Top Law Schools

I work for a small lit boutique. I clerked at the fed dist level before starting. I just found out about a great clerkship opportunity and want to apply. But I don't want to tell my firm anything about it. I have no idea how competitive I am really, but I think I'm competitive enough to merit an application. What do I do if I get an interview? This opportunity is hours away and an interview would likely require me to take off work which might raise flags. I also have a very busy couple of weeks coming up and the nature of the clerkship is asap--like, an almost immediate start date. So, the interview would in that time frame if I received one.

Surely something like this has happened before. Is there any way to pull this off without disclosing my application? I don't want to disclose because I don't want the firm to think I'm not loyal or something that might cause them to later toss me if I don't get the clerkship...I'm thinking of just applying and not worrying about it unless I get an interview. And if I do, well, thats where it gets complicated.

This question might be better addressed to the legal employment forum. If so I apologize.

I'm not exactly sure what you are asking.

If your question is how you can go to a clerkship interview that is hours away without your firm knowing, the answer is going to be firm dependent, but you can probably just tell them that you have a doctors appointment, or some family issue to deal with (just be vague and solemn) and tell them that you need the day/afternoon/morning off (and then drive/fly there just for the day).

If your question is whether you can take an afternoon/morning off when you are very busy, that is obviously going to be specific to your situation. Many judges, however, are flexible about when they schedule interviews, so you will likely be able to tell them which days work best for you (and be clear with them if a certain day doesn't work).

My question is scattered and poorly worded, but, yea, I was essentially asking how best to pull off a covert interview if ever necessary.

Barrred wrote:If your question is how you can go to a clerkship interview that is hours away without your firm knowing, the answer is going to be firm dependent, but you can probably just tell them that you have a doctors appointment, or some family issue to deal with (just be vague and solemn) and tell them that you need the day/afternoon/morning off (and then drive/fly there just for the day).

Bad advice.

Lit boutiques are full of former clerks who know other current and former clerks. There's probably like a 1 in 3 chance that someone in chambers calls someone they know at OP's firm about the OP's application.

OP: Don't lie. Take vacation or personal time or whatever, but don't make up fake medical emergencies or family issues. That's a recipe for getting fired from your firm and not getting the clerkship.

Just out of curiosity, is this for Ellison in SDTX or Sparks in WDTX?

Possibly.

Puffman1234 wrote:Just out of curiosity, is this for Ellison in SDTX or Sparks in WDTX?

I see that Ellison vacancy has been making the rounds everywhere.

rpupkin wrote:

Barrred wrote:If your question is how you can go to a clerkship interview that is hours away without your firm knowing, the answer is going to be firm dependent, but you can probably just tell them that you have a doctors appointment, or some family issue to deal with (just be vague and solemn) and tell them that you need the day/afternoon/morning off (and then drive/fly there just for the day).

Bad advice.

Lit boutiques are full of former clerks who know other current and former clerks. There's probably like a 1 in 3 chance that someone in chambers calls someone they know at OP's firm about the OP's application.

OP: Don't lie. Take vacation or personal time or whatever, but don't make up fake medical emergencies or family issues. That's a recipe for getting fired from your firm and not getting the clerkship.

Rpupkin is right. It's pretty dumb to lie about needing to take time off, not just because it's wrong to lie but also because there's a good chance you'll be found out.