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I don't think have the juice to get a District clerkship (and don't want to move to a far away district), but am toying with the idea of applying for what term clerkships exist in the Magistrate level. I did a USAO internship and was exposed to both Circuit and District dockets, but not Magistrate as they are typically closed (and I didn't bother to ask at the time).

Its not something I'd be doing for the 'prestige' element, just because it seems interesting. I like the day-to-day operation of the courts, so I'd rather be in a trial-level court than an appeals court. Essentially, prosecution/defense work interests me, but I don't like the advocacy perspective/polarization, so I'm thinking a Mag. would be the neutral part of that work.

Anybody have any experience interning/clerking with a Magistrate that they want to share?

I interned with a magistrate last summer and really enjoyed it.

I'll say though that 1.) Don't go into it thinking it won't be competitive - I've heard just as many "Magistrate X got 500 applications for 1 slot" stories as D.Ct. stories. 2.) Seemed in my experience that a lot more of the magistrate clerks I met were career clerks. At least in the district I was in (secondary-type market) I only saw one or two young term clerks.

Anonymous User wrote:I interned with a magistrate last summer and really enjoyed it.

I'll say though that 1.) Don't go into it thinking it won't be competitive - I've heard just as many "Magistrate X got 500 applications for 1 slot" stories as D.Ct. stories. 2.) Seemed in my experience that a lot more of the magistrate clerks I met were career clerks. At least in the district I was in (secondary-type market) I only saw one or two young term clerks.

yeah in my district (big urban), i knew a lot of the magistrates had career clerks, but there seem to be a *few* term spots as far as I can tell. As for competitiveness, I'm not like in the bottom of my class or anything here just not a lock for a District spot. I assume that Mag. will be *less* competitive than District because of the difference in resume prestige, and further assume that in this market, the competitiveness of both will have risen.