MBA cons (minus some opportunity cost, since there's not too much else to do with the gap year).

[worldtraveler]

What are you ultimately trying to do with your career?

[Anonymous User]

OP Here.

Thanks for the responses.

I want to repeat that I don't want to work for a firm and I did not work for a firm in during my 2L summer.

I don't want to say exactly what I want to do with my career for fear that it will identify me, but let's just say hypothetically I want to be a [probably state, but not opposed to federal] prosecutor or public defender.

For what it's worth, my 2016 clerkship is with a federal district court judge (DDC/SDNY/ND Cal).

[BVest]

OP Here.

Thanks for the responses.

I want to repeat that I don't want to work for a firm and I did not work for a firm in during my 2L summer.

I don't want to say exactly what I want to do with my career for fear that it will identify me, but let's just say hypothetically I want to be a [probably state, but not opposed to federal] prosecutor or public defender.

For what it's worth, my 2016 clerkship is with a federal district court judge (DDC/SDNY/ND Cal).

What's your judge's docket like in terms of caseload? If you want to do criminal after clerking and your judge has a heavy civil docket, there are plenty of judges that are practically exclusive for criminal work, for example the divisions along the border (El Paso, Del Rio in WDTX, Tucson, etc.)

[Citizen Genet]

If your school does funding for fellowships, consider one of the unpaid SAUSA positions in a US Attorney's Office. Phenomenal experience, meant to be a year long, and hopefully can get a meager stipend. You'd be incredibly employable after a 1 year SAUSA spot and a federal district court clerkship.

[Jchance]

If your school does funding for fellowships, consider one of the unpaid SAUSA positions in a US Attorney's Office. Phenomenal experience, meant to be a year long, and hopefully can get a meager stipend. You'd be incredibly employable after a 1 year SAUSA spot and a federal district court clerkship.

LOL @ this advice. SAUSA is as competitive as AUSA gig. OP will be a recent grad (in 2015), good luck getting one of those gigs.

[anonymous2012]

Ask your judge if they have a rec. 15 COA clerkships are still available. If not that, SSC. I don't think any of the DOJ honors EOIR clerkships are 1 year but if your interest is bigfed I'd look for a one year deal. And unpaid SAUSA isn't that competitive.

[A. Nony Mouse]

I'm pretty sure all the honors programs want a 2 year commitment. And they're suppose to be permanent jobs, so leaving to clerk after 1 year wouldn't help you out much.

[anonymous2012]

CFPB honors may be one year.

[A. Nony Mouse]

CFPB honors may be one year.

I don't know if they make exceptions, of course - the program description indicates people are appointed initially for 2 years, then converted to permanent positions.

[anonymous2012]

My bad. But if OP has a prestigious federal district cout clerkship I think a clerkship at a nearby locale is the right choice. If DDC, then go for DMd or EDVA etc. SSC. Even state courts of appeals or trial courts.

Just get the best clerkship you can unless you are willing to volunteer.

[Nomo]

If you can get a state supreme court or other prestigious gig, go for it. If not I would seriously consider clerking for a state trial court in the area you want to practice in. Given your goals, it sounds like you'll be practicing in state trial courts; so the experience will probably be more relevant.