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Hi all,

I'm a HYS 2L with PI/nonprofit career plans. I go to school in "X" region, and am from "X" region, but I want to work in "Y" region (on the opposite coast).

I spent last summer and will spend next summer working for nonprofits in "Y" region, which is great. However, I lined up two clerkships that both happen to be in "X" region, and now I'm worried this will limit my mobility.

Any thoughts on how clerkships shape or restrict your mobility when they're both in the same region where you went to school, and where you're from, but NOT where you want to practice? Or is this all fine because clerkships can be anywhere + being at HYS? (I'm not even totally clear how much ties matter, or what kind of ties matter, in the fellowship/nonprofit employment search anyway?)

Any insight would be appreciated!

You have stronger ties to "X" region than you do to "Y" region. However, HYS is a portable degree and would hold value in "Z" region.

I would say you have strong to moderate opportunities in "X" region. Moderate opportunities in "Y" region. And less moderate opportunities in "Z" region.

Choosing between "X" "Y" and "Z" regions will likely be difficult.

I have lived in "Y" region and visited "Z" region, but I have never been to "X" region. I wish I could be of more help.

Anonymous User wrote:Hi all,

I'm a HYS 2L with PI/nonprofit career plans. I go to school in "X" region, and am from "X" region, but I want to work in "Y" region (on the opposite coast).

I spent last summer and will spend next summer working for nonprofits in "Y" region, which is great. However, I lined up two clerkships that both happen to be in "X" region, and now I'm worried this will limit my mobility.

Any thoughts on how clerkships shape or restrict your mobility when they're both in the same region where you went to school, and where you're from, but NOT where you want to practice? Or is this all fine because clerkships can be anywhere + being at HYS? (I'm not even totally clear how much ties matter, or what kind of ties matter, in the fellowship/nonprofit employment search anyway?)

Any insight would be appreciated!

Tony, is that you?

kellyfrost wrote:You have stronger ties to "X" region than you do to "Y" region. However, HYS is a portable degree and would hold value in "Z" region.

I would say you have strong to moderate opportunities in "X" region. Moderate opportunities in "Y" region. And less moderate opportunities in "Z" region.

Choosing between "X" "Y" and "Z" regions will likely be difficult.

I have lived in "Y" region and visited "Z" region, but I have never been to "X" region. I wish I could be of more help.

Huh? He grew up in the region, attended HYS in the region, and has two clerkships in the region. How could his opportunities get any stronger (outside of a one-in-a-million thing like SCOTUS)?

blahblewblah wrote:

kellyfrost wrote:You have stronger ties to "X" region than you do to "Y" region. However, HYS is a portable degree and would hold value in "Z" region.

I would say you have strong to moderate opportunities in "X" region. Moderate opportunities in "Y" region. And less moderate opportunities in "Z" region.

Choosing between "X" "Y" and "Z" regions will likely be difficult.

I have lived in "Y" region and visited "Z" region, but I have never been to "X" region. I wish I could be of more help.

Huh? He grew up in the region, attended HYS in the region, and has two clerkships in the region. How could his opportunities get any stronger (outside of a one-in-a-million thing like SCOTUS)?

Refer to the analysis above in my first post. Thanks!

No idea if nonprofits care about ties to a region, but chances would honestly be pretty bad if this were targeting a law firm in a small market that cares extensively about ties (e.g., PNW, Mountain West, Midwest, South, etc.) These kinda firms usually prefer a local State U guy over some more prestigious resume. A couple internships doesn't really establish much, especially after you left to go back to your old location for work

I wouldn't worry too much. Stay in touch with the people at your summer employers during your clerkships. Is it the type of non-profit/PI work that values clerkships?

Anonymous User wrote:Hi all,

I'm a HYS 2L with PI/nonprofit career plans. I go to school in "X" region, and am from "X" region, but I want to work in "Y" region (on the opposite coast).

I spent last summer and will spend next summer working for nonprofits in "Y" region, which is great. However, I lined up two clerkships that both happen to be in "X" region, and now I'm worried this will limit my mobility.

Any thoughts on how clerkships shape or restrict your mobility when they're both in the same region where you went to school, and where you're from, but NOT where you want to practice? Or is this all fine because clerkships can be anywhere + being at HYS? (I'm not even totally clear how much ties matter, or what kind of ties matter, in the fellowship/nonprofit employment search anyway?)

Any insight would be appreciated!

With a T6 degree and two clerkships, you will have no geographic restrictions. Most likely, your first clerkship job will be a one or two year fellowship, unless you work for the government, and nonprofits that hire fellows don't care about ties as much because they're not hiring you as an associate/staff attorney. If you're looking at an associate/staff attorney position, then ties will matter more depending on the nature of the work and how large the organization is. For instance, if it's a legal aid organization in Atlanta, then ties will matter because they're hiring you with the hope that you stay for more than two years. Ties are their only indication of whether you're a flight risk.

Not basing this on experience, just basic reasoning and some assumptions about why you're asking this: If you actually go to Stanford and have ties to the west coast / SF region and are doing your clerkships on the west coast, but your dream of dreams is to do vague NYC or DC PI: based on the general size of these markets and their typical approach to ties, you're probably fine. Smaller east coast markets might be different, but if any of this were relevant I suspect you would have framed your question differently.

If it's the other way around, as in you go to Harvard and want a west coast PI gig—presumably SF because it's not like anyone from the east coast has ever said "I must work in Los Angeles and do PI work!"—you might have a harder time because you're targeting somewhat smaller legal markets. Your credentials are probably strong enough to overcome a lot of the issues kids without clerkships or an HYS degree would face, but let's be realistic: coming from Harvard with only east coast ties, gunning to work in a tiny SF non-profit, I would at least expect questions in the interview about your ties to the region.

This just in: Harvard Law degree carries weight in all markets. Also, tune in as locals debate the definition of the word "quandry." More at ten.