Reneging on Federal District Judicial Internship? Forum

[CTNY1L]

Is this completely verboten? I just got an offer from a very prestigious SA program at a well known financial institution, and they want to pay me, too. Problem is, I accepted a district ct internship with a magistrate judge last month, when I had no other offers on the table.

Just wondering. I know presumption is against turning down a judge, so chances are reneging is worse, but is there a prestige tradeoff that justifies it ever?

[vanwinkle]

...with a magistrate judge?

[CanadianWolf]

My first impression is that you are going to make a wonderful husband/wife for someone...until somebody better comes along. Beyond my initial impression, I hope that you plan on practicing in another district.

[kW 2 Kg]

Everyone's where they want to be...

[JPeavy44]

My first impression is that you are going to make a wonderful husband/wife for someone...until somebody better comes along. Beyond my initial impression, I hope that you plan on practicing in another district.

lol

[pany1985]

If you don't work for a judge now, you might never do it. I'd just say to take the financial hit and stick with the district court. There's always next summer (not to mention the rest of your life) for making money.

[ToTransferOrNot]

LOL

[kurla88]

Have you tried arranging a split summer?

[Esc]

Have you tried arranging a split summer?

This. Call the judge's assistant or whoever you have been contacting and explain you have the other offer, and see if a split summer is possible. If not, then you turn down the financial institution's offer and work for the judge anyway.

YOU DO NOT TURN DOWN A JUDGE'S OFFER, AND YOU DO NOT EVER, EVER RENEGE ON A JUDGE'S OFFER.

If you do, your name and reputation are dirt. End of story.

[CTNY1L]

...with a magistrate judge?

Why? Does that make a difference?

And I haven't decided anything, just trying to get a feel for what would be best for my career.

[Esc]

...with a magistrate judge?

Why? Does that make a difference?

And I haven't decided anything, just trying to get a feel for what would be best for my career.

I think van was referring to the fact that if you are working for magistrate judge it isn't technically a "Federal District Judicial Internship," since magistrates aren't actually Article III trial judges. It doesn't mean that working for one isn't good experience, though.

[vanwinkle]

...with a magistrate judge?

Why? Does that make a difference?

And I haven't decided anything, just trying to get a feel for what would be best for my career.

I think van was referring to the fact that if you are working for magistrate judge it isn't technically a "Federal District Judicial Internship," since magistrates aren't actually Article III trial judges. It doesn't mean that working for one isn't good experience, though.

This is essentially what I was getting at. A magistrate judge is not the same thing as a trial judge at all. I don't know if that means the rules for them are different when it comes to declining them, but it certainly means they're not regarded the same as trial judges on your resume.

[Cosmo Kramer]

are you reneging out of the deal? are you reneging? that's a renege!

[RVP11]

...with a magistrate judge?

Why? Does that make a difference?

And I haven't decided anything, just trying to get a feel for what would be best for my career.

I think van was referring to the fact that if you are working for magistrate judge it isn't technically a "Federal District Judicial Internship," since magistrates aren't actually Article III trial judges. It doesn't mean that working for one isn't good experience, though.

This is essentially what I was getting at. A magistrate judge is not the same thing as a trial judge at all. I don't know if that means the rules for them are different when it comes to declining them, but it certainly means they're not regarded the same as trial judges on your resume.

Huh? These are 1L judicial internships we're talking about. I doubt the fact that the judge is a magistrate will matter one iota. And the issue here is reneging. The possible negative repercussions of reneging on a federal judge are not dependent on whether the judge is an Article III judge. It's equally wrong to renege on anyone, and any kind of judge can ruin your reputation in that community if they wish to do so.

[vanwinkle]

Huh? These are 1L judicial internships we're talking about. I doubt the fact that the judge is a magistrate will matter one iota. And the issue here is reneging. The possible negative repercussions of reneging on a federal judge are not dependent on whether the judge is an Article III judge. It's equally wrong to renege on anyone, and any kind of judge can ruin your reputation in that community if they wish to do so.

