Interviewing as an Alumni/Firm Associate for Clerkships Forum

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Interviewing as an Alumni/Firm Associate for Clerkships

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Sep 14, 2013 12:45 am

I'm curious as to how first year associates found time to schedule interviews after starting work. Obviously the first few weeks starting at a firm are important not to miss any days, especially interviewing for another job even if one plans on returning to that firm. Are firms generally okay with associates missing some work to interview with judges, especially so early after a fall start date? I know the plan dates have changed around a lot, but hopefully any current clerks who were associates when applying can potentially speak to how they found acceptable interview times when the plan was in Fall previously. Thanks.

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Re: Interviewing as an Alumni/Firm Associate for Clerkships

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Sep 14, 2013 8:20 pm

I didn't tell them I was interviewing. Obviously, that calculus could get more complicated if you have to travel. That would be a tough situation. If your firm is one of the type of lit shops that where a lot of people are former clerks/leave to clerk but come back, I would tell them with the expectation that they'll be relatively supportive. If it isn't that type of firm, I'd probably keep it to myself. Say something came up and you need some time off.

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Re: Interviewing as an Alumni/Firm Associate for Clerkships

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Nov 08, 2013 3:29 pm

On a related note, I am a 2013 grad that will soon be applying for 2015 clerkships.
I feel like it's way too early to ask for an employer LOR- is this fair, or do I need one?

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Re: Interviewing as an Alumni/Firm Associate for Clerkships

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Nov 08, 2013 4:29 pm

Most judges will be okay with your using academic and/or judicial (if you have a prior clerkship or externship) recommendations, without any practitioner LoRs. When I applied to COAs as an alum working in BigLaw, I used two LoRs from professors and one LoR from my DCt judge. No judge asked for a BigLaw rec.

When I applied for DCt clerkships as a 3L (this was when the Plan existed), only one judge asked for a LoR from practice. I was able to contact my 2L SA BigLaw firm and provide him with a partner recommendation. That sort of request is unusual.

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