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Hey all, I have a question about Seton Hall. According to the LST numbers for the c/o 2014 40.7% got clerkships (state and local) and all the other numbers are abysmal. Now I am not familiar with NJ's law schools (all 2/3 of them), but is their system different than other schools? I haven't seen any other schools with numbers so high with clerkships but with low law firm jobs. I know it's ranked 63 but I don't know what type make of these numbers, so can someone more knowledgeable than me break it down for me?

NJ local judges have clerks whereas it isn't as common for local judges in other states to have clerks. I bet you'd find Rutgers to have similarly inflated state and local clerk numbers. It's a testament to how NJ chambers are staffed, not to the school's quality.

http://www.judiciary.state.nj.us/lawclerks/
Most are superior court (trial court) positions, which are the least prestigious.

So if that's the case, how the hell is SHU ranked so high? It doesn't sound so great based on how you described it.

Because rankings are meaningless.

tezzeret wrote:So if that's the case, how the hell is SHU ranked so high? It doesn't sound so great based on how you described it.

The rankings are based on a lot of factors, not just (or even mostly) employment. And with regard to the employment score, employment is employment.

Though my sense is that clerking for a state trial court judge in New Jersey is a better option than it is in other states, and plugs you into the New Jersey legal market. So I don't think they're necessarily a terrible option. I don't know that it's going to lead to New Jersey biglaw or anything, but you'll likely find something.

Gotcha. I'm not trying to knock SHU or anything, it's just that it's one of my options, and I want to properly evaluate it as their clerkship numbers far exceed their other numbers unlike any other school. Thanks for clearing that up.