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Scenario:

Prestige-obsessed 2L wants to get a COA clerkship.
Doesn't want to live in DC long-term.
Has an offer at the DC office of firm A (one of GDC/Kirkland/Hogan/JD/Latham/Skadde/Sidley/Wilmer).
Would rather take offer at Firm B in a different market based on geography and general fit.
Firm A will likely give me a bump in clerkship prospects over firm B by virtue of the national recognition and the fact that it is in DC. Assume this is true, even if you don't think it is.
If I went with Firm A, the plan would be to get hired somewhere else in a different city after finishing clerkship.

Is this a reasonable plan, or should I just bite the bullet and take the hit to clerkship prospects in order to end up at the firm/city I would rather be at long-term?

ETA: assume stats are good enough to have a non-zero chance at a feeder or semi-feeder, where the boost from Firm A would be most appreciable.

Anonymous User wrote:Scenario:

Prestige-obsessed 2L wants to get a COA clerkship.
Doesn't want to live in DC long-term.
Has an offer at the DC office of firm A (one of GDC/Kirkland/Hogan/JD/Latham/Skadde/Sidley/Wilmer).
Would rather take offer at Firm B in a different market based on geography and general fit.
Firm A will likely give me a bump in clerkship prospects over firm B by virtue of the national recognition and the fact that it is in DC. Assume this is true, even if you don't think it is.
If I went with Firm A, the plan would be to get hired somewhere else in a different city after finishing clerkship.

Is this a reasonable plan, or should I just bite the bullet and take the hit to clerkship prospects in order to end up at the firm/city I would rather be at long-term?

Take the hit. If you don't want to be in DC, be somewhere else and live your life.

If you have a city you want to be at long term, get hired by a district judge in that city, and then apply for a COA clerkship for the year or two after that. Problem solved.

I know you said assume it matters, but I really don't think firms matter for getting clerkships. Besides, clerking is enough of a crapshoot you might get nothing, and then be stuck somewhere you hate. Take the offer where you want to be.

A. Nony Mouse wrote:I know you said assume it matters, but I really don't think firms matter for getting clerkships. Besides, clerking is enough of a crapshoot you might get nothing, and then be stuck somewhere you hate. Take the offer where you want to be.

OP

Assume that stats are good enough to have a non-zero chance at snagging a feeder or semi-feeder (as good of a chance as someone from non-HYSCC can expect, I guess). The boost for feeders and semi-feeders is really what I think Firm A would give. Any change in your analysis?

A. Nony Mouse wrote:I know you said assume it matters, but I really don't think firms matter for getting clerkships. Besides, clerking is enough of a crapshoot you might get nothing, and then be stuck somewhere you hate. Take the offer where you want to be.

This. I worried about this too, but ended up turning down similar firms for a lesser-known shop and still ended up with a great CoA clerkship in DC/2nd/9th. Prof recs are far, far more important than your SA firm.

you're going to go to DC no matter what we say because even if it definitively doesn't matter you'll still be scared it does 't just accept your DC offer

If your SA is at Wilmer or Jones Day issues and appeals I'd go for that. Otherwise I'd go for the local firm. Honestly there is a pretty sizeable prestige gap between some of your SA alternatives.

anonymous2012 wrote:If your SA is at Wilmer or Jones Day issues and appeals I'd go for that. Otherwise I'd go for the local firm. Honestly there is a pretty sizeable prestige gap between some of your SA alternatives.

Does JD give some people SA offers in issues and appeals? Never heard of that.

Anonymous User wrote:

anonymous2012 wrote:If your SA is at Wilmer or Jones Day issues and appeals I'd go for that. Otherwise I'd go for the local firm. Honestly there is a pretty sizeable prestige gap between some of your SA alternatives.

Does JD give some people SA offers in issues and appeals? Never heard of that.

Prob not but if OP really has feeder judge credentials I find it hard to believe they couldn't get some assurances of work in that group. The point is though that your SA at Sidley isn't going to make or break your feeder judge aspirations absent some unforeseeable personal connection.

Anonymous User wrote:

A. Nony Mouse wrote:I know you said assume it matters, but I really don't think firms matter for getting clerkships. Besides, clerking is enough of a crapshoot you might get nothing, and then be stuck somewhere you hate. Take the offer where you want to be.

OP

Assume that stats are good enough to have a non-zero chance at snagging a feeder or semi-feeder (as good of a chance as someone from non-HYSCC can expect, I guess). The boost for feeders and semi-feeders is really what I think Firm A would give. Any change in your analysis?

Honestly, no, because the little I know about feeders doesn't suggest that firm makes a particular difference. But we're way above my pay grade.