VA State Ct Clerkship Forum

[Anonymous User]

I'm changing markets very unexpectedly (personal, positive reasons) to Virginia so I need to find a new job relatively quickly. Does anyone know if clerkships in state court (any level) would still be available to start in the fall? Is it worth sending anything out or would everything be full? I keep thinking it'd be a good way to make connections in the State while I wait to sit for Feb bar but I have absolutely no familiarity with how quickly state courts fill up / how far in advance.

I assume they're probably all taken at this point but curious if anyone knows differently! Any advice appreciated.

[Anonymous User]

I know for a fact that the Court of Appeals of Virginia judges have hired. You may have some luck with the lower courts.

[Anonymous User]

FWIW, due to retirements, there will be two or three new judges appointed to the Virginia Court of Appeals and one new justice appointed to the Virginia Supreme Court this fall or winter. The new judges/justice will most likely take office sometime in late winter or early spring and i expect will need to hire clerks quickly.

I suggest you monitor the situation and apply to those selected immediately after they are chosen.

[ggocat]

FWIW, due to retirements, there will be two or three new judges appointed to the Virginia Court of Appeals and one new justice appointed to the Virginia Supreme Court this fall or winter. The new judges/justice will most likely take office sometime in late winter or early spring and i expect will need to hire clerks quickly.

I suggest you monitor the situation and apply to those selected immediately after they are chosen.

Do you think the court staff will be leaving as well? Or do you think those judges didn't hire clerks for this year? At my state court, when a judge retires or loses election, the clerks stay on working for the new judge.

[A. Nony Mouse]

Court staff didn't necessarily stay on to work for the new judge in my state (in part because there were often gaps between retirement and the new judge starting. (Judges weren't elected and basically never lost their retention elections.) Though some new judges would hire the previous one's staff, it wasn't universal.

But barring new judges or someone quitting unexpectedly, I agree state judges will be full.

[Anonymous User]

FWIW, due to retirements, there will be two or three new judges appointed to the Virginia Court of Appeals and one new justice appointed to the Virginia Supreme Court this fall or winter. The new judges/justice will most likely take office sometime in late winter or early spring and i expect will need to hire clerks quickly.

I suggest you monitor the situation and apply to those selected immediately after they are chosen.

Do you think the court staff will be leaving as well? Or do you think those judges didn't hire clerks for this year? At my state court, when a judge retires or loses election, the clerks stay on working for the new judge.

The new judges/justice won't necessarily have be from the same parts of the state and the selections will determine where the chambers are (most don't reside or have their chambers in Richmond, they just travel there for court). Some of the current staff may try to get a position with the one of the new judges but the geography may not work out and there is no guarantee that a new judge would want to take on the staff of the person they replace. There is something to be said for continuity and institutional memory but there is also inevitable friction when staff used to doing things one way have to adjust to a new boss with a completely different idea of how they want their chambers run.