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Question for you folks, I am currently in my second fed clerkship. My first clerkship however, was only 5 months long. I was finishing off someone else's term who had left. Upon finishing that, I began a traditional full term clerkship with a different fed judge.

Assuming I go biglaw after, in a major market, what are the chances that I get bonus credit for two clerkships as opposed to one? Is this something I can negotiate? I've noticed some firms use language that you get x dollars for clerking for one judge, and x dollars for clerking for two judges. Whereas other firms use the language x dollars for a one year clerkship and x dollars for two years.

Thoughts?

This seems like the kind of thing that you could negotiate once you get an offer. Some firms are more open to bargaining re: clerkship bonuses than they might seem at first. My advice would be to apply to the places you want to work, then broach the subject after you get an offer. (Hopefully at least one place will give you the higher bonus, so maybe you can use that as leverage with the others.)

Anonymous User wrote:This seems like the kind of thing that you could negotiate once you get an offer. Some firms are more open to bargaining re: clerkship bonuses than they might seem at first. My advice would be to apply to the places you want to work, then broach the subject after you get an offer. (Hopefully at least one place will give you the higher bonus, so maybe you can use that as leverage with the others.)

Thanks for the input! I like that idea.

I know someone who got 100k for 2 clerkships (D Ct / COA). Granted, they were with prestigious judges in highly sought after areas with lots of cases in this clerk's practice area.