Clerkship as a transfer Forum

[Anonymous User]

Sorry guys if this question has been answered in previous forums. Sort of new member/lurker looking to transfer after 1L. Applied during GULC EA but most likely will do rolling admissions depending on how my grades are after the second semester. So far I'm about top 8-10% for my first semester grades at my T2 (80s). If all goes well (so far so good) I plan to be at least top 5-7%. Question is if I get to CCN (or at least tier 13, GULC if all goes bad) what are the chances of a federal clerkship? How hard would it be as a transfer?

Hard honesty would be much appreciated

[foregetaboutdre]

Sorry guys if this question has been answered in previous forums. Sort of new member/lurker looking to transfer after 1L. Applied during GULC EA but most likely will do rolling admissions depending on how my grades are after the second semester. So far I'm about top 8-10% for my first semester grades at my T2 (80s). If all goes well (so far so good) I plan to be at least top 5-7%. Question is if I get to CCN (or at least tier 13, GULC if all goes bad) what are the chances of a federal clerkship? How hard would it be as a transfer?

Hard honesty would be much appreciated

Transfer here. I'm not looking to clerk, but when you transfer make sure you go to a school where you can get on a journal (or be aware of write-ons before transfer admissions). Also, I'm sure clerking will be highly dependent of where you want to clerk (e.g. youngstown oh vs SDNY). I'll defer to people who have clerked to answer your other questions.

[clerk1251]

Clerk, and former transfer student. My advice to you to start would be not to think about clerking and focus on crushing it in law school. Honestly, I'd say to stop thinking about transferring too, and just focus on doing as well as you can this semester. Once you have all your grades, you can consider transfer options.

As far as actually transferring goes, rule of thumb is simply to go to the best school you can get into. From there, you'll need to focus on crushing it 2L year before you even consider clerking. You will be a bit of an atypical candidate, because while other candidates will need only three semesters of grades to apply, you likely won't get any real consideration until you have at least four. Judges will want to see how well you do in a full year at your new school. You also likely won't be able to be ranked at your new school, which may prove as an obstacle.

Make sure you participate in things that you think would be beneficial to a clerkship candidate, at your new school. Law review or a journal will look good on a resume. Publishing something will look even better.

Get a good writing sample, write a good cover letter, get good grades, get good letters of rec (preferably from at least one professor at your new school), and build relationships with professors who can make calls for you. All of this will go a long way.

All that being said, it is certainly more difficult as a transfer candidate. Especially if you are set on any geographical location, or court. I struck out applying as a 2L, and as a 3L. I went to biglaw for a year, and then managed to get a D. Ct. clerkship in a secondary market. If it's something you want, you just need to keep at it. Judges are increasingly looking for candidates with actual work experience before their clerkship - so if you don't manage to lock something down while in school, all hope shouldn't be lost.

[Anonymous User]

(e.g. youngstown oh vs SDNY).

what's wrong with Youngstown?

[foregetaboutdre]

(e.g. youngstown oh vs SDNY).

what's wrong with Youngstown?

Absolutely nothing, I don't know the judges there or the clerks, but I'm imagining it is competitive for clerking opportunities (similar to the secondary market where I interned for a district court judge). Obviously the clerks in secondary markets are still uber qualified...

[jrf12886]

Transfer student and clerk here. Transfers do pretty well in the clerkship search in my experience. The transfers in my class performed just as well, if not better, than average with respect to getting clerkships. Part of the reason is that transfers benefit both from strong 1L grades and the higher ranked school.

I don't necessarily agree that you need to wait until you have a full year of grades from your new school. That may have been true in the past, but now the trend is for judges to hire 2Ls in the Spring semester (or even earlier for the most competitive judges). The more important task you'll face is getting to know professors at your new school. Ideally, try to get 2 recommenders from your new school. Having one from your previous school is fine. If you can accomplish this after one semester at your new school, definitely apply at that time. Also, definitely compete in the journal competition at new school. If the competition occurs before transfer decisions are made, you should still compete if permitted to do so.

