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Last september, I accepted a position with a justice of our state supreme court to clerk for a year. THen this week I was asked to submit my resume to one of the big firms in town. After much debate over whether to submit it or not (knowing that I have a clerkship), I did. The firm is now planning to interview me because they have an associate opening. I'm hesitant in this economy to not jump at the chance of any permanent employment (my clerkship term is 1 year).

ANy suggestions/advice on how I should bring up that I have a clerkship? If they were to offer me a position, should I turn down the clerkship?

You've already committed to a clerkship. You don't walk away from that. It's not like a spring internship for a few hours a week, it's a really-real job that hundreds of people would love to have. If the firm won't let you defer for a year, you honor your commitment to the judge. Also keep in mind how connected a SSC justice is...it could make or break your career from the very beginning.

But most firms would love to have a SSC clerk working for them and would probably let you defer. If not, you'll almost certainly have several job offers by the end.

ebklove wrote:Last september, I accepted a position with a justice of our state supreme court to clerk for a year. THen this week I was asked to submit my resume to one of the big firms in town. After much debate over whether to submit it or not (knowing that I have a clerkship), I did. The firm is now planning to interview me because they have an associate opening. I'm hesitant in this economy to not jump at the chance of any permanent employment (my clerkship term is 1 year).

ANy suggestions/advice on how I should bring up that I have a clerkship? If they were to offer me a position, should I turn down the clerkship?

Why would you ever re-neg on a clerkship, especially in the same jurisdiction that you plan to practice within? Talk about burning bridges...

Don't ever piss off a judge.

ebklove wrote:Last september, I accepted a position with a justice of our state supreme court to clerk for a year. THen this week I was asked to submit my resume to one of the big firms in town. After much debate over whether to submit it or not (knowing that I have a clerkship), I did. The firm is now planning to interview me because they have an associate opening. I'm hesitant in this economy to not jump at the chance of any permanent employment (my clerkship term is 1 year).

ANy suggestions/advice on how I should bring up that I have a clerkship? If they were to offer me a position, should I turn down the clerkship?

Bring it up if they give you an offer. Maybe they will hire you on afterwards. They will probably tell you good luck and show you the door. That's life.

I'm not one of those people who think you should never renege on a summer internship with a judge even if you get an SA. But a clerkship is a whole different animal.

I would interview and ask for the clerkship deferment than a lot of firms are doing now adays. There is a solid shot your firm would have no problem with it, especially if you're clerking as a supreme court clerk in the state the firm is at. I would never, ever reneg on a supreme court clerkship, or hell, ANY judge within the jurisdiction that I am residing in. Some may not take it too badly, but you never know, and if a judge really wanted to they could make your life an absolute hell within their jurisdiction.

BarbellDreams wrote:I would interview and ask for the clerkship deferment than a lot of firms are doing now adays. There is a solid shot your firm would have no problem with it, especially if you're clerking as a supreme court clerk in the state the firm is at. I would never, ever reneg on a supreme court clerkship, or hell, ANY judge within the jurisdiction that I am residing in. Some may not take it too badly, but you never know, and if a judge really wanted to they could make your life an absolute hell within their jurisdiction.

Bingo. The firm will have no problem deferring you while you're gaining experience that could really help you be more productive to them 1 year from now.

abc12345675 wrote:

BarbellDreams wrote:I would interview and ask for the clerkship deferment than a lot of firms are doing now adays. There is a solid shot your firm would have no problem with it, especially if you're clerking as a supreme court clerk in the state the firm is at. I would never, ever reneg on a supreme court clerkship, or hell, ANY judge within the jurisdiction that I am residing in. Some may not take it too badly, but you never know, and if a judge really wanted to they could make your life an absolute hell within their jurisdiction.

Bingo. The firm will have no problem deferring you while you're gaining experience that could really help you be more productive to them 1 year from now.

This smells like 0Ls on the Legal Employment board.

If a firm is interviewing recently graduated people, it's because they need someone NOW, not one year from now. I wouldn't expect the firm to be as accommodating as they are when you spend your 2L summer with the firm and defer your start date by one year to do a clerkship. That's a completely different scenario.

And let me ask the obvious question, OP: didn't the resume you submitted to this firm INCLUDE THE CLERKSHIP???

ebklove wrote:Last september, I accepted a position with a justice of our state supreme court to clerk for a year. THen this week I was asked to submit my resume to one of the big firms in town. After much debate over whether to submit it or not (knowing that I have a clerkship), I did. The firm is now planning to interview me because they have an associate opening. I'm hesitant in this economy to not jump at the chance of any permanent employment (my clerkship term is 1 year).

ANy suggestions/advice on how I should bring up that I have a clerkship? If they were to offer me a position, should I turn down the clerkship?

Last September you accepted the clerkship and now you're thinking about backing out, 9 months later and probably 3 months before you start? Seriously, wake the f*#$ up.

RVP11 wrote:If a firm is interviewing recently graduated people, it's because they need someone NOW, not one year from now. I wouldn't expect the firm to be as accommodating as they are when you spend your 2L summer with the firm and defer your start date by one year to do a clerkship. That's a completely different scenario.

This, but as others have said, it couldn't hurt to ask. I would, however, bring it up before the interview. You don't have to say when you accepted the state supreme court clerkship (although they will likely have an idea). Tell them how you really like their firm and would like to keep the interview if they would be willing to consider you for a year from now. On the slim chance they decline the interview, at least you haven't wasted X hours of their billable time, so they might be more amenable to considering you in the future.