1L Summer: Federal Judge or SA? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Quick question: So I have an offer to work for a Federal Judge on the 9th circuit or work for a patent firm getting paid $9000 for a half summer. I plan on doing patent work after law school but don't plan on working in the town this patent firm is at. Which would be better for my career, learning experiences, etc?

[Aeroplane]

Quick question: So I have an offer to work for a Federal Judge on the 9th circuit or work for a patent firm getting paid $9000 for a half summer. I plan on doing patent work after law school but don't plan on working in the town this patent firm is at. Which would be better for my career, learning experiences, etc?

Why don't you split if the SA is only half summer? I think most judges are pretty amenable to that.

[legends159]

easy, patent firm

[Anonymous User]

Follow the $$$

[TTT-LS]

.

[ogman05]

Split ftw. Otherwise chase the money. Then enjoy half a summer of relaxation

[Anonymous User]

Patent firm, though I agree splitting would be best and that the judge would probably be cool with it.

ya the judge won't split the summer. Are the people on here saying to go to the patent firm using experience in the patent field or just saying to follow the $ regardless?

[nealric]

The thing is that the judge job is unlikely to turn into full time employment. At best, it will lead to a clerkship- which may not be that helpful for patent law.

By contrast, the SA job is likely to turn into full time employment. The money is nice, but the key is the job at the end of law school.

[Anonymous User]

The thing is that the judge job is unlikely to turn into full time employment. At best, it will lead to a clerkship- which may not be that helpful for patent law.

By contrast, the SA job is likely to turn into full time employment. The money is nice, but the key is the job at the end of law school.

This is true but I definately won't be living in the same town as the firm post graduation. They would teach me a lot about patent prsecution although I have a feeling I would prefer litigation. And yes the money is nice but I could see myself wanting a clerkship but I'm not sure.

[narkizopoint]

Follow the money.
1)$$$
2)Networking
3)Experience
4-infinity)$$

[Aeroplane]

Patent firm, though I agree splitting would be best and that the judge would probably be cool with it.

ya the judge won't split the summer. Are the people on here saying to go to the patent firm using experience in the patent field or just saying to follow the $ regardless?

Then go to the firm. I don't see a single compelling reason to go for the judicial internship. If you want to occupy yourself the rest of the summer, see if you can do some RA-ing or something.

[BradyToMoss]

Paid SA gig at a patent firm looks MUCH better than a judicial internship on your resume. This one's an easy call, IMO.

[A'nold]

Money b/c it's money. I'd take a $15 an hour job for the summer right now over a federal internship.

[RVP11]

Paid SA gig at a patent firm looks MUCH better than a judicial internship on your resume. This one's an easy call, IMO.

If that's even true (and it's debatable how much having an SA over a judicial internship really matters when it comes to 2L OCI), it's not even one of the top 3 reasons to pick the SA gig.

Priority #1 for every 1L should be to try to lock down something that could lead to a permanent offer. The money you earn in one summer means nothing compared to the job you get coming out of law school.

[solidsnake]

Firm. Dolla, dolla bill yo!!

[underdawg]

follow the $, see if you can RA for the other half of the summer

[BradyToMoss]

Paid SA gig at a patent firm looks MUCH better than a judicial internship on your resume. This one's an easy call, IMO.

If that's even true (and it's debatable how much having an SA over a judicial internship really matters when it comes to 2L OCI), it's not even one of the top 3 reasons to pick the SA gig.

Priority #1 for every 1L should be to try to lock down something that could lead to a permanent offer. The money you earn in one summer means nothing compared to the job you get coming out of law school.

Might try to list the other two reasons when making ill-founded statements like the bolded.

This OCI-season we saw prior work experience play a big role in call-backs and offer-rates. With a host of qualified LR and top 10% candidates to choose from, firms preferred those who have already shown they can succeed in a professional, legal environment. Having SA experience on your resume, and the ability to have references that can speak to your ability to handle the work junior associates will undertake gives an OCI candidate a decided leg up on a similar candidate with a judicial internship on their resume. That is not debatable.

In any event, I was merely adding another important advantage the SA job had over the judicial internship. The SA spot offers more $, is much stronger on the resume, could potentially lead to an offer, and will provide OP with a more useful learning experience (If OP really wants a judicial internship experience, try getting into a judicial externship program for credit during a 2L or 3L semester). Again, the choice is an easy call, IMO.

[wiseowl]

since no one's said it yet i may as well -

if you literally have an "offer" from a CoA judge, you are pretty much duty bound to take it, unless the firm offered you first (and if so, why is this a question). if you're just talking, or interviewing, etc. fine, but if you turn down a 9th circuit judge there could be trouble for your school and for you.

[Renzo]

since no one's said it yet i may as well -

if you literally have an "offer" from a CoA judge, you are pretty much duty bound to take it, unless the firm offered you first (and if so, why is this a question). if you're just talking, or interviewing, etc. fine, but if you turn down a 9th circuit judge there could be trouble for your school and for you.

If TLS has taught me anything, it's that a huge number of lawyers-to-be have literally zero ethics, nor any understanding of why you wouldn't want to offend a federal judge. You are absolutely right, but I've given up playing this broken record. Let people ruin their futures.

[wiseowl]

since no one's said it yet i may as well -

if you literally have an "offer" from a CoA judge, you are pretty much duty bound to take it, unless the firm offered you first (and if so, why is this a question). if you're just talking, or interviewing, etc. fine, but if you turn down a 9th circuit judge there could be trouble for your school and for you.

If TLS has taught me anything, it's that a huge number of lawyers-to-be have literally zero ethics, nor any understanding of why you wouldn't want to offend a federal judge. You are absolutely right, but I've given up playing this broken record. Let people ruin their futures.

yea, it certainly looks like this is on the way out as a rule of thumb. may be for the best, but i think 9th Circuit is still a little different than turning down a state trial judge.