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As an international student with top grades (after only one semester of course) I am increasingly giving thought to clerkships, when I had kind of ruled them out before coming due to the international aspect. What state courts do you think it is worth passing up top firm options to go to, I am leaning slightly more towards transactional at this point than litigation, but you can find hundreds of transaction attorneys suggesting people do clerkships still.

I would like to work in either 9th circuit or NY, should I immediately limit myself to only those states? Are only SSC worth it?

You can't clerk for federal courts unless you're a U.S. citizen. I can't speak for every state, but I am almost certain California requires U.S. citizenship too.

Court of Chancery could be a good option for you and it is accepting applications through the end of February.

amateurbag wrote:Court of Chancery could be a good option for you and it is accepting applications through the end of February.

Just to clarify, are they accepting 1L applications already for class of 2018?

hiima3L wrote:You can't clerk for federal courts unless you're a U.S. citizen.

This is true in the continental U.S., but noncitizens can clerk for federal judges outside the continental U.S. Noncitizens can also take unpaid CONUS clerkships.

OP: You could look at the OCONUS clerkships in the Ninth Circuit (the circuit and district judges in Alaska and Hawaii; Article IV district judges in Guam and the CNMI). Also, at least one noncitizen has taken an unpaid clerkship with Judge Kozinski.

Anonymous User wrote:

hiima3L wrote:You can't clerk for federal courts unless you're a U.S. citizen.

This is true in the continental U.S., but noncitizens can clerk for federal judges outside the continental U.S. Noncitizens can also take unpaid CONUS clerkships.

OP: You could look at the OCONUS clerkships in the Ninth Circuit (the circuit and district judges in Alaska and Hawaii; Article IV district judges in Guam and the CNMI). Also, at least one noncitizen has taken an unpaid clerkship with Judge Kozinski.

I hadn't thought about Alaska or Hawaii, I guess they both are 9th district. Thanks for that. Are they really competitive do you think from all the other international students seeking them out (+Hawaii being Hawaii)?

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

hiima3L wrote:You can't clerk for federal courts unless you're a U.S. citizen.

This is true in the continental U.S., but noncitizens can clerk for federal judges outside the continental U.S. Noncitizens can also take unpaid CONUS clerkships.

OP: You could look at the OCONUS clerkships in the Ninth Circuit (the circuit and district judges in Alaska and Hawaii; Article IV district judges in Guam and the CNMI). Also, at least one noncitizen has taken an unpaid clerkship with Judge Kozinski.

I hadn't thought about Alaska or Hawaii, I guess they both are 9th district. Thanks for that. Are they really competitive do you think from all the other international students seeking them out (+Hawaii being Hawaii)?

The Ninth Circuit is incredibly competitive given that the best students in the country are fighting for those spots, even in Billings Montana. I don't think international students even register in terms of making it more or less competitive.

edit: accidental anon

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

hiima3L wrote:You can't clerk for federal courts unless you're a U.S. citizen.

This is true in the continental U.S., but noncitizens can clerk for federal judges outside the continental U.S. Noncitizens can also take unpaid CONUS clerkships.

OP: You could look at the OCONUS clerkships in the Ninth Circuit (the circuit and district judges in Alaska and Hawaii; Article IV district judges in Guam and the CNMI). Also, at least one noncitizen has taken an unpaid clerkship with Judge Kozinski.

I hadn't thought about Alaska or Hawaii, I guess they both are 9th district. Thanks for that. Are they really competitive do you think from all the other international students seeking them out (+Hawaii being Hawaii)?

The Ninth Circuit is incredibly competitive given that the best students in the country are fighting for those spots, even in Billings Montana. I don't think international students even register in terms of making it more or less competitive.

edit: accidental anon

That is good, I guess...

Thanks

I actually talked to a couple profs about trying to get to Delaware, and they seem to be optimistic about my chances (assuming I keep similar grades of course).

- delete for replica post

Anonymous User wrote:As an international student with top grades (after only one semester of course) I am increasingly giving thought to clerkships, when I had kind of ruled them out before coming due to the international aspect. What state courts do you think it is worth passing up top firm options to go to, I am leaning slightly more towards transactional at this point than litigation, but you can find hundreds of transaction attorneys suggesting people do clerkships still.

I would like to work in either 9th circuit or NY, should I immediately limit myself to only those states? Are only SSC worth it?

International students who are permanent residents seeking to apply for citizenship can get paid post-graduate clerkship at federal, or state court level. You can get this information on oscar. Some state courts require citizenship, some don't, ask your school career service office for the list of courts.

However, for internship/ externship no one care for your immigration status. Just make sure you have the work permit that goes along with whatever visa you have ( although I do believe if you are from some ally countries to U.S., you don't need the citizenship, that include Ireland and some other countries). Check regulations online

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:As an international student with top grades (after only one semester of course) I am increasingly giving thought to clerkships, when I had kind of ruled them out before coming due to the international aspect. What state courts do you think it is worth passing up top firm options to go to, I am leaning slightly more towards transactional at this point than litigation, but you can find hundreds of transaction attorneys suggesting people do clerkships still.

I would like to work in either 9th circuit or NY, should I immediately limit myself to only those states? Are only SSC worth it?

International student who are permanent resident seeking to apply for citizenship can get paid post-graduate clerkship at federal, or state court level. You can get this information on oscar, as you are required to either be a citizen or the status said above.

However, for internship/ externship no one care for your immigration status.

Thanks, but I know what the limitations are, and I'm not a resident. I wanted to know what state courts are worth it (such as Delaware Chancery) since most are not better than going to a good firm.

to see your eligibility: google" Judicial Clerkships for International Students: A Thing of the Past?"

or, ask your career service for the list, google the result, state supreme court clerkships are generally not worth it though

Anonymous User wrote:to see your eligibility: google" Judicial Clerkships for International Students: A Thing of the Past?"

or, ask your career service for the list, google the result, state supreme court clerkships are generally not worth it though

This is total non-sense.

The only reason why you might reject a SSC clerkship is if it's in a state where you have 0 intention of ever staying after the clerkship. Even then, it's still a huge resume boost. Source: friends who have clerked on random SSCs.

let me tell you why what I said is not total nonsense

-OP is not eligible for most of the desirable SSC clerkship, only courts that openly do not require citizenship are: DC, Illinois, Iowa, MN, NH, NJ, NC, ND. OH, SC, SD, VA... those courts that really does not concern an international student who does not have strong ties anyways)

the student will have a trouble staying anywhere if he or she does not have a stable employment offer, which is something SSC clerkship cannot guarantee. Assuming OP have debt, there is no point going into the morass of contacting each judge on their policy of hiring non-citizens to obtain the remotely helpful clerkship. Moreover, Op wants transctional work, SSC clerkship really, really, cannot get OP that far. Unless OP want a clerkship bonus from some firm, obviously.

A clerkship may not do much for lit, but a SSC is a good experience. If they can get a firm offer now, they'll certainly get one after a SSC.

Texas does not require citizenship.

BVest wrote:Texas does not require citizenship.

Is that because it finally seceded from the United States?