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So, I switched firms halfway through my clerkship, and the firm I am now with pays a bar stipend of 10K. I didn't use any of my previous firm's money to pay for my bar expenses, so I spent a pretty decent amount out of pocket. If I ask my new firm to reimburse my bar expenses, is there any chance they'll agree? Anyone else have success negotiating similar benefits?

This answer really isn't that helpful unfortunately but it really depends on the firm. I'm just wrapping up a clerkship and my co-clerks (about 6 or so of them in the courthouse--decent sample size) had mixed results negotiating fringe benefits. Some were able to negotiate clerkship bonuses/moving expenses/etc. and others were completely stonewalled. It seems that large, national firms tend to be more bureaucratic and thus less flexible. At that sort of firm I am guessing you may not have the best of luck--you'll just get what everyone else coming off a clerkship gets, no deviation whatsoever. At a boutique or even maybe a biglaw firm that is essentially NYC only, you may have more luck (seen examples of both). These sort of firms have a little more flexibility I guess (or maybe aren't worried about setting a "bad" precedent for future hires).

I will say that it doesn't hurt to ask. Don't feel like you will offend or annoy anyone by trying to negotiate these sort of fringe benefits. This is a business and I think the people you will deal with at the firm by and large get that. Just be tactful and know when you throw in the towel if/when you are beat. HTH.

Very helpful. I am doing a flyover DC clerkship in a courthouse with virtually no other clerks, so I definitely don't get those anecdotes.