Clerk job hunting thread 2012/2013 Forum

[Wholigan]

I can't catch a fucking break! During my 3L year in 2008, I was all about transactional work, clerked at a real estate law firm, but then got no-offered when the market tanked. Then I went to a personal injury firm because it was the only job I could find. Hated the firm, but liked civil litigation. I took the advice of a recruiter and obtained a clerkship (federal magistrate). Now my clerkship is about to end, but the litigation market is down. The transactional firms aren't interested in my resume, and the litigation shops are not hiring. What the hell else can I do?

When does your clerkship end? Don't they usually end in the summer? It seems like clerk hiring tends to gear up in the spring.

Clerkship ends in August. Since I graduated in 2008, I have a lot of friends working in firms (including some that are on the hiring committees of their firm). They've been circulating my resume, but all I am hearing is that they don't have any litigation spots and don't foresee litigation picking up in the next year or so.

Still, it seems like you are worrying kind of early. I would imagine if you apply broadly throughout the spring, you may find something worthwhile. Some have commented that they will send a winter-ish e-mail to firm recruiters or hiring partners asking when they like to receive resumes from clerks, and some will respond and say now, and others will say to send it in March or whatever. It gives you two chances to interact with them. Also, I wouldn't necessarily rely on your associate friends to get you a job. If they work somewhere you want to work, apply yourself and mention the friend's name.

I don't know what firms you are targeting and what your other credentials are, but it's possible that your work experience + the mag clerkship might not translate to a large law firm. Are you also targeting smaller boutique/specialty type firms in the area of your clerkship that practice before your judge and other judges in your courthouse? I imagine these firms might tend not to hire until a few months before you would actually start, so again you might be worrying prematurely.

[Anonymous User]

Just got an email back from the hiring partner at a local midlawl firm saying "Thanks for getting in touch, get back in touch with me closer to the end of your clerkship and we can discuss possible opportunities here for you." A blowoff, but definitely a better one than "Good luck," which I've also gotten a few times.

Much as I hate to say it, I think we're just too early, friends. It sucks, because I really want to know where I'll be and what I'll be doing at this time next year, but firms seem intent on making me wait until May or later to find out.

[Anonymous User]

Just got an email back from the hiring partner at a local midlawl firm saying "Thanks for getting in touch, get back in touch with me closer to the end of your clerkship and we can discuss possible opportunities here for you." A blowoff, but definitely a better one than "Good luck," which I've also gotten a few times.

Much as I hate to say it, I think we're just too early, friends. It sucks, because I really want to know where I'll be and what I'll be doing at this time next year, but firms seem intent on making me wait until May or later to find out.

I would rather apply and get a "try again later" e-mail than getting rejected. I applied to two big-law firms in the fall and was promptly rejected.

I've applied to a bunch of places this past week. I'm hoping for a "we'll hold onto this and get back to you later" rather than the more likely "we're already committed to a large fall class, sorry."

[Anonymous User]

got 1 interview...1 rejection...and a bunch of radio silence

[lolwat]

Just got an email back from the hiring partner at a local midlawl firm saying "Thanks for getting in touch, get back in touch with me closer to the end of your clerkship and we can discuss possible opportunities here for you." A blowoff, but definitely a better one than "Good luck," which I've also gotten a few times.

Much as I hate to say it, I think we're just too early, friends. It sucks, because I really want to know where I'll be and what I'll be doing at this time next year, but firms seem intent on making me wait until May or later to find out.

I've gotten responses to the effect of "we're not in a position to look at resumes yet for fall" and "check back later this spring/summer" from a few firms. I don't know about "May or later" but January is still a bit early. It does suck pretty hard since I'm going to get increasingly worried every month that passes.

[Anonymous User]

any updates?

[Anonymous User]

Sent out like 10 apps this morning, already got back one rejection. I am unemployable on a quantum level, it seems.

[Anonymous User]

I've sent out around 10 applications, three rejections so far.

[legalese_retard]

So is this the next stage of the dismal legal employment market? Once upon a time, going to a T-14 law school would guarantee you a legal job right after law school. Now it is not so sure. I remember law professors saying that a federal clerkship would be a great resume boost and it was virtually unheard of for a former law clerk to struggle to find a legal job. Now it's crickets and rejection letters.

