Beginning Clerkship this Fall--When to Apply to Firms? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I'm beginning a clerkship this fall in a flyover district with a U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge. I graduated summa cum laude from a law school that is very close to being ranked in the top 50 schools, so nothing too special there. I was on the law review e-board, however, and my student note was published. I want to apply to large law firms (large, but not V100 law firms) in a larger city that is about 3 hours from the flyover district city where I'll be clerking. I'm not looking only to do bankruptcy law, either. I'm wondering when the best time would be to start applying to firms. My clerkship is only for a year so I'm not sure if I should apply before I begin or if I should wait until after I start in late August. Should I be waiting until closer to next spring? I really have no idea, so any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.

[rpupkin]

I'm beginning a clerkship this fall in a flyover district with a U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge. I graduated summa cum laude from a law school that is very close to being ranked in the top 50 schools, so nothing too special there. I was on the law review e-board, however, and my student note was published. I want to apply to large law firms (large, but not V100 law firms) in a larger city that is about 3 hours from the flyover district city where I'll be clerking. I'm not looking only to do bankruptcy law, either. I'm wondering when the best time would be to start applying to firms. My clerkship is only for a year so I'm not sure if I should apply before I begin or if I should wait until after I start in late August. Should I be waiting until closer to next spring? I really have no idea, so any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.

Firms typically hire clerks during the spring, about 4-6 months before you would start at the firm. It would be unusual to apply more than a year before you would start.

You'll want to check with your judge about applying. I'm not sure about bankruptcy judges, but many Article III judges limit when and where you can apply. If you've applied to work at a firm, you're generally conflicted out of helping the judge with any case in which that firm represents a party.

By the way, if summa cum laude means what it usually means (i.e., #1 in your class), I doubt you'll have any trouble finding employment. In fact, if you don't want to do bankruptcy law, you probably hurt your employment prospects a bit by taking a clerkship with a bankruptcy judge.

[Citizen Genet]

If you've applied to work at a firm, you're generally conflicted out of helping the judge with any case in which that firm represents a party.

Actually....

The Committee believes that the need to exclude the law clerk from pending matters handled by the prospective employer arises whenever an offer of employment has been extended to the law clerk and either has been, or may be, accepted by the law clerk; the formalities are not crucial.

The occasion for these precautionary measures does not arise merely because the law clerk has submitted an application for employment, but there may be situations in which, because of the nature of the litigation, or the likelihood that a future employment relationship with the clerk will develop, the judge feels it advisable to take these precautionary measures even at a preliminary stage of the employment discussions.

http://www.uscourts.gov/uscourts/RulesA ... B-Ch02.pdf

But you are right that some judges conflict you out whenever you have an application pending; it's just not the general rule to do so.