Clerking chances Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hi All,

I assume this has been covered before, but I was hoping for some guidance on my situation.

I haven't been considering clerkships before because I thought I wanted to do transactional law, but after my experience doing transactional work as a 2l SA at a V10 this summer, I realized I'll like litigation more(worked a few internships during law school where I got to experience litigation), so that's what I'm planning to do after I finish law school.

Now for the clerkship situation. I'm either planning to apply during/at the end of my 3L year, or after a year working in biglaw. My GPA is currently between 3.6-3.65 from Columbia. I'd like to do either a district court or a COA clerkship in the 2nd,9th,1st,4th,3rd or 11th, with a preference for COA, although I'd be more than happy to do a district court followed by a COA if it makes sense in my case. Assuming GPA stays the same, what kind of difference would a year or two at a v10 in NYC do for my clerkship situation? I know that feeder judges are out of the question, so that's why I'm wondering whether I should just send out applications during my 3L year when I have more time, or one year into my firm job. If the difference is minimal, I assume it makes more sense to start the process in my 3l year? Apologies if I'm a bit vague, but like I said I have very little experience with the process as of now

[Anonymous User]

Short answer: Get moving ASAP. Judges frequently hire two years in advance so you're already late to the party.

Long answer:

You're a rising 3L, so you're graduating in 2017. At this point, the vast majority of positions, particularly on the COA level but even on the district court level, are full for 2017. Many judges in desirable locations (e.g., SDNY) are full for 2018. (I hear Judge Katzmann just hired a promising rising third grader for 2036.)

Plus, if you're just starting now, it may be a few weeks to a month or more before you're ready to apply: prepare application materials, try to find professors for recommendations while they're on their summer vacation, etc.

So, at this point, while there are some judges still hiring, it is most likely that you'll be applying now for 2018 or 2019. That's all to say, you will have law firm experience for a year or more before you start clerking. (Assuming you get an offer and plan to accept, feel free to list that future law firm job on your resume for after graduation.)

So, if you think you want to clerk, go get started now. Thankfully, lots of judges like clerks with work experience, particularly in district courts, so you'll be fine.

Also, go talk to Columbia's clerkship adviser. I'm sure they'll have good advice about how CLS students do with your grades/profile.

[Anonymous User]

Short answer: Get moving ASAP. Judges frequently hire two years in advance so you're already late to the party.

Long answer:

You're a rising 3L, so you're graduating in 2017. At this point, the vast majority of positions, particularly on the COA level but even on the district court level, are full for 2017. Many judges in desirable locations (e.g., SDNY) are full for 2018. (I hear Judge Katzmann just hired a promising rising third grader for 2036.)

Plus, if you're just starting now, it may be a few weeks to a month or more before you're ready to apply: prepare application materials, try to find professors for recommendations while they're on their summer vacation, etc.

So, at this point, while there are some judges still hiring, it is most likely that you'll be applying now for 2018 or 2019. That's all to say, you will have law firm experience for a year or more before you start clerking. (Assuming you get an offer and plan to accept, feel free to list that future law firm job on your resume for after graduation.)

So, if you think you want to clerk, go get started now. Thankfully, lots of judges like clerks with work experience, particularly in district courts, so you'll be fine.

Also, go talk to Columbia's clerkship adviser. I'm sure they'll have good advice about how CLS students do with your grades/profile.

Thanks for this, very helpful. I plan on talking to an adviser as soon as I get back to Columbia. I know that given that my grades are pretty meh for clerking, applying as an alumni can give me a boost. I was just wondering if judges who take alumni would be available to me if I started applying in lets say December 2016(when I'd still be in school) for 2018-2019 and 2019-2020(Assuming I have an offer that I accepted) or whether I'd actually have to wait to start the position. But from what I understand, it seems that as long as I have an offer that I accepted and as long as I'd start my clerkship after time spent working in Biglaw, then I'd be ok for the alumni judges, even if I start applying while still in school.