Post-Bankruptcy Clerkship Employment Forum

[Anonymous User]

I'm going to be a bankruptcy clerk next year and I'd like to hear from current clerks about how bk clerks are doing in the current job market. Specifically, what kinds of jobs are clerks getting and is there a lot of demand for clerks? I know this has been discussed here before, but I'm more interested in how clerks are doing today with the decline in filings. Thanks!

[badaboom61]

Interested as well. I think I heard that prospects are pretty good out of SDNY and D Del, but after that I'm not sure.

[Anonymous User]

It's a spot market - law firms are hiring bankruptcy clerks on an as-needed basis. It's not easy even for people at Bankr. S.D.N.Y. and Bankr. D. Del., although those clerks tend to end up at large firms. Bankruptcy clerks at the other bankruptcy courts tend to end up at smaller, regional law firms, although there are exceptions, particularly for courts like Bankr. C.D. Cal. I've heard of clerks at the other courts extending their terms rather than face the job market, and I've heard of clerks going to work for solo practitioners. In other words, you will need to hustle, but the clerkship will provide you with a lot of credibility with the bankruptcy bar in whatever area you're clerking.

- Bankr. S.D.N.Y./Del. Clerk

[Anonymous User]

It's a spot market - law firms are hiring bankruptcy clerks on an as-needed basis. It's not easy even for people at Bankr. S.D.N.Y. and Bankr. D. Del., although those clerks tend to end up at large firms. Bankruptcy clerks at the other bankruptcy courts tend to end up at smaller, regional law firms, although there are exceptions, particularly for courts like Bankr. C.D. Cal. I've heard of clerks at the other courts extending their terms rather than face the job market, and I've heard of clerks going to work for solo practitioners. In other words, you will need to hustle, but the clerkship will provide you with a lot of credibility with the bankruptcy bar in whatever area you're clerking.

- Bankr. S.D.N.Y./Del. Clerk

Quick question, any idea on the bankruptcy course grade expected, and overall GPA, for Del + SDNY bankruptcy clerks?

[Anonymous User]

Anon here - as far as I can tell, it's about much more than your grade in your school's bankruptcy law class. A lot of the candidates have taken bankruptcy. Also, a lot of schools have more than one bankruptcy-related course - think secured transactions, business reorganizations, corporate finance, consumer bankruptcy, etc. You absolutely have to show a keen interest in bankruptcy, but that isn't sufficient.

With that proviso, it'll be easier to show the judge or reviewing law clerk that you'd make an excellent bankruptcy law clerk if you have an A in bankruptcy law.

As for overall GPA, that'll depend on what law school you went to and your prior work experience. I can't say much more than that. Getting a clerkship at Bankr. S.D.N.Y. and D. Del. is not a surefire thing even w/ the right credentials because there are so few slots, so many qualified candidates, and so many candidates w/ post-law school law firm bankruptcy experience.

It can't hurt to apply, though.

[Anonymous User]

BK clerk here, not in SDNY/D.Del. It's hardly a sure-fire route to biglaw, though the three clerks who preceded me are all at big firms now for whatever that's worth. I agree with the assessment that it gives you credibility, but you've got to hustle.

As for getting hired, I participated in the hiring of my replacement and can say we generally took a pretty serious look at anyone who expressed a genuine interest for bk law in their cover letter (and didn't do stupid things like referring to a municipal bankruptcy as a "Chapter 12 filing"), went to a decent school, and was at least top-25% or so. Interest in bk and ability to sell yourself as a hard worker are more important than grades, but if you have outright bad grades you're not going to make it to the interview process.

Also, at least for us, grades are more important than school. The only kids from T14s who applied tended to have pretty mediocre resumes, because they usually have other options if their grades are good, so we didn't interview any of them.

[Anonymous User]

I'm going to be a bankruptcy clerk next year and I'd like to hear from current clerks about how bk clerks are doing in the current job market. Specifically, what kinds of jobs are clerks getting and is there a lot of demand for clerks? I know this has been discussed here before, but I'm more interested in how clerks are doing today with the decline in filings. Thanks!

