Firm offers/bar fees – 2 yr clerkship Forum

[Anonymous User]

I've got a 2 yr clerkship after graduation and am about to start my 2L summer SA position. Two questions:

Does anyone know how offers work in this sort of situation? Some people have told me you can still get an offer. Others have said that, due to conflicts of interests between the firm and the courts, the best you can hope for is a polite "make sure to apply to us after you finish your clerkship."

For those of you who did get offers before clerkships, did the firm still pay for your bar expenses? Thanks!

[bk1]

It depends on your firm and your judge. Some firms categorically do not give offers to SAs who are clerking (e.g. Jenner) but it is a wink wink sort of situation where there is a strong likelihood you can come back. Some (many?) firms give offers to their SAs and those SAs can accept the offers or hold them open (some firms might not be okay with the latter). It's also important to note that judges have rules as well. Some are okay with you accepting an offer, some are not. Some are okay with you holding an offer open, some are not. Some are okay with you accepting bar fees, some are not.

Even if you don't have an offer in hand, you would still be screened from cases your SA firm has in front of your judge.

[Anonymous User]

I've got a 2 yr clerkship after graduation and am about to start my 2L summer SA position. Two questions:

Does anyone know how offers work in this sort of situation? Some people have told me you can still get an offer. Others have said that, due to conflicts of interests between the firm and the courts, the best you can hope for is a polite "make sure to apply to us after you finish your clerkship."

For those of you who did get offers before clerkships, did the firm still pay for your bar expenses? Thanks!

So, I got a offer from the firm I summered at and subsequently accepted a two-year clerkship position. The firm deferred me for two years, and still gave my me stipend and bar fees. When I got a CoA clerkship after, they extended me another year. I would think your firm would do the same for you; if asked about your clerkship just say it was a great opportunity that you couldn't pass up, but that you remain committed to working at the firm once the clerkship is over.