[quiver]

Clerk, and former transfer student. My advice to you to start would be not to think about clerking and focus on crushing it in law school. Honestly, I'd say to stop thinking about transferring too, and just focus on doing as well as you can this semester. Once you have all your grades, you can consider transfer options.

100% this. Your cart is way before your horse right now.

[Anonymous User]

OP here.

Thanks guys! I know I should focus on my grades, I just wanted to know if all hope was lost and that if it would be possible to clerk even as a transfer. All your input is so greatly appreciated!

[Anonymous User]

OP Again!

Also before I do the research (being lazy atm brain is fried) does a clerkship count for LRAP? I've heard mixed answers all around. I know I'm getting wayyyy ahead of myself but I would like to prepare myself if it doesn't. Thanks again everyone!

*goes back to lurking*

[A. Nony Mouse]

It will depend on the school, as I understand it.

[Goldie]

Transfer student and clerk here. Transfers do pretty well in the clerkship search in my experience. The transfers in my class performed just as well, if not better, than average with respect to getting clerkships. Part of the reason is that transfers benefit both from strong 1L grades and the higher ranked school.

I don't necessarily agree that you need to wait until you have a full year of grades from your new school. That may have been true in the past, but now the trend is for judges to hire 2Ls in the Spring semester (or even earlier for the most competitive judges). The more important task you'll face is getting to know professors at your new school. Ideally, try to get 2 recommenders from your new school. Having one from your previous school is fine. If you can accomplish this after one semester at your new school, definitely apply at that time. Also, definitely compete in the journal competition at new school. If the competition occurs before transfer decisions are made, you should still compete if permitted to do so.

Transfer student and soon-to-be COA clerk here. I agree that transfers definitely can do well in the clerkship process, but I do think that's heavily dependent on where they started law school and where they transferred to. Top 10% at a 80s ranked school is a stretch for a lot of clerkships, so OP may have to try to do really well at his/her new school (and maybe for more than just one semester) to get the clerkship he/she wants. Otherwise, I think the advice is great. Get to know professors, get recommendations, and do journal if you can.

[Anonymous User]

Current d Ct clerk, future CoA clerk, and former t2-t10 transfer. I commented on a more robust thread a month or two ago that you should be able to find easily. The consensus was the same. My piece was to game the system to your advantage--don't take all unnecessary doctrinal courses. While a bunch of clinic and seminar type might bump you from feeders, it won't from most and I had a roommate and t4 transfer that was summa and got whatever he wanted. Our class had a lot of success but mine was as an alumni, others were in "secondary" markets for the most part, if not flyover.

[Anonymous User]

Op here

Would you all site say I go with a firm first before attempting to clerk maybe? Would that be a better option maybe?

Again sorry for jumping the gun again, I'm just super neurotic lol

[quiver]

Op here

Would you all site say I go with a firm first before attempting to clerk maybe? Would that be a better option maybe?

Again sorry for jumping the gun again, I'm just super neurotic lol

Better in what way? It would certainly be "better" in the sense of elongating your hiring timeline, so you would have more time to make connections with professors, establish good grades at your new school, etc. Judges have also shifted toward hiring people with more work experience, so working at firm may provide a larger pool of judges for which you could be considered.

If you're asking whether the clerkship experience is more fulfilling after working at a firm, I think the answer is yes, although marginally. I'm admittedly a bit biased on this question, though.

For now, focus on grades. Then focus on transferring. Then focus on joining a journal. Then focus on OCI/summer employment. Then focus on grades again. Then you can worry about clerking.

[Anonymous User]

Op here

Would you all site say I go with a firm first before attempting to clerk maybe? Would that be a better option maybe?

Again sorry for jumping the gun again, I'm just super neurotic lol

I think we'd all say to do well in school, actually transfer, then do well at your new school. You really need to stop concerning yourself with all this other nonsense, for at least a year.