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Hi, I'm a 3L with credentials that should make me eligible for a large number of Fed. COA clerkships. I didn't apply very broadly for 2013 and ended up with nothing. I'm now considering whether to apply for 14, or if I should wait and just try to clerk in 15 instead. I'll be working in litigation, probably doing mostly patent litigation, next year, and I'm wondering whether it's better for my career to clerk in 14 or in 15, and whether I should look to COA or district. I think I'd probably prefer the experience of district more, but is it worth doing COA for some other reason, e.g. to release me from being patent-pigeon holed?

I'm not sure whether I'll like biglaw, and I'd like to create escape hatches. I can probably pay off my debt if I stay 2 years, which would be nice. I assume I'd be a better lateral candidate if I stay two years, then clerk? What are people's thoughts on this decision?

Anonymous User wrote:Hi, I'm a 3L with credentials that should make me eligible for a large number of Fed. COA clerkships. I didn't apply very broadly for 2013 and ended up with nothing. I'm now considering whether to apply for 14, or if I should wait and just try to clerk in 15 instead. I'll be working in litigation, probably doing mostly patent litigation, next year, and I'm wondering whether it's better for my career to clerk in 14 or in 15, and whether I should look to COA or district. I think I'd probably prefer the experience of district more, but is it worth doing COA for some other reason, e.g. to release me from being patent-pigeon holed?

I'm not sure whether I'll like biglaw, and I'd like to create escape hatches. I can probably pay off my debt if I stay 2 years, which would be nice. I assume I'd be a better lateral candidate if I stay two years, then clerk? What are people's thoughts on this decision?

I would wait. You never know what's going to happen, whether you need the money, or whether some other life event will happen such that you can't take the clerkship. There's not a huge difference between applying now or later because you're going to be lumped in with all post-2L clerkship applicants. However, the one advantage you'll have if you apply later, as an associate, is that if a clerkship opportunity pops up where a judge wants you to start very, very quickly (in a month or so) you can't take advantage of it as a student. The long term difference between clerking your second year out or third year out is negligible.

As for which type of clerkship, I'm not sure I follow. You're saying that a COA clerkship will help re-brand you as a generalist more than a DCT clerkship would?