Top Law Schools

I'm starting a year-long district court clerkship beginning in mid/late January, which means I'll be re-entering the job market in sort of a weird time next year. I know that for clerks starting in August/September, hiring season typically runs from Feb/Mar all the way through June-ish. Being off-cycle, I'm worried that places just won't be hiring around the time I will enter the market again. On the other hand, I've also heard that there's a fair amount of movement during January and February because of laterals who hang on to get their year-end bonuses before jumping shift.

Anyone here have any experience with the situation I'm in/what to expect/when to apply? I'm considering applying very early into my clerkship, as if I were an on-cycler, but perhaps that's not the best approach if I won't be able to start in September. If it matters I'm not necessarily limiting my search to firms, but also to Fed Gov't jobs, non-profits, and city gov't.

Any guidance from people who know about this would be much appreciated!

I presume you would have to join the regular cycle app process and just have to tell the firm that you will be starting january (as opposed to september, oct, nov, or dec)--that is assuming you do not mind going from clerkshp str8 to work. If you wait and apply after the law clerks in the feb/march hiring season cycle, you will be limiting yourself to firms that are looking to hire AFTER they hired those clerks, a position I would not want to be in. I rather apply and tell them I will be starting late than wait and apply after the feb/march bunch. Worst come to worse, you can re-apply the next cycle (at the end of your clerkship) to firms that are hiring immediately or for firms that will allow you to start few months earlier before the regular cycle folks come in (this might leave you with few months of gap in your resume, but like I said worse case scenerio).

So If I was you, I would apply in the regular cycle and just put in my cover letter that I would be available to start after my clerkship ends in january.

Just my 2 cents!!