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Top 25% at T20, 2 years WE in biglaw, LR + E-board, moot court champion

Would be interested to know (a) where I'd be competitive to clerk assuming I applied broadly, and from former clerks, (b) whether it's worth still pursuing at this point.

Unless you want to clerk so badly that you'll move to a random city to do it, then I wouldn't even bother applying at this point. It's quite late for you and your credentials are such that you'll probably just have to take whatever you can get clerkship wise. (Which is not to say that being top 25% at a T20 is not impressive; it's just that there are so many competitive applicants.)

Whether it’s worth it to you depends on what your long-term goals are. If you want an AUSA (or other BigFed litigation) gig, especially if you’re willing to move around for that, I think clerking is worth it. Also, if you want to change markets, I think clerking in your target market is worth it. Otherwise, I think it’s completely defensible to do if you want to get that experience, but there’s less of a significant boost.

I also think that the work experience will help your competitiveness and your chances are decent if you are willing to apply broadly, though nothing’s ever guaranteed.

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 05, 2023 4:08 pm

Top 25% at T20, 2 years WE in biglaw, LR + E-board, moot court champion

Would be interested to know (a) where I'd be competitive to clerk assuming I applied broadly, and from former clerks, (b) whether it's worth still pursuing at this point.

Are you looking to clerk for an exit from biglaw or for a more specific purpose? You'd be an excellent candidate to do what I did, which is clerk for a brand new district judge as an immediate exit from a job I hated. That gave me a year to step back and reassess my career path, and the clerkship experience helped too.

Otherwise, the challenge is going to be less about getting a clerkship (you will be attractive to district judges who want WE) and more about having to wait the two years to start clerking. There's nothing wrong with that per se, but it can be kind of awkward to have a fixed departure date just as you're hitting your midlevel years. But it's also a very good path to be an AUSA. If that's your goal, I'd strongly consider a midlevel clerkship as part of a 3-5 year plan to move from biglaw into a USAO.

I actually do not take a grim view of your chances as other commentators do. If you're at like UCLA/USC I wouldn't exactly be blown away if you ended up clerking for like a non-competititve CD Cal judge—there's a lot of them.

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 05, 2023 4:08 pm

Top 25% at T20, 2 years WE in biglaw, LR + E-board, moot court champion

Would be interested to know (a) where I'd be competitive to clerk assuming I applied broadly, and from former clerks, (b) whether it's worth still pursuing at this point.

You will likely get interviews if you apply broadly. A Moot Court Championship does differentiate you and a good chunk of district judges want about 2 years of biglaw experience now. If you also happened to have taken serious classes and trended upwards academically, I think you will do very well. Whether it is worth it depends entirely on your goals at this point. If you want to pivot or if you have interest in government work, then it's probably worth it for purely career purposes.

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 05, 2023 5:26 pm

I actually do not take a grim view of your chances as other commentators do. If you're at like UCLA/USC I wouldn't exactly be blown away if you ended up clerking for like a non-competititve CD Cal judge—there's a lot of them.

Only one person's been negative on OP's chances, the discussion has been more about how clerking will fit into OP's career path.

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 05, 2023 4:08 pm

Top 25% at T20, 2 years WE in biglaw, LR + E-board, moot court champion

Would be interested to know (a) where I'd be competitive to clerk assuming I applied broadly, and from former clerks, (b) whether it's worth still pursuing at this point.

Of course you know that you have the pertinent facts that determine if it's worth it. From what you've told us, which is extremely little, yeah it's probably worth it if you can get a clerkship starting in 24 or 25. Later on like for your 5-6th year it's dicier

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 05, 2023 4:08 pm

Top 25% at T20, 2 years WE in biglaw, LR + E-board, moot court champion

Would be interested to know (a) where I'd be competitive to clerk assuming I applied broadly, and from former clerks, (b) whether it's worth still pursuing at this point.

My experience could serve, somewhat, as a datapoint: I was top 25% at T14 with 2 years WE in big law, and no LR. Nor was I a moot court champion. Still managed to get a district court clerkship at a good district (SDNY/EDNY) and, later, a COA clerkship.

I think you have a shot. Especially if you apply in places where you have ties. And if you still have connections to professors + partners who could connect you with judges they know, your changes will only get better.

Whether a clerkship is worth it further out in your career? That's for you to decide. I have no regrets because clerking was something I wanted to do since LS but couldn't do immediately after because of personal reasons. That said, the legal market looks like crap right now (I and many of my friends are feeling it). Assuming that changes by the time you wrap up your potential clerkship, the downsides may be even lower.