Columbia Clerkship Rate Forum

[buffalo_]

CLS only had 4.8% receive federal clerkships last year as per LST.

This is considerably lower than other schools in T-14 I am considering (NYU - 8.8%, Cornell 10.9%, Duke - 8.7%).

If clerking is one of my goals, is this something to be concerned about? These numbers are largely meaningless. The number I really need is % of students seeking federal clerkship from each school who are able to secure one. But this is the best proxy there is.

I remember someone at CLS ASW saying they didn't even bother pursuing a clerkship because he already had a job at a firm he liked and they don't care if their associates clerk.

Is this a self-selection issue or is CLS not that good at landing people clerkships?

[rpupkin]

I remember someone at CLS ASW saying they didn't even bother pursuing a clerkship because he already had a job at a firm he liked and they don't care if their associates clerk.

I can believe the story, but that's not a CLS-specific thing. Plenty of people with firm jobs at T14 schools don't pursue clerkships for one reason or another.

As for CLS's relatively low clerkship placement last year, I think it's just statistical noise. For most of the non-HYS T14, placement percentages bounce around between 5 and 10%. CLS's placement percentage for the class of 2013 is basically inline with historical averages for it and other non-HYS T14 schools.

[jbagelboy]

Year-to-year fluctuations are pretty meaningless with such small sample sizes. Assume that about 12-18% of students at T14 schools have the qualifications to clerk if they wanted to and put in the manhours to publish and network with profs. Same at CLS as Penn or UVA.

Most cls students want to do corporate/transactional practice where being in chambers just means -$50K net worth. They also tend to be NY-focused and won't grovel around the other circuits and districts outside the northeast. I don't know any 2Ls who went through the entire clerkships application process and didn't get one, but then again you usually know when it's worth trying (a prof recommends it).

[buffalo_]

Year-to-year fluctuations are pretty meaningless with such small sample sizes. Assume that about 12-18% of students at T14 schools have the qualifications to clerk if they wanted to and put in the manhours to publish and network with profs. Same at CLS as Penn or UVA.

Most cls students want to do corporate/transactional practice where being in chambers just means -$50K net worth. They also tend to be NY-focused and won't grovel around the other circuits and districts outside the northeast. I don't know any 2Ls who went through the entire clerkships application process and didn't get one, but then again you usually know when it's worth trying (a prof recommends it).

Thanks. This is helpful to hear. I thought it might be a combination of noise and self selection, plus the 2012 rate was much higher.

Is the general consensus that clerking is only worthwhile if you want to do litigation at a firm? Unless it's a very specific court there is little value for transactional practice correct? I assume there also value if you want to go for top PI (USAO/DOJ/Fed Agency/LDF/ACLU/Non-prof)?

[jbagelboy]

Year-to-year fluctuations are pretty meaningless with such small sample sizes. Assume that about 12-18% of students at T14 schools have the qualifications to clerk if they wanted to and put in the manhours to publish and network with profs. Same at CLS as Penn or UVA.

Most cls students want to do corporate/transactional practice where being in chambers just means -$50K net worth. They also tend to be NY-focused and won't grovel around the other circuits and districts outside the northeast. I don't know any 2Ls who went through the entire clerkships application process and didn't get one, but then again you usually know when it's worth trying (a prof recommends it).

Thanks. This is helpful to hear. I thought it might be a combination of noise and self selection, plus the 2012 rate was much higher.

Is the general consensus that clerking is only worthwhile if you want to do litigation at a firm? Unless it's a very specific court there is little value for transactional practice correct? I assume there also value if you want to go for top PI (USAO/DOJ/Fed Agency/LDF/ACLU/Non-prof)?

I mean, I guess it's pretty cool to be drafting judicial opinions and seeing the inside of the "common law factory" n shit. There's some intrinsic value if you love jurisprudence or your kind of a law nerd. I think it could be rewarding. Connections with a judge in a district you'll be litigating in, either via PI impact lit or private practice, has value; and of course it would ease the transition to academia.

No, no benefit I can see for doing deals or project finance or anything like that though. Firms may even mildly discourage it for some practice areas idk