Path to DoJ Honors/Fed Clerk/ADA Forum

[crimorbl]

End Goal: Be competitive for DoJ Honors Program/Fed Clerkships/ADA

Options:
1. State District Judicial Intern/Externship (Criminal)
2. Intern at top-20 US metro area DA's office
3. Prosecution Clinic
3. Mid-Big Law SA
4. Be an RA
5. Work at a small law firm (ideally crim defense)
6. Law Review
7. Mock Trial
8. Moot Court

Which options would be best for my career goals and in what order (1L, 2L, 3L)?

[FSK]

This is cute.

[crimorbl]

This is cute.

thanks

[A. Nony Mouse]

There isn't a formula you can follow. First, those are 3 different goals (and a clerkship is a step along the way to a career, not usually a career in itself). Second, DOJ Honors includes jobs ranging from antitrust to civil litigation to tax to environmental to immigration to criminal. Those jobs all require different kinds of qualifications. Finally, clerkships require top grades (and usually connections with profs), as well as usually law review; honors is also very grades-conscious but wants demonstrated experience with the area of law you're applying for; and getting an ADA job is best accomplished by interning with DA offices and getting as much in the ground experience and making as many connections as you can, and doesn't always care as much about grades. So it's not like you do the same thing to get any of these positions.

[crimorbl]

There isn't a formula you can follow. First, those are 3 different goals (and a clerkship is a step along the way to a career, not usually a career in itself). Second, DOJ Honors includes jobs ranging from antitrust to civil litigation to tax to environmental to immigration to criminal. Those jobs all require different kinds of qualifications. Finally, clerkships require top grades (and usually connections with profs), as well as usually law review; honors is also very grades-conscious but wants demonstrated experience with the area of law you're applying for; and getting an ADA job is best accomplished by interning with DA offices and getting as much in the ground experience and making as many connections as you can, and doesn't always care as much about grades. So it's not like you do the same thing to get any of these positions.

Thank you. Should clarify that I didn't mean how to do all 3 at the same time. But you answered my question anyway.