what should I do? Forum

[Anonymous User]

May be a stupid question, but here goes: I just got a fed clerkship a few days ago. I am beyond thrilled to have it and feel incredibly lucky. A firm is coming to my school wishing to interview 3Ls. I know they are hiring3Ls and I think more than just a couple. I applied on symplicity for this before I got the clerkship just trying to cover all my bases. They want to interview me, and I am wondering whether or not I can still interview with them, but tell them up front that I could not start until after the clerkship ends. I think the clerkship makes me a more attractive candidate and I hate wasting interviews like this...they are rare. I also know how much of a crapshoot post clerking employment is.
Any thoughts are appreciated.

[Citizen Genet]

May be a stupid question, but here goes: I just got a fed clerkship a few days ago. I am beyond thrilled to have it and feel incredibly lucky. A firm is coming to my school wishing to interview 3Ls. I know they are hiring3Ls and I think more than just a couple. I applied on symplicity for this before I got the clerkship just trying to cover all my bases. They want to interview me, and I am wondering whether or not I can still interview with them, but tell them up front that I could not start until after the clerkship ends. I think the clerkship makes me a more attractive candidate and I hate wasting interviews like this...they are rare. I also know how much of a crapshoot post clerking employment is.
Any thoughts are appreciated.

Definitely do it. Wait until the interview to bring it up. Don't hide the ball about it. Once they ask if you have any questions, lay it out. (Or if it comes up naturally before then.)

Note I have zero experience on this, it just seems like the right course to take.

[Anonymous User]

I would talk to your career services office. Firms doing 3L hiring are looking for people to start right after law school. You don't want to piss off a firm because you wasted their time since you cannot start until 1 year after graduation.

[timmyd]

This is OP.
Career services told me to hold onto the interview and bring up the clerkship in the interview or before if I wanted. I emailed the firm up front and told them the situation. I am still waiting to hear back from them, but I obviously hope they decide to keep the interview.

[Anonymous User]

I'm finishing up my state court trial level judicial clerkship at the beginning of September and I do not have post clerkship employment lined up. The clerkship goes fast, and one thing I wish I would have done is not passed up potential opportunities when I had them.

Clerking is a great experience and looks good on your resume, but once you are done you are still an entry level attorney. I'm not sure how it is at the federal level, but my experience is that once a judicial clerk is offered an good attorney position they generally bail. The judges are surprisingly understanding about it.

If I were you I would see if they are willing to wait until you finish you clerkship. If not, and they offer you the job, I would take it over the clerkship.