Should I bother applying for state-level clerkships? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I'm a rising 3L, and the firm I'm at this summer does not foresee needing to hire around the time I graduate. Should I be looking into clerkships? I'd be considering state supreme and appellate courts for Iowa and Minnesota.

Stats:
Top third (barely) at Iowa
Secondary journal and board position
Two summer firm experiences
A semester of criminal defense clinic

[A. Nony Mouse]

I'm a rising 3L, and the firm I'm at this summer does not foresee needing to hire around the time I graduate. Should I be looking into clerkships? I'd be considering state supreme and appellate courts for Iowa and Minnesota.

Stats:
Top third (barely) at Iowa
Secondary journal and board position
Two summer firm experiences
A semester of criminal defense clinic

It's certainly worth a try. Do you have any connections to any of the judges/justices? Personally, my state clerkship was a great experience and helped me get a second clerkship (which helped me get a permanent job). You'd need to get on it, though. According to the Vermont state clerkship guide, the Iowa supreme court hires in early spring of 2L (but the COA judges generally hire in the fall). Minnesota clerkship applications are due August 1.

[Anonymous User]

It's certainly worth a try. Do you have any connections to any of the judges/justices? Personally, my state clerkship was a great experience and helped me get a second clerkship (which helped me get a permanent job). You'd need to get on it, though. According to the Vermont state clerkship guide, the Iowa supreme court hires in early spring of 2L (but the COA judges generally hire in the fall). Minnesota clerkship applications are due August 1.

OP here, thanks for the advice. Some Iowa Supreme Court justices are still accepting applications (due in early August) for clerkships starting in August 2014, so I'm not sure if I missed some of them or what.

I don't have any direct connections to the Iowa ones, but I grew up in Des Moines and have some tangential connections. I have absolutely zero connections to Minnesota judges/justices, but Minneapolis is my target market and I'd prefer to be there immediately than spending a year apart from the SO, but one year would be fine if I could then make the transition from Des Moines to Minneapolis.

Luckily the Minnesota and Iowa ones don't seem to require LOR's, just a list of references, so that means that it won't be TOO difficult to get applications in a week from now. I just didn't want to bust my ass if I'm really not qualified for the positions.

[Anonymous User]

It's certainly worth a try. Do you have any connections to any of the judges/justices? Personally, my state clerkship was a great experience and helped me get a second clerkship (which helped me get a permanent job). You'd need to get on it, though. According to the Vermont state clerkship guide, the Iowa supreme court hires in early spring of 2L (but the COA judges generally hire in the fall). Minnesota clerkship applications are due August 1.

OP here, thanks for the advice. Some Iowa Supreme Court justices are still accepting applications (due in early August) for clerkships starting in August 2014, so I'm not sure if I missed some of them or what.

Source on that? This: --LinkRemoved-- says they're all full.

[Anonymous User]

Source on that? This: --LinkRemoved-- says they're all full.

Just emails from career services lol. They may be full, but the thing you linked says it was updated 1/16/13.

[ggocat]

Can't hurt to apply. You might consider a trial clerkship as well. I'd guess IA intermediate is your target. Supreme probably a stretch. (Just basing this on my non-IA experiences, so take it with a huge grain of salt).

[Anonymous User]

Luckily the Minnesota and Iowa ones don't seem to require LOR's, just a list of references, so that means that it won't be TOO difficult to get applications in a week from now. I just didn't want to bust my ass if I'm really not qualified for the positions.

I believe most of the Iowa Justices do require, or at least prefer, LORs.

[Anonymous User]

Yes, by all means. Just try at least if you have the time and energy and you're not taking away from something else more valuable.

For example, I applied for a slew of clerkships. Got just one interview, but it was my winning interview. I didn't have good grades (~33%), and a regional school.

[20160810]

Yes. Yes yes yes yes yes. What do you have to lose except time?

[floofernut]

any chance for an applicant from CA school (also CA born and raised) to get a trial level clerkship in NJ?

Only ties to that area is I did a internship in NY 1L year....also searched some linkedin profiles and seems like NJ judiciary only hires from regional schools.

any knowledge/advice would be appreciated, thanks