worth trying to do 2 clerkships? Forum

[ilovelawschool71717]

3L, recently accepted a COA clerkship for 2025-26 but I have a few SDNY interviews for 2024-25. Is it worth trying to pursue both if my longterm goal is to stay in NYC biglaw?

[Anonymous User]

I did both. They’re very different and SDNY is bonkers but you will learn much more than you do with a COA. And SDNY judges have excellent networks in NYC. But if all you’re interested in is biglaw the premium to clerking is probably somewhat smaller than for people interested in more special-snowflake careers. Personally I would do it again, but I didn’t care about money and wanted to work at a boutique.

[Anonymous User]

Do both, you won't recoup the pecuniary opportunity cost but the resume benefit is (probably) worth it.

Agree with above that it might not be "necessary" to NYC big law goals, but I think that double clerking COA/SDNY preserves a lot of flexibility (marketability in big law lateraling, opens up boutiques as an exit, government positions, doesn't hurt partnership prospects), particularly with SDNY for NYC lit

[Anonymous User]

I did both. Same position as you, got the COA clerkship and kept my district court interviews.

I have/had no desire in doing appellate so the way I thought about it was the district court is great for learning how to litigate and the COA clerkship is a credential. I will say if you want to do white collar or anything that isn't traditional "litigation", I think the utility a district court clerkship is less. You also forgo a truly insane amount of money by clerking twice mid career. Not saying I wouldn't have done it in hindsight but just something to think about.

[Anonymous User]

I did both. Same position as you, got the COA clerkship and kept my district court interviews.

I have/had no desire in doing appellate so the way I thought about it was the district court is great for learning how to litigate and the COA clerkship is a credential. I will say if you want to do white collar or anything that isn't traditional "litigation", I think the utility a district court clerkship is less. You also forgo a truly insane amount of money by clerking twice mid career. Not saying I wouldn't have done it in hindsight but just something to think about.

I think the utility is actually higher for white-collar than for other work, assuming you’re interested in individual defense rather than investigations and/or a USAO exit like most crim gunners. The USAO and the white-collar boutiques usually hire former SD/EDNY clerks and the NYC white-collar bar on both sides of the v is a very tight-knit, everyone-knows-everyone world in which the ex-AUSA SD/EDNY judges have a lot of pull. Plus practicality there’s a lot of value to seeing some trials and a lot of sentencings.

[Anonymous User]

Rising 3L or just graduated?