Alumni clerking Forum
Forum rules
Anonymous Posting
Anonymous posting is only appropriate when you are sharing sensitive information about clerkship applications and clerkship hiring. You may anonymously respond on topic to these threads. Unacceptable uses include: harassing another user, joking around, testing the feature, or other things that are more appropriate in the lounge.
Failure to follow these rules will get you outed, warned, or banned."
Anonymous Posting
Anonymous posting is only appropriate when you are sharing sensitive information about clerkship applications and clerkship hiring. You may anonymously respond on topic to these threads. Unacceptable uses include: harassing another user, joking around, testing the feature, or other things that are more appropriate in the lounge.
Failure to follow these rules will get you outed, warned, or banned."
-
- Posts: 567
- Joined: Tue Oct 25, 2011 8:35 am
Alumni clerking
Just thinking a few years down the road.
How many years in private practice is "too many," when you can't (or shouldn't bother) applying for clerkships? Does that number change if you're applying to district vs. circuit courts?
How much do grades come into receiving an alumni clerkship? Must you have had the grades in law school, and you just chose not to clerk? If there's leeway, how much?
How many years in private practice is "too many," when you can't (or shouldn't bother) applying for clerkships? Does that number change if you're applying to district vs. circuit courts?
How much do grades come into receiving an alumni clerkship? Must you have had the grades in law school, and you just chose not to clerk? If there's leeway, how much?
-
- Posts: 151
- Joined: Thu Sep 29, 2011 9:29 am
Re: Alumni clerking
It varies widely from judge to judge. Some don't care (i.e., they'll be happy to take a ten year plus lawyer), some prefer five years or less, some really only want someone who has been out a couple of years. My general sense is that district court judges tend to be more receptive to alumni, especially the ones who have been out a while. I think a lot of that is that they aren't as able to attract super elite candidates (top grades from a top school), and if they can't get the tip top best, they'd prefer to have people with experience.
My judge (alum only) generally required good-but-not-great grades from a T14 (top third or so), very good grades from the big public institutions in the region (top 10% or so), and top-of-the-class grades from the T2 nearby schools (maybe top five students or so).
My judge (alum only) generally required good-but-not-great grades from a T14 (top third or so), very good grades from the big public institutions in the region (top 10% or so), and top-of-the-class grades from the T2 nearby schools (maybe top five students or so).
-
- Posts: 428529
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Re: Alumni clerking
Does "alumni clerking" mean getting a clerkship with a judge you externed with?
- BVest
- Posts: 7887
- Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2012 1:51 pm
Re: Alumni clerking
In this context, it means applying to clerk after you've already been out practicing rather than as a 2L or 3L.
(I certainly understand the confusion though. It could very well mean what it does mean here, or what you read it to mean, or possible even judges who only take their alma mater, though I'd think that last reading of it would be a little bit of a stretch).
(I certainly understand the confusion though. It could very well mean what it does mean here, or what you read it to mean, or possible even judges who only take their alma mater, though I'd think that last reading of it would be a little bit of a stretch).
Last edited by BVest on Sat Jan 27, 2018 5:54 am, edited 1 time in total.
- A. Nony Mouse
- Posts: 29293
- Joined: Tue Sep 25, 2012 11:51 am
Re: Alumni clerking
And for the record, there are some judges who won't hire their former interns. Others like to hire their former interns, and some don't have a policy either way, but it's worth keeping in mind.
Want to continue reading?
Register now to search topics and post comments!
Absolutely FREE!
Already a member? Login
- BVest
- Posts: 7887
- Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2012 1:51 pm
Re: Alumni clerking
I'm not sure if they all do, but I've encountered a number of judges who don't hire former interns who give fair warning of that on their internship job posting.
Last edited by BVest on Sat Jan 27, 2018 5:54 am, edited 1 time in total.
- A. Nony Mouse
- Posts: 29293
- Joined: Tue Sep 25, 2012 11:51 am
Re: Alumni clerking
Good to know. I haven't actually seen that, ever (although the judges may make it clear in the interview or something).BVest wrote:I'm not sure if they all do, but I've encountered a number of judges who don't hire former interns who give fair warning of that on their internship job posting.
-
- Posts: 567
- Joined: Tue Oct 25, 2011 8:35 am
Re: Alumni clerking
Yes, I meant it as a thread regarding clerking after a few years working as a lawyer, rather than right after law school. I'm happy with the firm I'm going to, but if I was going to make a switch after a few years, it seems that clerking would be a good way to transition. I was curious whether anyone had info or thoughts as to when "a few years" becomes "too many years."BVest wrote:In this context, it means applying to clerk after you've already been out practicing rather than as a 2L or 3L.
(I certainly understand the confusion though. It could very well mean what it does mean here, or what you read it to mean, or possible even judges who only take their alma mater, though I'd think that last reading of it would be a little bit of a stretch).
-
- Posts: 428529
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Re: Alumni clerking
It probably varies by judge. I've spoken to a few knowledgeable folks and I've heard that to the extent a judge hires alumni if you're 4 or 5 years out you are probably fine. There's a thread in legal employment that mentions a guy (and links to his bio - which seems creepy to me) who clerked COA as an 8th year or something so that's a data point for you.gregfootball2001 wrote:Yes, I meant it as a thread regarding clerking after a few years working as a lawyer, rather than right after law school. I'm happy with the firm I'm going to, but if I was going to make a switch after a few years, it seems that clerking would be a good way to transition. I was curious whether anyone had info or thoughts as to when "a few years" becomes "too many years."BVest wrote:In this context, it means applying to clerk after you've already been out practicing rather than as a 2L or 3L.
(I certainly understand the confusion though. It could very well mean what it does mean here, or what you read it to mean, or possible even judges who only take their alma mater, though I'd think that last reading of it would be a little bit of a stretch).
I am currently a biglaw associate who spoke to folks at my firm who alumni clerked and they agreed that within 5 years you are good but questioned whether or not it would be worth leaving. It seems that the value of a clerkship, as far as developing substantive litigation skills, decreases over time and the sort of stuff you should be getting better at as let's say a 5th or 6th year at a firm is more like managing junior associates as opposed to drafting bench memos. Just food for thought.