Top Law Schools

-Approx. Top 12%
-Midwest T20 (think UIUC/WUSTL/ND)
-Law Review, being published but no exec board
-SA in secondary market biglaw firm
-Born and raised in flyover country

Would like to clerk in IL/IN/MO/OH/MN/IA/KY. Obviously Chicago is out, STL probably too. I know I have no shot at COA so I won't even bother. I am primarily interested in district court clerkships, and would consider a magistrate clerkship in the market where my SA is located (but is this even worth it?) I'd be interested in state SCT or even state appellate, but the state SCT justices in my home state have career clerks, and I missed the boat on state clerkships in my SA state.

Interested in any insights, advice, chances, killselfs, etc.

Should I interpret the crickets as "outlook not good?"

I think you have a decent shot if you aren't too picky about location and have strong recommendations. Has anyone at your summer firm clerked? Maybe you can use that connection to get a letter of introduction to a judge. Just having someone call/e-mail the judge on your behalf will often get you picked out of the pile, which is half the battle.

madame defarge wrote:I think you have a decent shot if you aren't too picky about location and have strong recommendations. Has anyone at your summer firm clerked? Maybe you can use that connection to get a letter of introduction to a judge. Just having someone call/e-mail the judge on your behalf will often get you picked out of the pile, which is half the battle.

Good assessment. Networking and ties/connections are often a huge difference maker in smaller/more rural markets. If OP works hard and catches a break or two, I could see district or magistrate interviews as a real possibility. But you have to get on that stuff NOW.

Anonymous User wrote:

madame defarge wrote:I think you have a decent shot if you aren't too picky about location and have strong recommendations. Has anyone at your summer firm clerked? Maybe you can use that connection to get a letter of introduction to a judge. Just having someone call/e-mail the judge on your behalf will often get you picked out of the pile, which is half the battle.

Good assessment. Networking and ties/connections are often a huge difference maker in smaller/more rural markets. If OP works hard and catches a break or two, I could see district or magistrate interviews as a real possibility. But you have to get on that stuff NOW.

I've been contacting attorneys at my firm who have clerked, but other than this, what else do people suggest? I have some relationships with a few profs who will write strong LORs, but they aren't likely to be the kind of people who can get me in the door at these places based solely on their rec. And how do people go about getting profs/attorneys to call for you? Just hope they volunteer?

Sorry for the bombardment, just don't really know how to network for clerkship purposes. Not quite like networking for big law.