I don't think this is true, especially the "it's equally wrong to renege on anyone" part. There's something special about the deal with judges, you're not even supposed to turn them down if they offer you a job, so I don't see them as being treated equally.

But then the question is whether magistrate judges require the same amount of deference? I agree that backing out is bad, but I don't think it's the "OMG your career is ruined" thing if you do it elsewhere and do it tactfully enough. You can ask to be let out without destroying your entire reputation in a lot of places and I've heard of people managing to do this successfully.

[Esc]

Huh? These are 1L judicial internships we're talking about. I doubt the fact that the judge is a magistrate will matter one iota. And the issue here is reneging. The possible negative repercussions of reneging on a federal judge are not dependent on whether the judge is an Article III judge. It's equally wrong to renege on anyone, and any kind of judge can ruin your reputation in that community if they wish to do so.

I don't think this is true, especially the "it's equally wrong to renege on anyone" part. There's something special about the deal with judges, you're not even supposed to turn them down if they offer you a job, so I don't see them as being treated equally.

But then the question is whether magistrate judges require the same amount of deference? I agree that backing out is bad, but I don't think it's the "OMG your career is ruined" thing if you do it elsewhere and do it tactfully enough. You can ask to be let out without destroying your entire reputation in a lot of places and I've heard of people managing to do this successfully.

Magistrate judges aren't Article III judges, nor are they trial judges, but they are still important and well-respected. Maybe some wouldn't take offense, but the general rule applies. You don't renege on them.

[legends159]

why has this issue popped up so frequently this year. Is class of 2012 really so clueless? Has ITE really made people forget all their morals and values? Or have hiring trends shifted so that paying jobs (or more prestigious jobs) came later in the year, after people scrambled, panicked and "settled" for the first thing that came along?

[CTNY1L]

My first impression is that you are going to make a wonderful husband/wife for someone...until somebody better comes along. Beyond my initial impression, I hope that you plan on practicing in another district.

Accepting an offer and reneging is much more analogous to breaking an engagement before the wedding than dumping a spouse. jussayin'.

If Heidi Klum came along a week after I'd gotten engaged, would it be wrong to evaluate my options?

[Esc]

why has this issue popped up so frequently this year. Is class of 2012 really so clueless? Has ITE really made people forget all their morals and values? Or have hiring trends shifted so that paying jobs (or more prestigious jobs) came later in the year, after people scrambled, panicked and "settled" for the first thing that came along?

I think this is TCR.

[dood]

...

[270910]

why has this issue popped up so frequently this year. Is class of 2012 really so clueless? Has ITE really made people forget all their morals and values? Or have hiring trends shifted so that paying jobs (or more prestigious jobs) came later in the year, after people scrambled, panicked and "settled" for the first thing that came along?

More law students, more obvious forums to ask about it, more discussion of the process.

It wouldn't be like this if the 1L job search weren't such a shit show.

[Danteshek]

I'm working for a Magistrate Judge in the fall (CDCA). While MJs don't do many trials, they do some when they have the consent of the parties. Magistrate judges also work for the District Court and report directly to District Court Judges, even though they aren't technically District Court Judges. That said, MJs do mostly discovery and settlements, which means that they tend to be extremely well connected to the legal community. Some MJs are significantly more respected than your average District Court Judge. In our district, the workload for MJs is heavy on Social Security and Section 1983, with a little bit of everything else.

It is extremely bad form to turn down an offer from any federal judge, and you shouldn't do it. I would not even ask for a split summer.

[RVP11]

This thread is why you ask the judge during the interview about possibly splitting or ditching if a paying offer comes up.

[ToTransferOrNot]

This thread is why you ask the judge during the interview about possibly splitting or ditching if a paying offer comes up.

LOL

[RVP11]

This thread is why you ask the judge during the interview about possibly splitting or ditching if a paying offer comes up.

LOL

I should have clarified that this is something you bring up after you've received the offer during the interview.