Is Federal Clerkship your legal path? Forum
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AdminMod1
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- Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2023 2:44 pm
Is Federal Clerkship your legal path?
If big law firm isn't your path of choice, then are you considering a federal clerkship instead? If yes, you might want to read the latest ABA data that reveals the top 10 law schools with the highest percentage of federal clerks that produced 1/3rd of all clerks in the US. Stanford topped the chart this year, with 25% of their 2022 graduates landing a Federal Clerkship position. Following that are Yale and Chicago Law School. Outside the T14 also made it to the list, such as NDLS, UAlabama, Vanderbilt, BaylorU, Washington and LeeU, and WashU. What do you think? Share your thoughts below.
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Serjatclaw
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Re: Is Federal Clerkship your legal path?
I don't think people outside the T14 should consider big law or federal clerkships as their main path, if they're being realistic. Even if you intern at a government office and maintain top grades, you're still competing with people who are almost certainly doing the same at more prestigious schools.
From what I've heard, people typically just enroll in schools that are located where they envision practicing in the future, and network with the existing alumni base to find local opportunities. From there I guess a few lateral to government or big law jobs after working for a few years but that's not too common either.
From what I've heard, people typically just enroll in schools that are located where they envision practicing in the future, and network with the existing alumni base to find local opportunities. From there I guess a few lateral to government or big law jobs after working for a few years but that's not too common either.
