Do Judges (or firms) look suspiciously on a third clerkship Forum

[Anonymous User]

Competitive for a circuit clerkship at least somewhere I think as I am on track to be just inside Magna at HLS. Have a state supreme court clerkship in a competitive, but non CA/NY state for 2023 and a federal district court clerkship in a competitive but non SDNY/EDNY/DDC district for 2025. Really would like to clerk for a federal circuit in 2024 or 2026. Wondering if judges are going to be suspicious of a third clerkship. I understand I will likely take a class year cut if I end up clerking a third time, which I am fine with. Not gunning for SCOTUS anything—not like I have a chance, just would really like to clerk on a circuit court.

Edit: Also if anyone is similarly interested there was a thread a little while back about someone striking out on the plan and applying to SSCs that has some interesting insight—seems like so long as the three clerkships are different courts it should be ok?

[nixy]

No, I can’t imagine a judge having any issues with someone interested in multiple clerkships. After all, many hire career clerks, and many judges love hiring experienced clerks. It’s non-judge employers who worry you don’t want to practice that you’ll have to convince.

[Anonymous User]

No, I can’t imagine a judge having any issues with someone interested in multiple clerkships. After all, many hire career clerks, and many judges love hiring experienced clerks. It’s non-judge employers who worry you don’t want to practice that you’ll have to convince.

Would this worry perhaps be alleviated by skipping the 2024 clerkship and returning to my firm to practice in a year before doing district + circuit in 2025/2026 respectively? Or, would it make no difference?

[Anonymous User]

No, I can’t imagine a judge having any issues with someone interested in multiple clerkships. After all, many hire career clerks, and many judges love hiring experienced clerks. It’s non-judge employers who worry you don’t want to practice that you’ll have to convince.

Would this worry perhaps be alleviated by skipping the 2024 clerkship and returning to my firm to practice in a year before doing district + circuit in 2025/2026 respectively? Or, would it make no difference?

Someone else who knows more should jump in, but it might make your job hunt a bit more difficult. At that point you’d be almost 5 years out of law school with only one year of actual work experience. I think you’d still certainly get a job, but something to think about.

[Anonymous User]

No, I can’t imagine a judge having any issues with someone interested in multiple clerkships. After all, many hire career clerks, and many judges love hiring experienced clerks. It’s non-judge employers who worry you don’t want to practice that you’ll have to convince.

Would this worry perhaps be alleviated by skipping the 2024 clerkship and returning to my firm to practice in a year before doing district + circuit in 2025/2026 respectively? Or, would it make no difference?

Someone else who knows more should jump in, but it might make your job hunt a bit more difficult. At that point you’d be almost 5 years out of law school with only one year of actual work experience. I think you’d still certainly get a job, but something to think about.

Damn ok, makes sense why that could create additional difficulties. Definitely something to consider.

[nixy]

I mean, I think doing 3 different kinds of clerkships definitely helps, and I think you’d still be able to get a job after, you’d just have to be able to sell how doing 3 clerkships really fits with your long term goal of making lots of money for [fill in law firm name here].

[Anonymous User]

Competitive for a circuit clerkship at least somewhere I think as I am on track to be just inside Magna at HLS. Have a state supreme court clerkship in a competitive, but non CA/NY state for 2023 and a federal district court clerkship in a competitive but non SDNY/EDNY/DDC district for 2025. Really would like to clerk for a federal circuit in 2024 or 2026. Wondering if judges are going to be suspicious of a third clerkship. I understand I will likely take a class year cut if I end up clerking a third time, which I am fine with. Not gunning for SCOTUS anything—not like I have a chance, just would really like to clerk on a circuit court.

Edit: Also if anyone is similarly interested there was a thread a little while back about someone striking out on the plan and applying to SSCs that has some interesting insight—seems like so long as the three clerkships are different courts it should be ok?

I did three clerkships-Do you think you'll enjoy the third clerkship? Or do you want to do federal appellate practice, specifically? If not, and you're just prestige-building, I'd discourage it. A magna cum laude Harvard grad with a federal district clerkship will have access to most jobs. I was T25, so taking a third circuit clerkship really helped legitimize my candidacy at some snobby firms that wouldn't have looked at me otherwise. That doesn't seem to be your problem.