HLS Clerkships - suicide mission? Forum

[768thwoerw768]

I can only clerk on the 2nd circuit because of my girlfriend needs to live in NYC. I hit a fat L on 3L spring and missed magna. No Law review, no moot court, no judicial internships. One standard big law summer at a normal firm from HLS.
I have profs supporting my app, but none of them are fancy and none of them call. I already have one clerkship (a very unimpressive state clerkship) lined up for this fall and am trying to get my second and need it to be federal. Is there any point in me bothering to apply? If so, how can I get my app in the door. Was going to do appellate lit and academia but that dream seems dead. I have been feeling somewhat suicidal and feeling like law school was a waste of 3 years and $250k, frankly.

[Anonymous User]

Do you mean you got a Low Pass or that you narrowly missed magna? I would also consider CA3 judges sitting in Newark, who tend to be somewhat less selective. NYC is very competitive for both district and circuit clerkships, with far more qualified candidates than spots.

[Anonymous User]

Your chances might not be especially strong this cycle but could improve in the future. None of what you've said sounds disqualifying, so you should still just try. If there's a public interest angle you could take, that could help open a door. Otherwise, if I were you, I would take the geographic cue to focus on landing a firm (or government, if that suits you) job in NYC after your state court clerkship, then reapply with work experience. I take it that you may be joking in part, but your circumstances are so far from hopeless or delusional that the framing left me sort of confused and startled. It would be one thing if you didn't have HLS and couldn't find professors to support you and didn't have any competitive summer employment, but it's not. Keep your head up!

Edit: the reply above is very solid. If you’re considering the CT 2d Cir. judges, then apply to the Newark 3d Cir. judges as well!

[Wild Card]

Well, law school was a waste of 3 years and $300,000+, but not for the reason you think.

What exactly do you want to do, and that you are not able to do, with a 3.9 GPA from HLS?

Also, what's "unimpressive"? Is this literally traffic court, or the New York Court of Appeals?

Like, I'm suicidal right now because I'm stuck at a dead-end, mind-numbingly boring bigfed job after clerking for two years at SDNY. I'm sure many, many others are suicidal billing 2400-3000 hours a year after clerking at SDNY/ENDY/2d Cir. If you're feeling suicidal now, you will not be able to deal with the misery of working for a living.

[Pm23]

Also from HLS.

If you're on the edge of magna you are in a good position. Here's what you should bear in mind:

1) Plan might be rough for you in NY area specifically. That's fine. There are others that will come up at irregular times. So many, actually.

2) Use the geographical restriction to your benefit. If you're applying to fewer judges, pull more strings for each one. Talk to former clerks for every single one. Customize your cover letters based on what they tell you. Boost your chances as much as possible.

3) If there is a NY-area judge you're discounting as not worth it or whatever, don't. Just get the district clerkship even if your friends would see EDNY randos as dirt. It'll help for future applications.

4) Like others have said, think about places that are commutable to NYC. Be real with yourself as to what kind of long-distance you're willing to functionally tolerate.

5) This will sound harsh, but I don't know how else to put it: academia was not going to be the path for you if you weren't going to be geographically flexible. Any academic in literally any field would tell you this. Thankfully, you can still submit articles for publication in our field without a credential. Our publications are run by 26-year-olds; no one really gives a shit.

Lastly, let me just say this: I'm also from HLS, and I was in a way worse position than you prestige-wise. Missed all the benchmarks I set for myself, isolated myself, turned in on myself, and yes, was in the same headspace as you. I imagine you have been made to feel like an exile--to your own self-conception and to a warped view of polite elite society that you have imbibed there. Do not punish yourself. Do not make any drastic decisions. Admit that you can be in tougher situations without believing that they're impossible. Remember that lives and careers are repeat-round games, and there's nothing final about your position (some of the magna folks will absolutely fall off their pedestal). And remember that, whether we like or not, life is very long. There's still so much time. There really is! Especially for lawyers, who practice forever (they don't have an age timer like for actresses or Olympians).

Please go enjoy your new-graduate freedom for a night before regrouping. You've done something impressive, and you will keep doing impressive things. If you need to talk to someone (even me), make sure to reach out. But above all, take care.

[fdsaasdffdsa]

And just to emphasize what was implicit in Pm23's response: publishing and academia are not out of reach. Latin honors don't matter (though it sounds like you're probably still cum laude, barring an abysmal spring). Clerkships help, but what really matters is publications. Channel the newfound time you have after graduation into writing, and be sure to take advantage of the fifty free submissions you get through HLS. If you're absolutely sure you want to go into academia, you could also try a PhD; it softens you up on the market and gives you lots of time to write while (marginally) getting paid.

If you're feeling low, send me a pm; there are faculty at HLS who will be mentors and reassure you that grades/clerkships are really not the deciding factor on the academic job market. Also, a few notches away from magna at HLS is nothing to sneeze at. Many would pay top dollar to be in your position. Good luck, and take care of yourself.

[lavarman84]

I can only clerk on the 2nd circuit because of my girlfriend needs to live in NYC. I hit a fat L on 3L spring and missed magna. No Law review, no moot court, no judicial internships. One standard big law summer at a normal firm from HLS.
I have profs supporting my app, but none of them are fancy and none of them call. I already have one clerkship (a very unimpressive state clerkship) lined up for this fall and am trying to get my second and need it to be federal. Is there any point in me bothering to apply? If so, how can I get my app in the door. Was going to do appellate lit and academia but that dream seems dead. I have been feeling somewhat suicidal and feeling like law school was a waste of 3 years and $250k, frankly.

FWIW, your dream of academia isn't necessarily dead, even if you don't get the fed COA clerkship. If academia is something you want, write, publish, and develop a research agenda over the next few years (while you get practice experience). (Also, keep up your relationships with your professors!) Of course, geographic inflexibility could make it challenging, but I wouldn't count yourself out. Don't give in to the negative feelings. You're in a good spot, regardless of how things pan out with a CA2 clerkship.

[Anonymous User]

Respectfully, if the prospect of graduating cum laude at Harvard Law School makes you suicidal you need to get that fixed as the type of shit you will take in the rest of your life will be substantially worse and you need to be equipped to handle it or you will crash out.