Long story short, graduated law school jobless in 2009 and became a contract attorney at a firm. Did mainly doc review and admin tasks. In 2011, I got lucky and secured a federal district court clerkship where I am still clerking at. The clerkship ends this fall and I am starting to look for a job again.
Will my 3-year federal clerkship overcome the doc review work I did for 2 years? How do I market myself to law firms in my cover letter? Even though I graduated law school in 2009, I really have the same experience level as an entry level attorney. I don't mind starting as a second or third year attorney, but don't know (1) if I should point that out and (2) what to say in the cover letter.
Will a federal clerkship wash the "sins" of doc review? Forum
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Re: Will a federal clerkship wash the "sins" of doc review?
Bump
Also interested in this. I had a federal magistrate clerkship offer in a competitive district scheduled to start right after law school. Due to sequester (long story) my position was bumped few months. In that time period, I secured a fed clerkship for the following year instead (which precluded me from taking the fed magistrate gig since it I will not be done with my magistrate gig before my federal clerkship gig statred that fall). Thus, I had a one year gap. In that one year gap, I mostly traveled and what not and did about total of 2 1/2 months of doc review here and there to pay bills and travel. Now finishing up clerkship. question is, how would this affect me for apps for big law in East coast (law school grades were good enough for few call backs at V25 firms, just didnt land an offer). I mention the 2/2 month doc review on my resume.
So didnt work at big law 2L year + good enough grades for big law + law reivew + federal district clerkship (flyover district but active) + year gap + 2 1/2 mnth doc review = What?
Any explanation or attempt to minimize any negative aspects would be greatly appreciated.
Also interested in this. I had a federal magistrate clerkship offer in a competitive district scheduled to start right after law school. Due to sequester (long story) my position was bumped few months. In that time period, I secured a fed clerkship for the following year instead (which precluded me from taking the fed magistrate gig since it I will not be done with my magistrate gig before my federal clerkship gig statred that fall). Thus, I had a one year gap. In that one year gap, I mostly traveled and what not and did about total of 2 1/2 months of doc review here and there to pay bills and travel. Now finishing up clerkship. question is, how would this affect me for apps for big law in East coast (law school grades were good enough for few call backs at V25 firms, just didnt land an offer). I mention the 2/2 month doc review on my resume.
So didnt work at big law 2L year + good enough grades for big law + law reivew + federal district clerkship (flyover district but active) + year gap + 2 1/2 mnth doc review = What?
Any explanation or attempt to minimize any negative aspects would be greatly appreciated.
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Re: Will a federal clerkship wash the "sins" of doc review?
I would talk with your OCS to see how you can spin certain activities that you did pre-clerkship. I think it's too hard to give you specific helpful advice unless you give us more details (which could out you).
Try to make the most of what you did, and don't feel ashamed of it, or it will show. For example, one of my friends was unemployed for an extended period of time (say, one year at least), and she got a d. ct. clerkship. She was still able to get a pretty good mid-sized firm job after the clerkship. I don't know what she specifically wrote in her resume, but she was able to was the "sins" away. So I'm guessing you can to with a little work and good (but honest) wording.
Try to make the most of what you did, and don't feel ashamed of it, or it will show. For example, one of my friends was unemployed for an extended period of time (say, one year at least), and she got a d. ct. clerkship. She was still able to get a pretty good mid-sized firm job after the clerkship. I don't know what she specifically wrote in her resume, but she was able to was the "sins" away. So I'm guessing you can to with a little work and good (but honest) wording.