I'm currently a bankruptcy clerk in a big state (not Del. or SDNY). Just to provide some more anecdotal evidence of the types of jobs bankruptcy clerks receive, my immediate predecessor got a biglaw job in the city where I work in addition to also receiving an offer at a mid-sized firm. The clerk before got a job working in the bankruptcy section of the AG's office.

Another clerk that I know of from last year got a job in biglaw after a long job search that stretched on even after their clerkship ended.

I think the two clerks who received biglaw offers is pretty representative of the job search process for non Del/SDNY bankruptcy clerks because they had to work very hard to get their jobs.

[Anonymous User]

More anecdotal evidence-- non-D.Del./SDNY bankruptcy law clerk here. My last four predecessors' jobs: 3 are in biglaw, 1 is an AUSA.

[Anonymous User]

BK clerk here--fellow BK clerks, do you guys have jobs lined up yet? If not, when are you starting the job search?

[Anonymous User]

BK clerk here--fellow BK clerks, do you guys have jobs lined up yet? If not, when are you starting the job search?

I'm the Anon from December 18, 2012 10:50 am. I've been told that early spring is the time to start applying, but you have to be careful about applying to firms that regularly appear before your judge.

[Anonymous User]

I did not want to make a new thread about this... so I figured I could ask you guys. I took and am enrolled in a lot of Bankruptcy-related courses (BA, Secured Transactions, UCC), but I think I screwed up my bankruptcy final. Does that make it a foregone conclusion for clerking, even if you have an overall good GPA, and A's in the other BK related courses. Will a B+ keep in the game? What about if anything below that?

[Anonymous User]

I did not want to make a new thread about this... so I figured I could ask you guys. I took and am enrolled in a lot of Bankruptcy-related courses (BA, Secured Transactions, UCC), but I think I screwed up my bankruptcy final. Does that make it a foregone conclusion for clerking, even if you have an overall good GPA, and A's in the other BK related courses. Will a B+ keep in the game? What about if anything below that?

It's not awesome, but it won't kill you if your other grades are good.

[peter2009]

I did not want to make a new thread about this... so I figured I could ask you guys. I took and am enrolled in a lot of Bankruptcy-related courses (BA, Secured Transactions, UCC), but I think I screwed up my bankruptcy final. Does that make it a foregone conclusion for clerking, even if you have an overall good GPA, and A's in the other BK related courses. Will a B+ keep in the game? What about if anything below that?

It's not awesome, but it won't kill you if your other grades are good.

I don't think a B+ would be a problem assuming your other stats are good, including a demonstrated interest in bankruptcy. A B- or lower and then you have a more serious problem.

[Anonymous User]

Do big firms (or even some medium sized firms) give out bonuses for bankruptcy clerkships? I know this has been briefly discussed in other threads, but there have not been any responses from former bankruptcy clerks.

[Anonymous User]

Do big firms (or even some medium sized firms) give out bonuses for bankruptcy clerkships? I know this has been briefly discussed in other threads, but there have not been any responses from former bankruptcy clerks.

Bk clerk here.

I will be getting credited with a years worth of experience for salary and partnership purposes but no cash bonus. Most big firms reserve their bonuses for article III clerks, but there are a few who give us bonuses. It really depends on whether you're going to be joining the bk practice group too. If you're just going into, say, litigation, the it's much less likely.

[Anonymous User]

Do big firms (or even some medium sized firms) give out bonuses for bankruptcy clerkships? I know this has been briefly discussed in other threads, but there have not been any responses from former bankruptcy clerks.

Bk clerk here.

I will be getting credited with a years worth of experience for salary and partnership purposes but no cash bonus. Most big firms reserve their bonuses for article III clerks, but there are a few who give us bonuses. It really depends on whether you're going to be joining the bk practice group too. If you're just going into, say, litigation, the it's much less likely.

Do you have a non-DE/SD NY bankruptcy clerkship? Did you have a job lined up before your clerkship? Assuming non-NYC firm job?