1L Law Clerk @ Midsize firm vs. Judicial Externship Forum

[adammac17]

So after 1st semester at my T25-30 I wound up in the top %33 and close to %25. Ideally I would like BigLaw and I know I'll have to hustle/improve next semester to have a legit chance at it. With that said, I've already got a 1L summer offer at a midsize (~50 attorney firm) in my target market due to family ties. If I miss the BigLaw boat I think I'd have a decent chance at working there and would probably enjoy it.

I do have some interviews lined up with judges lined up but at this point I'm not sure doing a judicial externship would be worth it. Thoughts?

[ben4847]

take the job.

[splitmuch]

Take the job. The only benefit to the externship is that you do something legal for the summer. An externship is not like a clerkship. THe firm gives you legal experience, pays, and an opportunity for an in at a good back up plan.

This isn't close at all.

[Veyron]

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[adammac17]

Idiot or attention w***, you decide!

Thanks for the wonderfully insightful comment. I only ask because the hiring partner I met with asked what other offers I was considering, then spent a few minutes extolling the virtues of externing with a Federal judge as he did while in law school. He made me think that it was a slightly tougher decision than TLS is making it out to be.

[IAFG]

Idiot or attention w***, you decide!

Thanks for the wonderfully insightful comment. I only ask because the hiring partner I met with asked what other offers I was considering, then spent a few minutes extolling the virtues of externing with a Federal judge as he did while in law school. He made me think that it was a slightly tougher decision than TLS is making it out to be.

Can you do it during the school year? I am externing now, and love it, and totally recommend it, but not at the cost of a better 1L summer gig.

[NoleinNY]

So after 1st semester at my T25-30 I wound up in the top %33 and close to %25. Ideally I would like BigLaw and I know I'll have to hustle/improve next semester to have a legit chance at it. With that said, I've already got a 1L summer offer at a midsize (~50 attorney firm) in my target market due to family ties. If I miss the BigLaw boat I think I'd have a decent chance at working there and would probably enjoy it.

I do have some interviews lined up with judges lined up but at this point I'm not sure doing a judicial externship would be worth it. Thoughts?

You seem like a bright kid with options, so follow this easy-to-understand algorithm.

Is money an issue?

If yes, take firm job.

If no, do you think you'll need cool things to talk about in 2L OCI?

If yes, take federal clerkship.

If you answer no to the above questions, put the 3 options in a hat, and find two (2) homeless men. Pay them each $5 to pull one option out of each hat (no peaking at their choices! ). Whatever option is left in your hat after is the job you take.

If you are a really nice bro, give the friendlier homeless man your hat.

Cheers.

[romothesavior]

Firm, no question.

[Veyron]

Idiot or attention w***, you decide!

Thanks for the wonderfully insightful comment.

You're welcome, I'm here as a resource for you.

[lobolawyer]

Take the job. You have 2 more years (academic years) for an externship. I think this is a no-brainer, as the voting suggests.

[DallasCowboy]

Firm. If you bomb this semester's grades, at least you are in the door at a possible post-grad job.

[cantabaout]

plus you can always work for a judge over the semester.

[missinglink]

Little late to the party, but I hope you took the job.

One thing I gathered from OCI is that prior firm work 1L year > random judicial externship.

[adammac17]

I wound up accepting the job today. Thanks for all the input.