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Has anybody filled this kind of position as a barred attorney? I'm curious as to whether it could be used as a stepping stone to a clerkship...I know it might seem ridiculous, but Im just throwing it out there for discussion

Anonymous User wrote:Has anybody filled this kind of position as a barred attorney? I'm curious as to whether it could be used as a stepping stone to a clerkship...I know it might seem ridiculous, but Im just throwing it out there for discussion

Unless a judge is expressly looking for a 1/2 JA, 1/2 career clerk, I doubt it. These jobs are mostly filled by law firm secretaries that the judge has worked with in the past.

This depends entirely on the judge. Judges structure their chambers totally differently and have different expectations for their JAs. I am aware of two judges on different circuits who have attorneys work as JAs. One position is permanent; the other is a term clerk (and is officially a term clerk for resume purposes). They spend most of their time on secretarial duties and pitch in on substantive work.

I've seen people start as a JA, then go to law school and clerk for the same judge they previously JA'd for. I would not call it a well-trodden path though.

These jobs are mostly filled by law firm secretaries that the judge has worked with in the past.

Also my experience w/my judge.

Yes, I agree with the above. I’ve seen judges have lawyers as JAs where the position has been half-time clerk, half-time JA. Unless that’s how the position is advertised, a JA position is not going to be a way to get a clerkship. And frankly unless you’ve worked as a JA before, I don’t think most judges would want to hire you for the job, as it’s pretty different from clerking

(I also know a judge who has a lawyer as their courtroom deputy/clerk. However that’s a permanent position, completely separate from the term law clerks, and I think most of the lawyers I know think it’s a bit odd.)