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Hi all,

I am a 1L and I need to make a decision soon about my summer internship choice. I'm interested in corporate law and I have the choice between a paid in-house counsel internship at a financial company and a unpaid judicial clerkship.

which one you think is better?

Thanks for your help!

also, any insights on the in-house counsel experience is appreciated!

1) What type of clerkship?

2a) How much contact/mentoring will you have with the GC of the in-house?

2b) How much pay?

thank you for your reply.

To answer your question:

a) federal clerkship

b) pair with an attorney who will serve as a mentor in the company

c) < 10k

Why would you do a judicial internship (not clerkship) when (a) you are interested in corporate law and (b) it is unpaid? Take the job you will be getting paid at and potentially learning something relevant to your desired field of law. Unless the internship is with the Delaware Chancery Court (which I am assuming it isn't since that is a Delaware state court), why work for free when you don't have to.

thanks a lot for your reply. the thing is that people always talk about the importance of getting a clerkship as a 1L and the weight it carries when an employer interviews for 2L summer internship. That is why I am having doubts which internship i should take for this summer:(

voicewithin wrote:thanks a lot for your reply. the thing is that people always talk about the importance of getting a clerkship as a 1L and the weight it carries when an employer interviews for 2L summer internship. That is why I am having doubts which internship i should take for this summer:(

Most people take unpaid internships (it is not a clerkship) with federal judges because it is among the better unpaid 1L jobs you can take. Most people can't get paying jobs, and it is a good unpaid job. But, there is no reason to work for free if you don't have to. 10K vs. 0K is a significant amount of money.

RonSantoRules wrote:Why would you do a judicial internship (not clerkship) when (a) you are interested in corporate law and (b) it is unpaid? Take the job you will be getting paid at and potentially learning something relevant to your desired field of law. Unless the internship is with the Delaware Chancery Court (which I am assuming it isn't since that is a Delaware state court), why work for free when you don't have to.

This is TCR. If you are interested in corporate law, go with the corporation. Federal judicial internships are great, but if you're interested in corporate work or transactional, and not in litigation or academia, it makes no sense to turn down a paying in-house gig.

Esc wrote:

RonSantoRules wrote:Why would you do a judicial internship (not clerkship) when (a) you are interested in corporate law and (b) it is unpaid? Take the job you will be getting paid at and potentially learning something relevant to your desired field of law. Unless the internship is with the Delaware Chancery Court (which I am assuming it isn't since that is a Delaware state court), why work for free when you don't have to.

This is TCR. If you are interested in corporate law, go with the corporation. Federal judicial internships are great, but if you're interested in corporate work or transactional, and not in litigation or academia, it makes no sense to turn down a paying in-house gig.

Horny and Santo are correct.

thanks a lot! also, can you guys give me some advice on sending withdrawal letter to the Judge. I did not get the in-house counsel offer till last Wednesday and I told the Judge I will intern at his chamber a month ago.. So I am trying to find the best way to withdrawal the clerkship....

Thanks!

voicewithin wrote:can you guys give me some advice on sending withdrawal letter to the Judge. I did not get the in-house counsel offer till last Wednesday and I told the Judge I will intern at his chamber a month ago.. So I am trying to find the best way to withdrawal the clerkship....

if you accepted the clerckship--and it appears as if you did--you need to stick to it. withdrawing after having accepted the offer can get you into some deep poo-poo.

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 7#p2727677

Herb Watchfell wrote:

voicewithin wrote:can you guys give me some advice on sending withdrawal letter to the Judge. I did not get the in-house counsel offer till last Wednesday and I told the Judge I will intern at his chamber a month ago.. So I am trying to find the best way to withdrawal the clerkship....

if you accepted the clerckship--and it appears as if you did--you need to stick to it. withdrawing after having accepted the offer can get you into some deep poo-poo.

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 7#p2727677

Oh my god, not another one.

You will work for the judge this summer. You can't, with a capital CAN NOT, renege on a judge. If you do, you will ruin your reputation and likely be sanctioned by your school. At the very least.