Oops wasn't anon, had to delete
Anonymous User wrote:Anonymous User wrote:Also, does anyone else have any thoughts about doing a second district court clerkship? They're both for one year. I'm just worried that firms might question that choice.
You won't benefit much from the experience, and it seems like a strange choice. It is certainly uncommon. Maybe it can make sense if you want to end up at a particular firm that practices frequently before the second judge. Why not apply for COA if you really want to clerk another year? Probably opens more doors, and is generally a safer bet than targeting a specific district court judge, who for all you know could already have alumni or current clerk recommendations lined up.
I don't want to out myself with specifics but unless things have changed in the last few weeks, my chances of at least landing an interview with this particular district judge is pretty high--certainly not 100%, but still pretty high. I certainly won't benefit from the general district-court-clerkship experience, but I believe I could benefit from having more exposure to some of the more specific cases there, and the big part is the location. It's basically an opportunity I do not want to pass up if it can only help (and can't hurt, minus another year of clerkship salary). I just don't want firms going WTF at that choice, since the primary reason I'm considering the clerkship is so that I might have an easier time finding a job in that location afterwards.
I do want a COA clerkship, but I haven't even been able to get any interviews yet even though I'm actively applying. I don't want the district court clerkship opportunity to pass by just because I'm waiting to hear back from COA judges about interviews, which may never happen.
What are you doing right now? It sounds like you want to change your geographic area, in which case a second district clerkship in your target zone makes sense. If you end up staying where you are, then that choice looks questionable.
I’m working in the area prior to my clerkship starting. And yes, the primary reason is the change in geographic area. I don’t plan on staying where I am now, though it’s certainly not entirely out of the question since life can be strange sometimes.
Are you looking for a 2013-14 clerkship? If so, it might be too late to get one on the 9th Circuit, since many of the judges are already done. You could try calling the chambers of the judges you're interested in to ask if they are still hiring for next year. If so, then casually mention that you will be in the area and ask if there's any way you could meet the judge/tour the courthouse while you're in town. Maybe something will come of it, maybe not.
I am—and I’m focusing on the ones that aren’t done. I’m looking at other Circuits obviously, but it’s primarily the ones in Alaska—that wasn’t really just a hypothetical, there would be a reason for me to visit Anchorage, and I believe both 9th Cir. judges in AK still have openings available. Christen’s OSCAR openings just got posted a few days ago, so even if she had been accepting applications, there’s still at least a spot available if not more.
Have you tried asking your judge if he or she can put in a good word for you? If your judge has sat by designation on the 9th Circuit as many district judges seem to, maybe he or she knows someone and can make a call.
I haven’t just yet. He does have connections with the COA judges in the same courthouse here, so those are likely the ones I’d ask him to put in a good word for me on—but if he does happen to know the 9th Cir. ones, that would be awesome too.
Right now, I just actually do not know how to do this without sounding kinda… bad. Like I’m using him to move a step up to COA clerkships or something. I mean, I visit his chambers from time to time since I’m already in town, but it just seems a weird thing to ask someone that I haven’t even started working for. Just a personal thing and I could use some help on phrasing.