Post-Clerkship Job Hunting (fall 2016 hiring cycle)

[lolwat]

Part of it probably is that they just have no real timeline for hiring post-clerkship peeps so they don't feel like they need to extend an offer by X time like usual summer associate stuff goes.

As far as informational interview type meetings go, if those are small firms I think they typically want people kind of in their pipeline to call up to see if they still need a job. The workflow varies depending on the stage of litigation of the cases and whether the partners are approached by a client with a case they "can't" turn down (whether it involves tons of money, or it's an important client, or what not). When workload explodes and it looks like there's a sustainable mid/long-term increase in the work, I think they want to be able to call people and be like HEY ARE YOU STILL LOOKING FOR A JOB rather than just start up interviews then for an immediate need.

I've also gotten e-mails and calls from people like, 1-2 years later saying their firm is looking to expand and asking if I'm interested. Kinda odd, but it happens.

[Anonymous User]

Part of it probably is that they just have no real timeline for hiring post-clerkship peeps so they don't feel like they need to extend an offer by X time like usual summer associate stuff goes.

As far as informational interview type meetings go, if those are small firms I think they typically want people kind of in their pipeline to call up to see if they still need a job. The workflow varies depending on the stage of litigation of the cases and whether the partners are approached by a client with a case they "can't" turn down (whether it involves tons of money, or it's an important client, or what not). When workload explodes and it looks like there's a sustainable mid/long-term increase in the work, I think they want to be able to call people and be like HEY ARE YOU STILL LOOKING FOR A JOB rather than just start up interviews then for an immediate need.

I've also gotten e-mails and calls from people like, 1-2 years later saying their firm is looking to expand and asking if I'm interested. Kinda odd, but it happens.

I just got an email from a place I applied about 5 months ago saying they've got another position and inviting me to reapply. Honestly I don't think I'm alone (by any stretch) in receiving the invitation, but I'll still apply. And if I did get it, it would go a long way toward setting me up for a couple years down the road at a firm where I really want to work and had an informational interview.

[Anonymous User]

Got an offer this morning from a regional firm I interviewed with last week (51-99 attorney firm). It's a decent offer; not biglaw $$, but respectable regional pay and a fairly short and sure ramp to partner. I've only had a handful of interviews (coming off SSC at end of summer) despite strong credentials (top 10% at T20; lots of prior work experience and years of ties to target market), and this is my first offer.


Honestly I expected this offer after my interview. I was their only interview and the entire interview was basically spent explaining to me their salary/bonus structure, organizational structure, benefits, etc. I've had good interviews but I've never had one where I left the office wondering if they'd actually made an offer and I just missed it.

[Anonymous User]

Have now had 2 callbacks that I thought went well. Both firms asked for my references...and then proceeded not to call them. Going on 3 weeks with the radio silence....man this shit is so frustrating. I seriously have no confidence in anything I do anymore. Like I can't be screwing up that bad in interviews if they're asking for references right? Or are they just asking for them to be nice? I know how stupid that shit sounds, but fuck, for it to happen twice.

Finally got an offer, not from either one of those places. But finally got one!! Huge weight lifted.

[Anonymous User]

Anybody else out there still looking? Are your judges letting you stay on while you continue to look or are you getting the boot? Are they even able to let you stay?

I'm shocked that an offer hasn't come through for me by now with an Article III clerkship.

[Anonymous User]

Anybody else out there still looking? Are your judges letting you stay on while you continue to look or are you getting the boot? Are they even able to let you stay?

I'm shocked that an offer hasn't come through for me by now with an Article III clerkship.

Are you at a flyover state?

[Anonymous User]

Anybody else out there still looking? Are your judges letting you stay on while you continue to look or are you getting the boot? Are they even able to let you stay?

I'm shocked that an offer hasn't come through for me by now with an Article III clerkship.

