Please give me the brutal truth whether I should even apply Forum

[Hdod38]

Biglaw litigation, couple years in and need a break. I'm a T14 grad without good grades or latin honors (3.4ish gpa).

Would I be wasting my time filling out apps for fed dist court and state supreme? Any specialty courts I'd stand a better chance at?

I don't want to go through the process if I'm just wasting my time and I figure you kids would have a good handle on it.

Thanks.

[ArtistOfManliness]

Geographic connections and/or desires?

[Hdod38]

I'm from the midwest and all the ties that I have are here. Of course, if I could actually get an AIII clerkship I'd go anywhere in the country.

My desire leaving a clerkship would be to go to a smaller firm or do government work.

[hdivschool]

I think it's worth applying. Your application doesn't jump out of the pile though, so recommendations would help. But you might get lucky.
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[Anonymous User]

Sounds like we have extremely similar stats and im clerking now. 3.5 from t10, 2.5 years of v50 lit in Chicago. Applied broadly - most "major" city district courts i sent an app (maybe 70?). Had one really good rec (I think -wasn't able to read it), a solid one, and a so so one. Got a handful of screeners/interviews (less than 5) and took the first offer in a secondary but non flyover city. Applied to COA after, got roughly same responses, took the first one I got in a secondary non flyover city.

TL;DR - probably. If you can get some standout recs or can otherwise stand out (I hear calls help - I had a professor call both times AFTER the interview though) you can get lucky like me. It's a significant investment time wise but worth it if it works. Job is a dream compared to firm and I feel good about future prospects (knuckles meet wood).

[mjb447]

It's worth a shot (I might not bother with some of the more competitive judges, but that's up to you). Once you're an alum the clerking market seems to get even more idiosyncratic than it was in law school.

[Anonymous User]

I had worse paper stats than yours and got multiple interviews and an offer in the end. It's worth a shot.

There is debate over the value of mid career clerking.

[newlawgrad]

I had worse paper stats than yours and got multiple interviews and an offer in the end. It's worth a shot.

There is debate over the value of mid career clerking.

In what way, particularly here, where government from big law mgt be objective.

[ArtistOfManliness]

I agree that you have a fair shot. Your biggest hurdle will be (as it is for most people) getting your application to jump out of the pile. Professor phones calls are great at that, so if you have profs willing to call for you pre-interview that would be quite helpful.

[Hdod38]

Thanks for all your helpful comments. I meant to respond sooner but had to go out of town for a busy work week and this fell to the side. It sounds like not all hope is lost but I'd definitely need something to separate myself from peers who will likely be coming in with stronger stats.

One thought I had was applying to a specialty court: FERC. I heard it's become competitive in recent years, as with every thing else in D.C. I do have something of a background with energy/environmental issues though. Specifically my journal was oriented toward that, and I interned at an energy/environmental non-profit. I've also published an article on energy regulation. Unfortunately my practice is not that, but this could be a good way to transition to it, as I've wanted to do.

If you have any thoughts on applying to clerk with FERC, I would be glad to hear them. Thanks.