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I'm currently a 3L, and I'll be clerking judge next year after graduation. I'm strongly considering applying for a follow up clerkship in a different region, and my understanding is that I should probably start applying around March or April (possibly earlier) for competitive districts.

The problem is that this is all going to take place before I even start my first clerkship, which means that I will not be able to get a recommendation from my judge when I apply for the second clerkship. I was wondering if any current or former second-term clerks could provide some insight here. Is putting the judge's name on my resume going to be enough? Would it be appropriate for me to ask him to provide a reference?

Anonymous User wrote:I'm currently a 3L, and I'll be clerking judge next year after graduation. I'm strongly considering applying for a follow up clerkship in a different region, and my understanding is that I should probably start applying around March or April (possibly earlier) for competitive districts.

The problem is that this is all going to take place before I even start my first clerkship, which means that I will not be able to get a recommendation from my judge when I apply for the second clerkship. I was wondering if any current or former second-term clerks could provide some insight here. Is putting the judge's name on my resume going to be enough? Would it be appropriate for me to ask him to provide a reference?

Yes, having that first clerkship speaks more than you can imagine.

Knowing that you've already been vetted by a colleague, tells your potential second clerkship judge that this person is more likely than not a good candidate.

And, trust me, whether you ask for a reference, there is nothing that will stop a judge from calling your first clerkship judge and asking about you. These are judges, after all.

Good luck.

Yes, just having the first clerkship on there helps. My current judge repeatedly referred to my first clerkship when I interviewed (and then after I got the job), even though I hadn't done a day of work on it yet. I'm quite sure he doesn't know the first judge, either - it's just that he knew I'd have that useful experience by the time I showed up in his chambers. So no, don't ask your first judge for a reference (unless s/he actually knows your work from something other than your application - like if you interned for them already). But you won't really need to.

OP here. This is reassuring to hear. Thanks for the replies.