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I'm wondering if there is much difference between the two in terms of the type of work, level of prestige, etc. The externship program is one semester for credit.

An unpaid internship over the semester versus a paid clerkship? You must not correctly understand what the clerkship is then, because otherwise this isn't even a decision

You're right, it isn't a decision between the two. Obviously a clerkship is better, but I'm interested in the value of an externship. I have a potential opportunity for a for-credit unpaid externship, and I'm just wondering how the resume-building aspect of an externship with a federal court would look compared to that of a clerkship.

They're not even comparable. If the one is during the summer before 2L, it's good on your resume for OCI, but otherwise it has almost zero value.

HRJ wrote:You're right, it isn't a decision between the two. Obviously a clerkship is better, but I'm interested in the value of an externship. I have a potential opportunity for a for-credit unpaid externship, and I'm just wondering how the resume-building aspect of an externship with a federal court would look compared to that of a clerkship.

You should be comparing the resume-building aspect of this for-credit unpaid externship to your alternatives for the same time period (Is this the summer?). You're wasting your time and effort trying to make some bizarre comparison to something that is completely different.

Thanks for the response. So I'm assuming the work is drastically different? Would an external be effectively working for the clerk, rather than the judge? I'm just trying to wrap my head around the structure. I don't know much about clerkships nor externships.

It would be in place of 5 credits over the spring. It would basically replace 1-2 electives. Because of scheduling issues, I'm forced to take a couple classes that I have minimal interest in, so it would replace those. Have a SA lined up for next summer already, so just doing it for the experience.

Thanks for the responses.

Clerkships dwarf judicial in/externships in prestige. That said, in your situation, I would do it. I've noted that judicial externships do get mentioned in associate bios unlike say, the electives you would be taking otherwise, so there must be some value in that. It's always nice to have "for the Honorable . . ." on your resume. And personally, I would take a judicial in/externship over many non-2L-SA paid work.

EDIT: you said "legal", not "judicial" externship. Not sure what a "legal externship" at a court entails, sorry.

That was my mistake- I meant judicial. Good info here, thanks.

The work's not that different at all, but... you have less power, if that makes any sense. I could elaborate.