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Which would be the better option: a judicial externship (likely state trial level or COA) or one of the school's legal clinics (wills & estates)? Both would be ~10 hours per week. I'm interested in business/civil law (no criminal) and I'm hoping for a judicial clerkship after graduation.

What type of clinic?

Wills & trusts

Anonymous User wrote:Wills & trusts

If you're looking at doing a federal judicial clerkship, the clinic would not move the needle with any judges, as wills & trusts is predominantly a matter of state law and is handled in state courts. On the other hand, whether you extern at the state level or the federal level, a judicial externship would probably prove beneficial on the federal clerkship hunt.

If you're looking at clerking at the state level, then externing at the state level would obviously prove beneficial.

The choice is pretty easy IMO

Judicial externship. No brainer given your goals.

Fwiw, I don't think doing a judicial externship helps at all for federal clerkships (not sure about state though). The best job is the one where you'll get substantive legal experience and ideally come mentorship and references. Some judges provide this to externs; others do not.