[A. Nony Mouse]

I'm not saying it's all going to be sunshine and roses, but it is still early to declare defeat coming out of the AIII clerkship. Lots of people have said hiring doesn't generally start this early.

[Anonymous User]

I've sent out around 10 applications, three rejections so far.

Update to my earlier posting: I'm up to five rejections now.

I'm not saying it's all going to be sunshine and roses, but it is still early to declare defeat coming out of the AIII clerkship. Lots of people have said hiring doesn't generally start this early.

It's not too early if the firm's response is that it has met all of its hiring needs with incoming associates from the summer. I don't want to get all negative-nancy, but I think this is the state of the legal market, and I doubt that the firm's view of its fall needs is likely to change in two months.

[Anonymous User]

[THREAD BUMP]

Any updates? My judge contacted the firm s/he used to be a partner at and set up an informal meeting with a partner there. Other than that, crickets...actually, not even crickets. Crickets make at least some noise.

[Anonymous User]

[THREAD BUMP]

Any updates? My judge contacted the firm s/he used to be a partner at and set up an informal meeting with a partner there. Other than that, crickets...actually, not even crickets. Crickets make at least some noise.

I have almost the exact same thing, an informational interview set up with a friend of the judge. Not hoping for too much out of that, but it never hurts to meet people.

[Anonymous User]

I sent my resume to some recruiters and have gotten a couple interviews. Might be worth checking out if you're lazy like me

[exitoptions]

I sent my resume to some recruiters and have gotten a couple interviews. Might be worth checking out if you're lazy like me

I had a couple recruiters contact me offering 10-15k bonus if they place me at another firm. Has anyone heard of a person recieving this in addition to the clerkship bonus?

[Anonymous User]

15 apps, 3 rejections, lots of radio silence.

[Anonymous User]

I have heard that using a recruiter can decrease your chance of getting a job because firms don't want to pay their fees to hire Jr. associates. Thoughts?

[exitoptions]

I have heard that using a recruiter can decrease your chance of getting a job because firms don't want to pay their fees to hire Jr. associates. Thoughts?

I think that's right. I just spoke with a lady from Lateral Link who said she wouldn't bother with me because firms know that clerks are looking and they generally refuse to talk to recruiters to place them. i guess recruiters are mostly used to attract mid-levels from one firm to another.

[Anonymous User]

I think firms are starting to move. I have a friend who has been interviewing in New York for the past couple of weeks and a friend that was interviewing in DC about three weeks ago and already has an offer. They are both coming off appellate court clerkships. I also have a friend in Chicago who says her firm has already started interviews for post-clerkship positions. I have four big law interviews set up in the SF Bay Area. Two other firms have told me they are not quite ready to decide how much space they have open but will let me know around April if they have room.

[Anonymous User]

Out the firms!!!!

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone know if a temp doc review project would pay more to a former law clerk? I know some projects will pay extra for people with tax or IP experience. I doubt I will get a job before my clerkship ends in August and I can't afford to be jobless for an extensive period. Just wondering if anyone had any experience with this situation.

[Anonymous User]

why dont you think youll get a post-clerkship job? Is it an AIII?

[Anonymous User]

Out the firms!!!!

Gibson Dunn constantly interviews former appellate clerks in most of their offices. Not sure about district court clerks.

[Anonymous User]

I have a question for the other clerks looking for post-clerkship employment. I recently had an interview at a firm, which went well, but the partner said towards the end, "You're great, I love your resume, but we don't have any spots because we just hired a bunch of first years." The firm wanted a chance to meet some of the clerks on the market, perhaps with the hope that the market would pick up between now and the fall. How many of you have interviewed with firms that are just looking to assemble a list of pre-approved potential hires, rather than interviewing for the purpose of filling a slot in their fall class? Any way to determine the seriousness of a firm before the interview? My judge conflicted me off of this firm's cases, so I'm worried about getting conflicted off of other cases without good reason.

[Anonymous User]

got 1 interview...1 rejection...and a bunch of radio silence

Same. Hurts pretty bad to be rejected because you know how hard it is just to get the interview. Ugh.