Telling Law Firms About Clerkship During OCI Forum

[Anonymous User]

Is it advisable to discuss a clerkship offer or possibility of doing a clerkship after graduation if this is brought up at OCI? Should you bring it up yourself (does it make you a better candidate?) or should you only talk about it, if there is a question related to the subject?

Thanks.

[MrKappus]

Is it advisable to discuss a clerkship offer or possibility of doing a clerkship after graduation if this is brought up at OCI? Should you bring it up yourself (does it make you a better candidate?) or should you only talk about it, if there is a question related to the subject?

Thanks.

If the NALP Directory lists the firm as giving a clerkship bonus, then I would think it's viewed positively by that firm. If it no bonus is given, I'd tread more carefully. Also, w/ so many classes deferred until 2011 and 2012, I would think anything that (1) makes you more competitive, and (2) delays your start date, would be considered a plus by a lot of firms. Just my $0.02. Rising 2L here.

[Cavalier]

I assume it's fine to mention that you hope to clerk after law school. Just don't bring up the topic in a foolish manner ("Will your firm let me defer two years so that I can clerk for Kozinski and Kennedy?").

[d34d9823]

I assume it's fine to mention that you hope to clerk after law school. Just don't bring up the topic in a foolish manner ("Will your firm let me defer two years so that I can clerk for Kozinski and Kennedy?").

Totally TTT. You should be shooting for Garland and Ginsburg.

[270910]

We had a thread on this a while back. Consensus was (most) firms don't mind, but it's probably not worth bringing up affirmatively on your own. Many people I know at firms have had partners who clerked encourage it in conversations with the summers.

[vamedic03]

Is it advisable to discuss a clerkship offer or possibility of doing a clerkship after graduation if this is brought up at OCI? Should you bring it up yourself (does it make you a better candidate?) or should you only talk about it, if there is a question related to the subject?

Thanks.

If you're a rising 2L, how do you have an actual clerkship offer?

If you're a rising 2L, you don't need to broach the topic of clerkships until next summer. And, if you have the credentials for a clerkship, the firms are aware that you're going to be looking at clerkships.

That said, the point of OCI is convincing an employer that you would be a good fit, that you want to work for them, and that you will add value to the firm. Talking about other future jobs doesn't help convince the employer of any of these 3 topics.

[Anonymous User]

Is it advisable to discuss a clerkship offer or possibility of doing a clerkship after graduation if this is brought up at OCI? Should you bring it up yourself (does it make you a better candidate?) or should you only talk about it, if there is a question related to the subject?

Thanks.

If you're a rising 2L, how do you have an actual clerkship offer?

If you're a rising 2L, you don't need to broach the topic of clerkships until next summer. And, if you have the credentials for a clerkship, the firms are aware that you're going to be looking at clerkships.

That said, the point of OCI is convincing an employer that you would be a good fit, that you want to work for them, and that you will add value to the firm. Talking about other future jobs doesn't help convince the employer of any of these 3 topics.

Many state appellate and trial level offer clerkships to 1L summer interns based on the summer experience.

[rando]

Is it advisable to discuss a clerkship offer or possibility of doing a clerkship after graduation if this is brought up at OCI? Should you bring it up yourself (does it make you a better candidate?) or should you only talk about it, if there is a question related to the subject?

Thanks.

If you're a rising 2L, how do you have an actual clerkship offer?

If you're a rising 2L, you don't need to broach the topic of clerkships until next summer. And, if you have the credentials for a clerkship, the firms are aware that you're going to be looking at clerkships.

That said, the point of OCI is convincing an employer that you would be a good fit, that you want to work for them, and that you will add value to the firm. Talking about other future jobs doesn't help convince the employer of any of these 3 topics.

Many state appellate and trial level offer clerkships to 1L summer interns based on the summer experience.

In that case, firms are much less keen on state level clerkships than fed. I wouldn't bring it up.

[Anonymous User]

This is a somewhat different context, but my 1L summer firm wants to know in advance (before they make on-campus visits) if the 1L SA's are interested in clerking. The SA class is relatively small and offer rate is meant to be 100%, so it's important for them to have some idea of when people are realistically likely to start working full time. That way they can adjust how many offers they make to people they interview during OCI's.

[vamedic03]

This is a somewhat different context, but my 1L summer firm wants to know in advance (before they make on-campus visits) if the 1L SA's are interested in clerking. The SA class is relatively small and offer rate is meant to be 100%, so it's important for them to have some idea of when people are realistically likely to start working full time. That way they can adjust how many offers they make to people they interview during OCI's.

Its different when you are already summering at a firm...

[Anonymous User]

This is a somewhat different context, but my 1L summer firm wants to know in advance (before they make on-campus visits) if the 1L SA's are interested in clerking. The SA class is relatively small and offer rate is meant to be 100%, so it's important for them to have some idea of when people are realistically likely to start working full time. That way they can adjust how many offers they make to people they interview during OCI's.

Its different when you are already summering at a firm...

Somewhat, but the same logic applies to OCI interviewees, given the small class size. I'm sure they would prefer to know if the people they interview at OCI have clerkship aspirations and don't actually plan to start full-time work for 1-2 years after graduation.