Can you get clerkships/academia if you don't make law review Forum

[anonymouse123]

at Harvard

[ph14]

at Harvard

Assuming that you're not trolling, yes. Something like 15% of HLS gets clerkships, something less than 10% get law review, and not everyone on HLR wants to clerk (or applies properly broadly enough, etc.). Academia, probably the most important fact, is publishing. Publish some quality articles and you have a decent shot, regardless of law review.

[Anonymous User]

at cornell.

[Anonymous User]

From my class (MVP 2012), I know of three students not on law review who got court of appeals clerkships. Two are for this term, one is for next term. Numerous students not on law review got district court clerkships. As far as academia goes, it's really all about establishing good relations with the faculty and ideally getting a prestigious fellowship, giving you the time and support to start publishing before going on the teaching market. Grades are important, of course--getting good recommendations from faculty will be difficult if you haven't distinguished yourself academically--but law review is not essential. But keep in mind that if you're serious about academia, you should probably strive to get a note published by your school's law review, which at most schools results in an invitation to join law review.

[ClerkAnon]

From my class (MVP 2012), I know of three students not on law review who got court of appeals clerkships. Two are for this term, one is for next term. Numerous students not on law review got district court clerkships.

(speaking as HYS 200X, non-LR) It is also possible for aspiring circuit clerks to compensate for the lack of law review by obtaining a district court clerkship, ideally with strong recommendation from your district judge. I first appreciated the extent to which this was true when I was called in for an interview by a circuit judge whose written/OSCAR policy at the time was "mandatory law review, no exceptions." Of course, some judges will be completely inflexible on law review - but many fewer than you'd fear.

[goodolgil]

From what I've gathered, it's essentially meaningless for academia. Academia is about publishing, and the reason why most academics were on LR is self-selection (LR types are more likely to write legal scholarship).

Not as sure for clerkships, but I do think some judges use it as a filter. This is what I've heard for many CoA and prestigious dist ct. clerkships. But again, there is an element of self-selection. Those with grades good enough for those judges are probably on LR anyway.

There are probably indirect effects for LR and academia as well. That is, if you were on LR it might up your chances of landing a prestigious clerkship, which *might* up your chances of getting published in a more prestigious journal, which *might* up the chances your article gets widely cited, etc...

[Anonymous User]

I went to a T40 and wasn't on LR (EIC of a secondary if that counts) and got a clerkship, so, yes, it is possible.

[Anonymous User]

Also at Harvard. Just got a district court clerkship with no LR and know plenty of people who got COA clerkships without LR. Only door that not having LR will close is SCOTUS and certain feeder judges, and even then you might still have a chance. I'd focus on making magna, writing something publication-worthy this year, and building strong connections with profs.