Should I Bother Applying to Clerkships? Forum

[M_Cool]

I'm a 3L at lower T14 -- transferred here from a T50 w/ top 10% grades -- but only have a 3.2 (probably below median?) at new school. The two main problems are (1) grades from new institution, obviously; and (2) I don't feel comfortable asking any prof from the new institution for a letter of rec when I got a bunch of B+s and a few Bs, and rarely participated in class. I could get recs from my old school, but wouldn't that appear odd?

[ScaredWorkedBored]

No, you shouldn't bother.

[rando]

No, you shouldn't bother.

TITCR

Except possibly state clerkships

[spondee]

Except possibly state clerkships

Do you have your T14's GPA averages at various courts? If not, try to find some information like that. Once you know where you're competitive (based on your T14 GPA, I'd think - not your previous GPA), you can ask yourself whether you'd want to clerk in those places. If the answer is yes, then definitely apply.

[steve_nash]

No. Your old school's GPA doesn't matter for clerkship purposes, and a 3.2 is not competitive for federal. It could be different for lower state courts but not sure if those are the clerkships you're interested in. Are you on a journal? If not, I'd definitely say don't apply.

[Anonymous User]

To the OP - I think 3.2 is competitive for state clerkships, probably not federal ITE.

I have a similar question but don't want to start a new thread. How competitive do you think a 3.6 + LR at MVP will be for federal clerkships? I have decent, not great, recommendations and haven't published.

[Anonymous User]

Delete.

[betsyanna]

I have a similar question but don't want to start a new thread. How competitive do you think a 3.6 + LR at MVP will be for federal clerkships? I have decent, not great, recommendations and haven't published.

I got an appellate clerkship with similar a gpa/LR from Michigan, but I think it was mostly based on strong recs and a publication. Circuit courts will be tough with a 3.6 and decent recs. District courts could work, especially if you have interesting work experience or something to set your application apart. Definitely worth applying to both though!

[steve_nash]

^I definitely didn't write that quoted post. I already have a clerkship.

[betsyanna]

^I definitely didn't write that quoted post. I already have a clerkship.

Sorry, don't know what happened with that. Probably user error...

[Anonymous User]

OP: screw all these other guys. What does it cost to apply to clerkships? Apply to as many as you can afford. You never know when you might click with a judge.

Just limit your apps to positions you're actually willing to accept. Remember you'll need to pay transportation to get to the interview and you never want to hurt your school by turning down an offer.

[Anonymous User]

Tangential question that probably doesn't warrant it's own thread, is it even worth applying to clerkships if youre not on a journal?

[rando]

Tangential question that probably doesn't warrant it's own thread, is it even worth applying to clerkships if youre not on a journal?

Some judges dont require it. But you should have stellar grades especially if you dpnt have journal.

To the above anon (why anon?) applying to clekships is a huge time kill. It also burdens recommenders. And yes, an applicant may click with a judge but you are sorely mistaken if you think a judge is screening resumes. A severely underqualified applicant will be tossed almost immediately.

[PKSebben]

...

[rando]

FYI, many posters offering advice here have an interest in whether you seek a clerkship or not. Keep that in mind. Looking at my schools clerkship numbers, you wouldn't be competitive at most federal clerkships, but could have a shot and flyover federal, magistrates, and state clerkships.

You really think people seeking clerkships would discourage some random poster on the internet from 'competing' for the same clerkships? If op had better numbers people wouldnt be discouraging him/her and that is really the only way op woupd be competitive in the first place.

[PKSebben]

...

[Matthies]

If you don't apply you defintly won't get a clerksjip. I mean if you got other things on the table, an offer, or are working 96 hours a week right now, maybe it not worth the time. But if not those, then do it if gor no other reason that you learn how the process works, you'll have your resume ready for applying to state celrkships, you might learn some stuff that impvoves your job search other palces. No one ever gets the job they don't apply for and applying in and of itself is often worth something when you got nothing.

[rando]

FYI, many posters offering advice here have an interest in whether you seek a clerkship or not. Keep that in mind. Looking at my schools clerkship numbers, you wouldn't be competitive at most federal clerkships, but could have a shot and flyover federal, magistrates, and state clerkships.

You really think people seeking clerkships would discourage some random poster on the internet from 'competing' for the same clerkships? If op had better numbers people wouldnt be discouraging him/her and that is really the only way op woupd be competitive in the first place.

um, yes. that's why I posted it.

Oh the irony.

If you think that i would imagine youre the type of dbag who would do that.

[PKSebben]

.

[rando]

I see a lot of terrible advice on here that I think is motivated only by self-interest. Stop taking things so personally, chief. I'm not talking about you specifically. My point is that the OP should still apply and see what shakes out and those telling him not to apply because of the "time burden" or "drain on the professor" are suspect.

Maybe im just naive but I just think the self-interest argument is ridiculous. Its not like op is remotely competitive. Sure, go ahead and apply, see what happens. But to say that those who say it isnt worth it are suspect is laughable.

As for the profs thing. One of the first questions i got about recommendations from the profs i asked was my gpa/publication. They wanted to know if I was competitive. I definitely got the vibe that they were seeing if i was goin to waste their time.
Considering these are people who can help you in other facets i dont know why wou would waste 'favors' on something you have no shot at.

[AcesandEights]

If you really want to clerk or don't have any other options and are applying to CYA, applying isn't a bad idea. You just need to be very honest with yourself about the types of clerkships you're realistic for and know that, to have even a chance, your application will need to be polished and that will take time. Most people have already started prepping their applications--their recommenders have been writing, their writing sample is ready, etc., so in that capacity you are already behind. I'm only saying that to impress upon you the need to start moving now if you decide you want to do this.

Insofar as types of clerkships: This probably goes without saying, but in the interests of being complete, you are pretty much auto-ding for COA (as one poster indicated, applications are screened, and I can't think of one COA judge that you'd make it past screening with, absent a solid recommender calling to get your app out of the pile or some other crazy good soft that clicks with what the judge has told his clerks to look for). If you're from a secondary market that tends to value ties, apply heavily there--DCT, magistrate, state intermediate, etc. If your old school places well in its region, apply heavily there to the same kinds, and if you have a choice in the matter, toss in one LOR from a prof from that school's region into those applications. Beyond that, I'd target DCT, magistrates, and state wherever you're willing to live. If the judge isn't listed or is greyed out on OSCAR, either call chambers and ask or just send a paper application.

One final nag: Again, doing this will take a ton of time, and sending paper apps isn't exactly cheap and easy. And to land a clerkship as a less than stellar candidate, you need to do a lot of that kind of work. Ask yourself if this is something you really want to do. Especially for state non-supreme clerkships, there's a small chance that it will really help you get a firm type job in the long run, if that's your goal. It's less than clear if a magistrate or district would help if you don't have the type of creds they are looking for to begin with, but it's still an uphill battle.

[betsyanna]

OP: I've heard that the handful of judges who were transfers themselves are much more likely to hire clerks who transferred. Just a thought. This would require some time reading bios. But the process is so time consuming anyway that a couple of hours spent hunting for transfer judges might be worth it.