Do grades matter less for clerkships after a period of legal employment? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Is it plausible, feasible, possible that someone with bad grades from a good school (T20-lower T14 range, let's say) could make themselves attractive for clerkships after a period of sustained legal employment?

[Anonymous User]

I know UVA has been successful placing below-median alums in district court clerkships in non-DC/NY type markets, especially in districts they practice in.

[A. Nony Mouse]

I think so. I think that because clerkship hiring is so tied to a judge's personal opinion/preferences, it's possible to get the attention/interest of a judge without objectively great grades. Perhaps the best way is through connections, but employment is also really helpful (and can help develop connections, too).

There are judges with hard cutoffs, though, so you'd probably need to apply pretty broadly (although that's true of almost any candidate, really).

[legalmindedfellow]

I think this could be a way in to district clerkships (though perhaps not the most selective?)

Conversely, I don't think sustained legal employment would move the needle for a COA if the credentials aren't there (unless district -> employment -> COA).

[Anonymous User]

I might be a freak case, but I landed COA after a few years of work and medianish grades from HYS.

[swampman]

I might be a freak case, but I landed COA after a few years of work and medianish grades from HYS.

[Big Dog]

I might be a freak case, but I landed COA after a few years of work and medianish grades from HYS.

Actually, you'd be a 'freak case' if you couldn't land a CoA form S or Y from median....(just look at their public stats).

[ndirish2010]

Yeah, it would be tough from Harvard, but it looks like pretty expected from S or Y.

[Anonymous User]

My judge hires exclusively alumni and work experience matters much, MUCH more than grades. He's never told me his standards for grades, but I was median from T1 with 2 years' experience, and I'm almost certain a previous clerk did terribly at a T6. Other clerks are all over the preftige/grade scale, but we all had good, relevant experience.

[Elston Gunn]

I might be a freak case, but I landed COA after a few years of work and medianish grades from HYS.

Actually, you'd be a 'freak case' if you couldn't land a CoA form S or Y from median....(just look at their public stats).

I mean, it's only like 15% or less at COAs straight out, but yes with work experience + median grades + applying broadly it's probably more likely than not from Y/S (not that "median grades" is a thing at Y).

[Anonymous User]

Yeah, it would be tough from Harvard, but it looks like pretty expected from S or Y.

This is the anon from above who thinks they might be a freak case. It was meadianish grades from H.

[cryingashley]

Yeah, it would be tough from Harvard, but it looks like pretty expected from S or Y.

This is the anon from above who thinks they might be a freak case. It was meadianish grades from H.

Hi anon!

Medianish grades from H with work experience, interested in clerking. Any way I could shoot you a personal message to chat? Trying to figure whether to embark on the application journey ...

Thanks!