Resume language for COA clerkship? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I am finishing my COA clerkship and updating my resume. Does anyone have good resume language to describe what you did?

[seizmaar]

judicial clerk to the honorable ______, __th circuit court of appeals
(dates)

that tells people all they need to know

[Anonymous User]

judicial clerk to the honorable ______, __th circuit court of appeals
(dates)

that tells people all they need to know

So you don't have a line or two describing what you did?

[seizmaar]

people should know, and anything too explicit might infringe on the privacy of chambers. so if you reveal that you drafted orders or stuff, that might raise some judges' hackles. but i don't see any harm in a two line description, it just seems unnecessary.

[Anonymous User]

I had two lines on my resume describing my COA clerkship when I secured my first post-clerking job. I had the space, so figured that was a good way to fill it. The language is what you would expect. I did emphasize that I drafted opinions (my judge was fine with that being on my resume and it seems some clerks don't draft opinions). Looking back, I also should/could have emphasized that I was heavily invovled in editing the Judge's/other clerks' work and reviewed opinions on which my judge was on panel but not the author.

More than two lines seems like overkill, I agree that no description would be okay.

[emciosn]

I do not put any description for either of my clerkships on my resume and I am a strong proponent of only listing the judge, court and dates just as seizmaar suggested. Employers will know what you did. Listing anything too specific might breach chambers confidentiality and listing anything too broad is just a waste of space--people get that you did drafting and research.

[Anonymous User]

I am applying to COA clerkships after doing a COA internship. I was also wondering if I should describe what I did in my internship.

[sundance95]

I am applying to COA clerkships after doing a COA internship. I was also wondering if I should describe what I did in my internship.

If you can (i.e., if your externship judge doesn't mind) then you should. If you externed in a chambers where externs actually contributed to chambers work product, I would think that would be viewed favorably.

[rpupkin]

judicial clerk to the honorable ______, __th circuit court of appeals
(dates)

that tells people all they need to know

This. I've seen dozens of resumes from current clerks, and this is what most of the applicants do.

It's probably harmless to list a couple of your clerkship duties if it makes you feel better. However, I've seen a couple of resumes where a clerk listed like a dozen different things he/she did while clerking. I think this has the opposite of the intended effect: it diminishes the clerkship and makes it seem like the applicant externed instead of clerked.

[AreJay711]

I am applying to COA clerkships after doing a COA internship. I was also wondering if I should describe what I did in my internship.

If you can (i.e., if your externship judge doesn't mind) then you should. If you externed in a chambers where externs actually contributed to chambers work product, I would think that would be viewed favorably.

I agree. Sometimes interns do the exact same thing clerks do. Even if you don't, it's good to have concrete tasks on your resume when what you actually did could vary a lot.

Most judges will be ok with this, so don't worry about asking.

[MillerTime12]

I'll be clerking for the same judge I externed for. Would it look weird to have specific duties listed for my externship and then none for my clerkship?

[rpupkin]

I'll be clerking for the same judge I externed for. Would it look weird to have specific duties listed for my externship and then none for my clerkship?

Yeah, I think so. I don't think there's much point in highlighting your externship when you then later clerked for the same judge. The only reason to even put it on your resume at this point is to show that you actually did something for that given summer/semester.

[LegalFiction]

I agree with those posting above that no description is necessary. That said, for certain jobs you might list subject areas you worked on. For instance, if you're applying for a FPD job, you might note you worked on Miranda issues, etc... [This is particularly true for district court clerks, as many district court clerks don't do criminal work, so those that do may wish to highlight that for potential criminal law employers]. But for big firms or non-specialist employers, I wouldn't bother describing the clerkship.