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I'm a recent grad who is clerking at my state's intermediate appellate court. I have a second two-year clerkship at another state's supreme court in a market I want to practice in. I'm thinking about a third clerkship with a federal district court in that market in 2024. The conventional wisdom here is generally to clerk for no more than a couple of years, but I wondered if a district court would still be worth it.

I'm concerned that firms won't like that much time clerking, and I wonder if it would affect my chances for bonuses and associate-year credit. It would mean a total of four years without actually practicing law before joining a firm. On other hand, I would genuinely want that position to learn about trial and practical writing that I don't get to see on appeal. And the starting salary for federal clerkships after a few years of bar membership would be a nice bump from my state salary.

Assuming I could get it, would it still be worth it in terms of career earning potential, prestige, and starting firm offers? Thanks in advance!

This is a very complicated answer and it depends a lot on your goals. I clerked on three courts (SSC/Dist./COA) so I am not averse to the concept.

If you're already clerking for two years on the state supreme court of the state you want to practice in, I don't think an additional clerkship will give you a big leg up, even if federal, and three clerkships over four years may brand you as an academic type rather than a biglaw type. That said, if you want to leave the state eventually, a district clerkship will open doors for you in other state, so it may be worthwhile.

Tl;dr: If you want to do biglaw or similar litigation in the state you're a SSC clerk in, definitely skip federal court. Spend your second year using your Justices as resources to get a great job in your state. Otherwise, more details might help us.