How much will a magistrate clerkship help me? Forum

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How much will a magistrate clerkship help me?

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Jan 03, 2023 1:46 pm

I am currently a 2L in the top 1/3 at a top 25 school. I currently have a summer associate position lined up with an ID firm but I am ultimately interested in working in mid-law/big-law after graduation. I am considerate doing the ID SA position, then clerking with a magistrate after I graduate, and then trying to trade up to mid-law/big-law. Is it realistic to get mid-law or big-law after clerking with a magistrate, assuming my grades don't get substantially better? How much would clerking with a magistrate help with future mid-law/big-law prospects versus starting in ID directly after graduation?

jotarokujo

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Re: How much will a magistrate clerkship help me?

Post by jotarokujo » Wed Jan 04, 2023 10:36 am

Anonymous User wrote:
Tue Jan 03, 2023 1:46 pm
I am currently a 2L in the top 1/3 at a top 25 school. I currently have a summer associate position lined up with an ID firm but I am ultimately interested in working in mid-law/big-law after graduation. I am considerate doing the ID SA position, then clerking with a magistrate after I graduate, and then trying to trade up to mid-law/big-law. Is it realistic to get mid-law or big-law after clerking with a magistrate, assuming my grades don't get substantially better? How much would clerking with a magistrate help with future mid-law/big-law prospects versus starting in ID directly after graduation?
the magistrate clerkship looks better than a year of ID after graduation, no doubt about that. still not guaranteed to get biglaw, but your odds are significantly better than after 1 year of ID

crazywafflez

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Re: How much will a magistrate clerkship help me?

Post by crazywafflez » Wed Jan 04, 2023 11:19 am

MJ clerkship is still a good clerkship. I'd personally take it after graduating. Do the SA and make some money over the summer. Do the MJ when you graduate. It'll make it much easier to go into mid/big law. Will it do the same as a Dist clerkship? No, but it'll still be good and helpful. Plus, if you do good work you'll get a mentor on your side who will help you navigate things. MJ clerks also learn discovery better than anyone, which will be very helpful if you go into litigation.

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Re: How much will a magistrate clerkship help me?

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Jan 04, 2023 11:25 am

If your reason for clerking is to get into BigLaw, I would focus on applying to magistrate judges who are former Big Law partners and have reputations for helping their clerks get jobs after clerking. While knowing the judge's background is as easy as reading their Wikipedia page, finding out whether the judge is the type of person who will actively help you land a job requires some due diligence like reaching out to former clerks. Most clerks will be reluctant to say anything negative about their judge, but they should at least be willing to discuss whether they thought their judge helped them with their job hunt.

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Re: How much will a magistrate clerkship help me?

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Jan 04, 2023 11:50 pm

OP here. Thank you all for the insightful responses. Given my stats, I understand it will be tough to get a magistrate offer and even harder to get one from a district judge. If neither pans out, would a state appellate clerkship (non-state supreme court) be of any benefit idea in my situation? How much of a benefit?

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Re: How much will a magistrate clerkship help me?

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Jan 06, 2023 7:41 am

Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Jan 04, 2023 11:50 pm
OP here. Thank you all for the insightful responses. Given my stats, I understand it will be tough to get a magistrate offer and even harder to get one from a district judge. If neither pans out, would a state appellate clerkship (non-state supreme court) be of any benefit idea in my situation? How much of a benefit?
A state appellate clerkship can be helpful locally. That includes midlaw/regional BigLaw/occasionally, true BigLaw (example: clerking for the Massachusetts appellate court). Outside of the geographic area the judge sits, it tends to have diminishing returns.

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