Federal Bankruptcy Clerkships 2015-2016 Forum

[BVest]

Any chance at all I can still find something for the 15/16 terms?

I was no-offered extremely late in August so I am recently interested in bankruptcy courts.

Stats for reference:

Top 15% at regional (south) T50
Law Review
2L big law regional SA (no-offer)
Took Sec. Tran. - Taking Bankruptcy now - Considering a directed research on bankruptcy topic

Get on OSCAR and get after it (and line up your LORs ASAP). There are about 20 of Bk judges on there looking for 15-16 (you have to search by starting month -- that figure is for clerkships starting August, September or October 2014.) A number of them were just posted within the last week or two.

[Anonymous User]

Does anybody have an idea when most Judges that are not posting on OSCAR are hiring/interviewing? I interviewed with Judges in the W.D.Tex. and didn't receive an offer so I decided to mail out hard copies to other judges (95 of them) last week. Am I too late in the process? Or are there a decent number of judges that haven't even started looking yet?

What are your stats?

[Anonymous User]

Does anybody have an idea when most Judges that are not posting on OSCAR are hiring/interviewing? I interviewed with Judges in the W.D.Tex. and didn't receive an offer so I decided to mail out hard copies to other judges (95 of them) last week. Am I too late in the process? Or are there a decent number of judges that haven't even started looking yet?

What are your stats?

Median at top 40 law school...but my resume screams bankruptcy (numerous classes, wrote a note, multiple internships with bk judges, summered at a firm where I worked exclusively on bankruptcy). I also have 3 excellent letters of recommendation.

[Anonymous User]

Checking in.

Median at T20. A in bankruptcy and A+ in ST though. Helping a professor write a bankruptcy casebook too, and I have WE in consumer, debtor/creditor stuff. I'm also graduating early.

I am just getting ready to submit apps next week. I am willing to move anywhere for one of these positions though.

I'm applying to all the positions on OSCAR ASAP.

Some questions: Am I way too late to this party? Do I have any chance with my poor grades? Is it really that late in the cycle? Two guys I know who graduated last year just got their positions recently, so I was surprised to see everyone say the process is so far-along already. I though bankruptcy clerkships were more of a rolling-hire thing.

[lax11570]

Checking in.

Median at T20. A in bankruptcy and A+ in ST though. Helping a professor write a bankruptcy casebook too, and I have WE in consumer, debtor/creditor stuff. I'm also graduating early.

I am just getting ready to submit apps next week. I am willing to move anywhere for one of these positions though.

I'm applying to all the positions on OSCAR ASAP.

Some questions: Am I way too late to this party? Do I have any chance with my poor grades? Is it really that late in the cycle? Two guys I know who graduated last year just got their positions recently, so I was surprised to see everyone say the process is so far-along already. I though bankruptcy clerkships were more of a rolling-hire thing.

I am not sure if you're way too late or not (the judges abandoned the old hiring plan that I applied under), but I would warn you against going for a judge anywhere. While I am pretty sure you're competitive for small market judges based on what you posted (you have done well in the course work and can demonstrate an interest in bankruptcy), I am not sure that getting a clerkship in the middle of nowhere is going to help your career. Most small markets are dominated by consumer practice and don't see too many chapter 11 cases at all, let alone large cases with complex problems. As such, most big/midsize firms will not be interested in you when you finish the clerkship because you don't have the training needed. This even happens in the EDNY, which is a short subway ride away from most major firms, many of which appear in the EDNY. A bunch of my friends had a lot of trouble finding jobs out the EDNY (which should make you realize that it will be even harder coming out of a smaller market).

Now, I am not saying that big law is the end all be all. In fact, it sucks and eventually isn't worth the money (at least in my experience). But, it should be your goal if you want a clerkship. Practicing consumer bankruptcy law is fairly straightforward (and can also be very rewarding) and doesn't require that you get a clerkship. If you want to represent individuals, you should have no trouble finding a job given your background and I would say that you shouldn't worry about clerking.

[Anonymous User]

Thanks for the quick reply- yeah I figured in smaller jurisdictions there isn't much Ch11 work going on. I do want to practice Chapter 11, but it doesn't have to be biglaw per se.

Ultimately, what I would really love to do is get in with a boutique Ch11 firm in a midsize market, like Minneapolis. I'd like to go to Chicago or NY too but I just don't think I'm competitive for that.

My game plan is to get one of these clerkships (wherever) and then try to leverage it into another clerkship in a bigger market, like Minneapolis or even Chicago.

I guess what I'm trying to say is I don't need to be doing bankruptcy work with Kirkland and Ellis, but I would like to do Chapter 11s with smaller companies (I think it would be pretty rewarding to guide a small business through a successful reorganization.)

But you're right, it would suck to get stuck overseeing simply Ch 7s all the time

[lax11570]

My game plan is to get one of these clerkships (wherever) and then try to leverage it into another clerkship in a bigger market, like Minneapolis or even Chicago.

That's not the worst idea in the world (I know a few people who have done it), just remember that you will need to start applying for the next clerkship almost immediately after you start the first one.

Ultimately, what I would really love to do is get in with a boutique Ch11 firm in a midsize market, like Minneapolis. I'd like to go to Chicago or NY too but I just don't think I'm competitive for that.

....

I guess what I'm trying to say is I don't need to be doing bankruptcy work with Kirkland and Ellis, but I would like to do Chapter 11s with smaller companies (I think it would be pretty rewarding to guide a small business through a successful reorganization.)

That's a smart attitude to have. Despite what many people post, biglaw is not the end all be all of the practice of law. Moreover, I would never suggest that someone who wants to practice bankruptcy law go to K&E (or Weil for that matter). Sure they get the biggest debtor representations, but their associates are just cogs in machine that end up spending all their time on one small aspect of the case. You will develop better skills and become a better attorney if you practice at a less prestigious shop because you will get the opportunity to work on many different aspects of the case. At a boutique, they simply cannot afford to not have you work on every aspect of a matter. Keep in mind that most law firms (boutiques or big firms) are also working on the mega-cases representing creditors (Lehman is the gift that keeps on giving associates billable hours all these years later). Unfortunately, bankruptcy boutiques are a dying breed (at least in NY) because most of them were swallowed up by large firms.

This leads me to my next point. Don't assume that you are out of contention in a big market like NY or Chicago. Bankruptcy is as blue collar as it gets in the practice of law. Most partners did not go to an ivy league law school. Take John Rapisardi who is head O'Melveny's bankruptcy (and formerly of Cadwalader). He went to Pace Law School, yet he also represented the Treasury Department in the Chrysler and GM bankruptcies. Don't sell yourself short, especially if you can demonstrate an interest in bankruptcy.

Finally, have you considered applying to St. John's LL.M. in Bankruptcy program. It is well respected by bankruptcy professionals throughout the country and routinely places graduates into big law, boutiques and S.D.N.Y./D. Del. bankruptcy clerkships.

[minnbills]

Any movement?

[Anonymous User]

Any movement?

I interviewed with 2 judges in DE/SDNY at the beginning of September. When speaking with the judges they made it seem that the other judges either had already hired or were in the process of interviewing.

[minnbills]

In DE/SDNY?

[Anonymous User]

In DE/SDNY?

Yes.

[minnbills]

In DE/SDNY?

Yes.

Thanks

[Anonymous User]

Judge Isicoff (FL) has hired for 2015-2017.

Judge Martin (WI), Constantine (MN), Kelley (WI), and Norton (MO), have started interviewing.