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Anonymous User wrote:I am having a hard time determining whether I can allow a firm that has invited me to interview to pay for my flight/accommodations. Most on-point opinion I can find is:

The Committee has also advised that a law clerk may not accept, during a
clerkship, travel and other expenses associated with attending a “retreat” with a law firm
that is the law clerk’s future employer. Accepting such payments would be contrary to
Canon 2 (avoiding the appearance of impropriety) and Canon 4C(2) of the Employee
Code (prohibiting the acceptance of a gift from anyone seeking official action from or
doing business with the court or whose interests might be substantially affected by the
performance or nonperformance of an employee’s official duties). See also, Judicial
Conference Gift Regulations § 3 (Guide to Judiciary Policy, Vol. 2C, § 620.35(a)).

Anyone have additional insight? What have previous clerks done?

https://oscar.uscourts.gov/assets/Maintaining_the_Public_Trust__Ethics_for_Federal_Judicial_Law_Clerks_2011.pdf wrote:Third, prospective employers may offer gifts or benefits that raise ethical issues. Generally, you may accept benefits that employers cus- tomarily provide in connection with bona fide employment discussions, such as meals or hospitality during the application process.

Once you accept a position, an employer may offer additional benefits, such as a clerkship bonus, compensation for bar-related expenses, or an invitation to a firm retreat. During your clerkship, you may only accept bar expenses and relocation expenses. You may not accept clerkship bonuses or other financial incentives (such as interest-free loans or salary advances). You should generally decline invitations to major firm events, such as retreats, although you may want to check with your judge regarding invitations to other firm events, as circumstances vary.

4C(4) wrote:During judicial employment, a law clerk or staff attorney may seek and obtain employment to commence after the completion of the judicial employment. However, the law clerk or staff attorney should first consult with the appointing authority and observe any restrictions imposed by the appointing authority. If any law firm, lawyer, or entity with whom a law clerk or staff attorney has been employed or is seeking or has obtained future employment appears in any matter pending before the appointing authority, the law clerk or staff attorney should promptly bring this fact to the attention of the appointing authority

4E wrote:Compensation and Reimbursement

A judicial employee may receive compensation and reimbursement of expenses for outside activities provided that receipt of such compensation and reimbursement is not prohibited or restricted by this code, the Ethics Reform Act, and other applicable law, and provided that the source or amount of such payments does not influence or give the appearance of influencing the judicial employee in the performance of official duties or otherwise give the appearance of impropriety. Expense reimbursement should be limited to the actual cost of travel, food, and lodging reasonably incurred by a judicial employee and, where appropriate to the occasion, by the judicial employee's spouse or relative. Any payment in excess of such an amount is compensation.

A judicial employee should make and file reports of compensation and reimbursement for outside activities to the extent prescribed by the Ethics Reform Act, other applicable law, or the Judicial Conference of the United States.

Notwithstanding the above, a judicial employee should not receive any salary, or any supplementation of salary, as compensation for official government services from any source other than the United States, provided, however, that court reporters are not prohibited from receiving compensation for reporting services to the extent permitted by statute and by the court.

fats provolone wrote:yea that seems pretty vague, hmm

A. Nony Mouse wrote:gainfully employed

bruinfan10 wrote:

fats provolone wrote:yea that seems pretty vague, hmm

I may be wrong, but aren't you a current law student? Like, a new one? This is worse than an 0L posting in the employment forum and/or DF drunk shitpoasting in the SCOTUS clerk thread while it was active. Go back to the lounge duder.

fats provolone wrote:

A. Nony Mouse wrote:gainfully employed

let's not get ahead of ourselves

A. Nony Mouse wrote:

fats provolone wrote:

A. Nony Mouse wrote:gainfully employed

let's not get ahead of ourselves

Hey, it's gainful employment even if it all goes to loans.

fats provolone wrote:

A. Nony Mouse wrote:gainfully employed

let's not get ahead of ourselves