I'm at SSC in a state where that's meaningful and only have one non-biglaw offer which is decent but well below market and with no clerkship bonus (though a couple really good interviews this past week after 6 months of mass and targeted mailing as well as lots of networking). I attribute that to the very tight market which I've been targeting. Other clerks on the same court who did not come in with a 2L offer in hand have competing biglaw offers in other cities. Meanwhile, among clerks targeting the same super-tight market as me, I'm the only one with any offers

[Anonymous User]

Does anybody know what the market looks like for clerks in the Court of International Trade in NYC? It's a very specialized court, though it is also Art. III

[Anonymous User]

Any thoughts on exit options for Federal Circuit clerks? Pretty easy to get a patent lit job in the DC area?

[Anonymous User]

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[Anonymous User]

I'll be clerking for 2 years and this is starting to scare me. Were your stats competitive for these firms pre-clerkship? The network of former clerks hasn't been able to help you out?

[Anonymous User]

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[lolwat]

Any thoughts on exit options for Federal Circuit clerks? Pretty easy to get a patent lit job in the DC area?

No evidence, but I would imagine you basically have a shot at any firm hiring for patent lit anywhere. Just depends if they need another person.

[Anonymous User]

Accepted a job offer this morning via email. The offer was made a month ago and I was given through Aug 15 to decide. It has been 6 hours and I've not heard anything back (I did double check to make sure I hit send). I know there's no reason to be concerned, but the wait still seems interminable. And I'm not withdrawing from my other opportunities (interviews still under consideration; not offers) until I hear back.

Heard back. Whew. Not that I had any rational reason to worry, but that doesn't prevent irrational worry from sneaking in.

[Anonymous User]

I've posted before about my going to debtor's prison. My fortunes turned around.

Firms: 2/3
USAO: 1/3

It took forever and I was late comer to the firms while waiting for USAO. I'm like super outable, so I won't post stats, but will PM anyone by request w/ them.

[newlawgrad]

I've posted before about my going to debtor's prison. My fortunes turned around.

Firms: 2/3
USAO: 1/3

It took forever and I was late comer to the firms while waiting for USAO. I'm like super outable, so I won't post stats, but will PM anyone by request w/ them.

Just starting a two year clerkship run with USAO goal and would love a PM (we may already have before, though).

[Anonymous User]

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[Anonymous User]

I did a 2L SA at a small firm that won't know if their hiring needs include me until November-ish of my 2/9/DC clerkship year (in 2017-18), and I would love to wait to hear from them ... but if that falls through, I'd be on the market. I'm fairly clueless about the during-clerkship hiring process -- could anyone enlighten me about my chances if I end up needing to find a job midway through my term? Non-T14 with good grades, law review, etc.

Thanks!

[Anonymous User]

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[Anonymous User]

I did a 2L SA at a small firm that won't know if their hiring needs include me until November-ish of my 2/9/DC clerkship year (in 2017-18), and I would love to wait to hear from them ... but if that falls through, I'd be on the market. I'm fairly clueless about the during-clerkship hiring process -- could anyone enlighten me about my chances if I end up needing to find a job midway through my term? Non-T14 with good grades, law review, etc.

Thanks!

I was in the same position as you. This was in 2012, but I found that firms were most motivated to hire clerks in the spring and summer. So, assuming that your clerkship is a September to September type job, if you learn in November of 2017 that you're not getting a job, I think you'll have plenty of time to find something new before September 2018.

Thank you! It's a bit unsettling to *not* be pounding the pavement right now looking for a job when I'm technically unemployed, but those I've talked to say the clerkship hiring market from my Circuit is good enough to feel fairly comfortable. Thanks again for your insight.

