2022-2023 Post-Clerkship Hiring Forum

[Anonymous User]

What is the typical start date for folks coming from clerkships? I'd like to take a couple months off in between, so asking for a late Oct/early Nov start date. Is that pretty common?

You'll be fine. I view this period as an excellent opportunity to travel, and asked for a date later than that. My firm responded in 5 minutes that they had no problem with me taking months off, and wished me well.

Thanks for sharing! I just confirmed for November and they didn't bat an eye

[himi bimi]

To the person who mentioned that they had heard back from Sidley Boston: Do you mind sharing whether it was a rejection or a "we are not hiring clerks"? Please and thank you!

[Anonymous User]

I am slowly feeling more and more hopeless about my post-clerkship prospects and I would love any advice/insight. I graduated from a low T14 in 2020, top 1/3 GPA, and worked as a litigation associate at a Vault 80 firm in NYC before leaving to start my current federal district court clerkship in a Deep South, flyover city, with a judge who has ties to my law school. I want to return to a big firm in NYC and I have applied to nearly 40 biglaw firms. These include cold emails seeking general lit positions, applying through clerk-specific application portals, and applying online and by email to posted litigation openings. I had a few friends forward my resume, but these did not yield any results. I’ve received 10 rejections, and total silence on everything else. Is there anything I can do improve my prospects? Should I follow up on applications/emails sent in January-March? I sent some cold emails to alums and former clerks at firms I’m interested in to “pick their brains” and see if they would refer me, but not a single person has answered. I hated my old firm and I don’t want to go back. I also have not reached out to them or kept in touch, so I fear they wouldn’t even take me back if I did reach out at this point, because it would be clear they are my last resort. When I left to begin clerking, several partners told me they expect/would love to have me back. I’m so upset that I was SO excited to clerk, I feel like I clawed my way into a federal clerkship, and it’s been an overwhelmingly positive experience in every way, but that I may have fucked my career by doing it.

Don't lose hope. It's not too late for anything. Given the state of the market, I would encourage you to reach back out to your old firm while you keep applying.

[himi bimi]

Any movement in Boston? Radio silence apart from rejections for me.

If u don't mind me asking which Boston firms have gotten back to u? Haven't heard anything at all for Boston.

Dings and/or “not hiring clerks” from Sidley, Latham, Ropes, Goodwin, Morgan Lewis

Mind if I ask if Sidley gave a rejection or a "not hiring clerks"?

[Anonymous User]

Sidley Boston gave me a rejection. But I’ve heard from friends in other Sidley offices that they aren’t taking clerks at all this year. It might be that Boston is willing to hire one if they find the right fit.

[Anonymous User]

Sidley Boston gave me a rejection. But I’ve heard from friends in other Sidley offices that they aren’t taking clerks at all this year. It might be that Boston is willing to hire one if they find the right fit.

Thank you so much. Never heard back from Jones day after screener. I checked in with DLA piper who said apps will be reviewed soon fwiw.

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone heard anything re: McDermott’s Supreme Court and Appellate posting?

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone heard anything re: McDermott’s Supreme Court and Appellate posting?

I received an interview request a week after applying.

[himi bimi]

Anyone know if firms given OCI season try to wrap up decisions regarding clerk hiring by June or do different people/departments generally handle clerk hiring when compared to law student hiring?

[Anonymous User]

Clerk hiring at traditional biglaw firms is rare past end of May. If you haven’t secured something by then, broaden your search outside the amlaw 200.

[Anonymous User]

Williams & Connolly moved a while back

[himi bimi]

Had this sub died? Any one hear from DLA Piper and Sidley?

[Anonymous User]

I think this hiring cycle is pretty much over, sorry to say.

[Anonymous User]

I think this hiring cycle is pretty much over, sorry to say.

I’ve heard of screeners and interviews that happened in the last week in NYC. Not quite over yet, but probably dying down? Don’t know what everyone else’s experience has been

[Lurker08743]

I think this hiring cycle is pretty much over, sorry to say.

I’ve heard of screeners and interviews that happened in the last week in NYC. Not quite over yet, but probably dying down? Don’t know what everyone else’s experience has been

I had radio silence and then a lot of movement unexpectedly in the past two weeks. For me, things just got started. But I’m also not in NYC.

[Anonymous User]

Has the market improved, or is everyone spending more time on their applications than on TLS?

[himi bimi]

I personally have given up. Luckily my clerkship ends in December at the earliest so if I have to compete with laterals might just be my best bet

[Anonymous User]

Friend from law school just got a job offer from Paul Weiss DC.

[jotarokujo]

I personally have given up. Luckily my clerkship ends in December at the earliest so if I have to compete with laterals might just be my best bet

Don't give up himi. Your clerkship ends after most peoples', I think you'll have more success applying in the summer

[himi bimi]

Thank you!

[Anonymous User]

I've heard of a couple Boies interviews recently

[Anonymous User]

I've heard of a couple Boies interviews recently

Interesting, anyone have any idea what the hiring timeline is for BSF?

[Anonymous User]

Just a global point for those who are struggling/still don't have an opportunity, don't be a afraid to stray from the standard big law/well known boutique path. There are plenty of excellent law firms out there who aren't as gun shy about economic downturns as big law firms and want law clerks.

I recently accepted an offer with a boutique that isn't one of the well known ones on Vault and the salary is comparable or above big law market pay depending on bonuses. It's also significantly more flexible than a large law firm in terms of facetime requirements and seems to give exponentially better opportunities to junior associates.

There are other opportunities out there, you just have to look for them.

[Anonymous User]

Seems dramatic to say the hiring season is over and tell people to start looking elsewhere.

Other people lateral at any given point in the year and firms have them start in a matter of weeks when they hire them -- they are not generally planning on hiring laterals only to have them start months out.

The market is unpredictable right now and in early summer recruiters are worried about summers and running that. Hiring tends to pick up in fall (especially when firms have a better idea of returning summers).

Speaking for my firm, they say there is no right time to apply, they hire when there is need and space. I had a co-clerk who got her job 2 weeks out from her clerkship ending. Its stressful and the market is bad, but just keep applying.

[panda11011]

Just wanted to chime in that after nearly 6 months of applications, I finally got 2 screener interviews and one callback in NY, for two V80 firms.