Magistrate Clerkships in SDNY/EDNY/DNJ Forum

[Anonymous User]

Starting to realize these may be the most prestigious clerkships that I am competitive for (and yes, I realize that even these positions are not really considered all that prestigious). Wondering if anyone can speak to:

1) the kind of work done by clerks for magistrate judges in these three jurisdictions? Are certain judges known for getting less of the B.S. magistrate clerks hate?
2) how much of the work is social security stuff?
3) how competitive are these? what does it take from a T10?
4) how much does NYC biglaw value them? If you're at V30 (I realize the distinction is arbitrary, but just to narrow for you the firm I will likely be going to), would the firm rather you do a magistrate clerkship or would they prefer you get started at the firm? Do they generally think magistrate clerkships are as valuable as AIII clerkships or at least valuable enough to encourage young litigators to do?

[Anonymous User]

Bump. I too would like to know how people view magistrates, and also how they would compare relative to, say, state court judges.

[Anonymous User]

I'd write off DNJ magistrates. They value local schools over T-14 creds to a moderate/substantial amount with most having career clerks in place and hardly any term clerks.

[anon168]

Starting to realize these may be the most prestigious clerkships that I am competitive for (and yes, I realize that even these positions are not really considered all that prestigious). Wondering if anyone can speak to:

1) the kind of work done by clerks for magistrate judges in these three jurisdictions? Are certain judges known for getting less of the B.S. magistrate clerks hate?

Your calendar will be split between criminal and civil on a 60/40 basis, maybe a bit more on the criminal side. On the criminal side you'll be doing (depending on how the MJ delegates his duties to his clerks): 2255 (or 2254) motions, SW affidavits, arrest warrants, wiretapes, and perhaps evidentiary hearings and related issues. On the civil side, you'll have things like Rule 16 conferences, settlement conferences and of course discovery disputes. Sometimes the MJ may even conduct an entire civil jury trial (with consent). What you do from that menu, will depend on your MJ.

2) how much of the work is social security stuff?

Will vary from district to district and MJ to MJ. Hard to say. And what exactly do you mean by SSA stuff?

3) how competitive are these? what does it take from a T10?

I think if you are Top 1/3, or even above median, you should be competitive.

4) how much does NYC biglaw value them? If you're at V30 (I realize the distinction is arbitrary, but just to narrow for you the firm I will likely be going to), would the firm rather you do a magistrate clerkship or would they prefer you get started at the firm? Do they generally think magistrate clerkships are as valuable as AIII clerkships or at least valuable enough to encourage young litigators to do?

Well, most firms definitely do not think that a MJ clerkship is as valuable as a District Court clerkship, that much is pretty obvious. I think a majority of firms will value an associate who has clerked with a MJ, and most would not discourage one from doing so.

A closer question might be whether a MJ clerkship is as valuable as one with the NY Supreme Court, both are essentially trial court clerkships, but I get the feeling that many firms would value the latter more than the former.

[adonai]

Well, most firms definitely do not think that a MJ clerkship is as valuable as a District Court clerkship, that much is pretty obvious. I think a majority of firms will value an associate who has clerked with a MJ, and most would not discourage one from doing so.

+1. Externed for a mag in a major district and clerks there were getting biglaw interviews and interviewing for district court clerkships. As to whether they got these positions is another story. I'd think biglaw firms do value mag clerkships more than these forums think, though. They work on a lot of discovery matters which is pretty relevant to biglaw practice.