Interning for a state trial judge after 1L Forum

[Anonymous User]

I know it's not appellate, but is this looked down upon? Last week, I sent out a bunch of resumes and cover letters seeing what I would get, if anything. And today, I got a response from a Common Pleas judge saying that an internship is available and that she would like to meet with me. I know that, if offered the internship, I pretty much have to accept. The judge isn't exactly a nobody, as she is the first openly gay judge in her state and she was shortlisted for appointment to a federal district. Still, should I try to keep looking for an appellate judge, or is it mostly irrelevant, as long as I intern for someone?

[JollyGreenGiant]

Flame?

[dakatz]

Flame?

What makes you say that? I'm in a similar situation and am interested in the answers people give. I applied to a bunch of state judges at the appellate level, as well as a number of federal judges at the trial level. Not sure which to take if I end up with any choice at all.

[Anonymous User]

Flame?

Not a flame.

[Turtledove]

In and of itself that shouldn't be a problem at all. Except for either extreme -- ie doing something incredible like interning for a Circuit Court judge or something really unimpressive like bumming around the beach all summer -- it really doesn't matter what you do this summer. The most important thing is that you're able to speak intelligently about your experience and, most importantly, intelligently discuss the written work you produced for your 1L summer employer. In that sense it really doesn't matter what you do so long as you'll have the opportunity to produce multiple memos (which should be the case with a state trial court judge).

[JollyGreenGiant]

Obviously some courts are more prestigious, but I highly doubt any employer at OCI is going to "look down on you" for working for any type of judge. Legal work is all they usually care about; you just need something to talk about. Many people take RA jobs (which I would consider less prestigious than judicial internships) for 1L Summer and come out just fine at OCI. I'm a lowly 1L, but a law-related job with a judge is usually considered good work experience.

[ggocat]

I know it's not appellate, but is this looked down upon? Last week, I sent out a bunch of resumes and cover letters seeing what I would get, if anything. And today, I got a response from a Common Pleas judge saying that an internship is available and that she would like to meet with me. I know that, if offered the internship, I pretty much have to accept. The judge isn't exactly a nobody, as she is the first openly gay judge in her state and she was shortlisted for appointment to a federal district. Still, should I try to keep looking for an appellate judge, or is it mostly irrelevant, as long as I intern for someone?

It's not looked down on.

Flame?

What makes you say that?

Why apply in the first place if you wouldn't accept the job? (barring some unforseen circumstance)

It also seem like a flame because the OP appears to care only about prestige.

[dood]

to OP: u NEVER say no to a fed circuit judge. u rarely turn down a fed dist ct judge. but brah, i dont even know wat a common please judge does. worst case scenario, just tell her u accepted another job.