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Is anyone familiar with clerking for magistrate judges?

First, how much less competitive is the application process for magistrate clerkships as opposed to district judge clerkships?

Second, is it worthwhile to clerk for a magistrate judge? Assuming one has an offer from his 2L summer firm to come back after graduation, would it be worthwhile to defer that offer to clerk for a magistrate? Is that common?

Competition will depend on where you're applying. SDNY magistrates (for example) are still fairly competitive, although less than district court judges. However, less "high-profile" districts are substantially less in demand. One thing to keep in mind is that many firms won't count a magistrate clerkship for the purposes of clerkship bonus, so you could be losing a whole lot of income by taking it instead of going to a firm.

Renzo wrote:Competition will depend on where you're applying. SDNY magistrates (for example) are still fairly competitive, although less than district court judges. However, less "high-profile" districts are substantially less in demand. One thing to keep in mind is that many firms won't count a magistrate clerkship for the purposes of clerkship bonus, so you could be losing a whole lot of income by taking it instead of going to a firm.

What about magistrates in SDCA or CDCA?

Even if firms don't pay clerkship bonuses to magistrate clerks, does a magistrate clerkship at all improve one's chances of landing a firm job after the clerkship, especially if the candidate had an SA gig during her 2L summer?

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Magistate judges were all pretty competitive last year. Pretty much any federal judge was (article III or non-article III). Obviously not as competitive as district court judges, but at the same time I thought the process was pretty random. I pretty much just mass applied to almost all the judges that had openings on OSCAR (OSCAR makes this really easy since it mail merges cover letters for you -- if you can convince your school and recommenders to let you do it, you can seriously do this in about 2 days). I got an interview for a district court judge in my home state and I got an interview with a bankruptcy judge. The bankruptcy judge cancelled before I interviewed with him (he filled the spot). I didn't get any interviews with magistrate judges. When I was applying, I was top 10% at a t10, no journal at all, and did moot court. Although, I think the lack of law review was a pretty big negative factor (so many judges want law review, including magistrate judges), and last year was really bad, especially with all the judges that are now wanting attorneys with work experience.

I have no idea if a magistrate would be worth it if you already have a biglaw offer in hand. My gut reaction to this says it makes more sense to just go work at the firm ($160K for the year is better than $60K). A lot of judges are now looking for a year or two of work experience. Additionally, the economy will eventually recover. and it will likely be within the next couple years. When the economy recovers, clerkships will become less competitive and at that time, if just go work for the firm now, you will also have a couple years of work experience. Therefore, by waiting a year or two to clerk, you will most likely be able to snag up a much better clerkship then you can now (assuming the best clerkship you can get is with a magistrate judge).

bob sacamano wrote:

Renzo wrote:Competition will depend on where you're applying. SDNY magistrates (for example) are still fairly competitive, although less than district court judges. However, less "high-profile" districts are substantially less in demand. One thing to keep in mind is that many firms won't count a magistrate clerkship for the purposes of clerkship bonus, so you could be losing a whole lot of income by taking it instead of going to a firm.

What about magistrates in SDCA or CDCA?

Even if firms don't pay clerkship bonuses to magistrate clerks, does a magistrate clerkship at all improve one's chances of landing a firm job after the clerkship, especially if the candidate had an SA gig during her 2L summer?

The OCS office at my school said that being a magistrate clerk should help you in w/e city you go to.

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OldManHunger wrote:

conn09 wrote: The OCS office at my school said that being a magistrate clerk should help you in w/e city you go to.

OCS at any law school are basically failed lawyers or successful secretaries, depending on where they came from. They operate on a set of myths and assumptions that rival TLS for shakiness.

LOL. So much truth to this

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OldManHunger wrote: It's probably less soulsucking than defending insurance companies or crushing small animals while wearing fuck-me pumps and a blindfold for $500 from some guy you met on craigslist to to fuel your meth habit.

EPIC!

OldManHunger wrote: It's probably less soulsucking than defending insurance companies or crushing small animals while wearing fuck-me pumps and a blindfold for $500 from some guy you met on craigslist to fuel your meth habit.

Liar. Clerking for a magistrate is unequivocally way more soulsucking than "crushing small animals while wearing fuck-me pumps and a blindfold for $500 from some guy you met on craigslist to fuel your meth habit."