[Anonymous User]

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[Anonymous User]

This is a complete newbie question, but have you all been mass mailing or waiting on openings to be posted on websites/passed on through the grape vine. I only ask, because my clerkship concludes in January and I'm not really sure what strategy to go with. I clerked after practicing big law in a city where I am currently clerking. At first, I really did not want to, but all of the partners kept telling me I would be crazy not to jump at this opportunity and that I would just come back in January. Well, it turns out my old firm has not had much work at all and they said they could fight to bring me back, but that it might be worth it to interview around a bit. I have tried doing this, but there are pretty much zero openings in my city or I have been told it's way too early to apply. I would look elsewhere, but my husband is an attorney here in town and moving really isn't an option.

All in all, I'm thinking this was a huge mistake and everything I feared would happen if I took this gig, has pretty much happened. I know, cool story. But, seriously, how does this hiring thing work? Just random bombing of the inboxes? Networking? Internet postings? Any and all help is appreciated, as I never really did anything beyond OCI and am a special snowflake K-JD, who never really applied for jobs (including this clerkship) outside of OCI.

[Anonymous User]

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[Hopefullyfuturelaw]

Hi me 2 weeks ago! I was pretty sure I'd go back to the firm I was at, and then they dropped a similar bomb on me. And then their attempts to fight to bring me back failed. So I applied everywhere on earth. I focused on open positions first, and continually monitored the firms I was interested in for openings, but I also mass mailed every firm I'd remotely consider going to. I even interviewed with a solo I met waiting in line at Starbucks. I don't think I got one interview from a firm that didn't have a posted opening, though, so I'd spend most of your energy looking for openings.

My attack worked: I got 3 offers in the last week. Hooray for being able to pay my mortgage!

Do you mind sharing what market or did you apply all over?

[Anonymous User]

This is a complete newbie question, but have you all been mass mailing or waiting on openings to be posted on websites/passed on through the grape vine. I only ask, because my clerkship concludes in January and I'm not really sure what strategy to go with. I clerked after practicing big law in a city where I am currently clerking. At first, I really did not want to, but all of the partners kept telling me I would be crazy not to jump at this opportunity and that I would just come back in January. Well, it turns out my old firm has not had much work at all and they said they could fight to bring me back, but that it might be worth it to interview around a bit. I have tried doing this, but there are pretty much zero openings in my city or I have been told it's way too early to apply. I would look elsewhere, but my husband is an attorney here in town and moving really isn't an option.

All in all, I'm thinking this was a huge mistake and everything I feared would happen if I took this gig, has pretty much happened. I know, cool story. But, seriously, how does this hiring thing work? Just random bombing of the inboxes? Networking? Internet postings? Any and all help is appreciated, as I never really did anything beyond OCI and am a special snowflake K-JD, who never really applied for jobs (including this clerkship) outside of OCI.

Hi me 2 weeks ago! I was pretty sure I'd go back to the firm I was at, and then they dropped a similar bomb on me. And then their attempts to fight to bring me back failed. So I applied everywhere on earth. I focused on open positions first, and continually monitored the firms I was interested in for openings, but I also mass mailed every firm I'd remotely consider going to. I even interviewed with a solo I met waiting in line at Starbucks. I don't think I got one interview from a firm that didn't have a posted opening, though, so I'd spend most of your energy looking for openings.

My attack worked: I got 3 offers in the last week. Hooray for being able to pay my mortgage!

Original whiny OP to whom you responded here. Congrats! I'm sorry you had the similar experience that I am currently having. That probably was not fun. It is really encouraging though to see that your approach can and does work. I'm sure you feel immensely relieved.

Everyone keeps telling me it's too early, but I suppose it doesn't hurt to send out some mailers. Unlike you, the area to which I am applying literally has only openings for insurance mills and solo shops. If possible, I would like to avoid those--even if it means leaching off of my husband for a month or two (he's on board with that, seeing as I went knee-jerk and said I was going to live in a close by major city until more jobs opened up here). I've also heard that things open up once bonuses clear, but it leaves me wondering how when there is no place for these other mid-levels to go to. Oh well. Anyways, thank you for answering my question; you the real MVP. Will definitely start drafting cover letters in preparation to email everyone everywhere (within my small geographic area).