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I am interviewing with the Chief Justice next week. He is very well-known for making offers on the spot, and I don't know if I'd accept it. I really want to do appellate work, and I think living in Alaska for a year would be awesome (hello, outdoors), but...I'm from SoCal and plan on ending up and practicing back here. I've got some very, very promising mid-sized firm leads and interviews down the road, but they're by no means certain. This is really what's holding me back--the thought of having a firm job in SoCal/SF where I'd be making a lot more and I'm sure I'd be much happier given the fact my only connection to AK is going on a cruise there once.

One good thing is the Chief Justice is from what I hear very well connected to the Bay Area, where I go to school. I also talked to 2 former clerks of his who said it was the best professional experience they've ever had.

Any input and thoughts would be awesome.

FWIW, my best friend from HS clerked for him a few years ago, and he also said it was a fantastic experience. He liked Alaska enough that he considered relocating until he got married (spousal veto was issued). He had no trouble getting offers after his clerkship from all over the country, but it was a different legal market then.

New state, new law = a great opportunity.

P.S. I'd bet that a few major East Coast law firms would grant you an interview just out of curiosity.

Everything tells me that you'll be much, MUCH happier down the road if you do the clerkship.

It's a clerkship at a state supreme court. Clerkship = spend 1-2 years, not the rest of your life. State Supreme Court = looked upon pretty favorably, seems pretty much on par with fed. dist. ct. at firms.

Plus, if the judge is very well connected to SF you should have zero problems finding something there. You said you plan on ending back in SoCal, but you mentioned SoCal/SF two sentences later, so I assume both areas are fine for you.