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So I interviewed for a summer judicial internship and the clerk called back saying i didn't get it, but they would like to make an offer for the fall and asked if I would be interested in accepting the offer. I know the protocol is to always say yes to offers from judges so on the phone I said that yes I'm interested in accepting the offer but I'm not sure what my schedule will be in the fall of 2017 and will need to call you in the spring once I have it figured out.

I'm not 100% sure now if I want to do a federal internship in the fall as I've applied for many to do in the summer and don't want to be stuck doing one during 2L as well when I can try to do a clinic or try doing something else I'm interested in as well.

What do I do? I was thinking of calling the chambers tomorrow morning to confirm that I would talk to them in the spring about it but I'm not sure as of this moment what classes/clinics I will be taking next fall so not sure I can fully commit to the judicial internship as of right now. Is this okay to say?

Dude, I would really just take it.

It's okay to say if you don't mind potentially losing it and maybe burning a bridge. It'd be risky for a law clerk to do this - it's even riskier for you if there's even a chance you'd want to accept the offer.

twister93 wrote: I know the protocol is to always say yes to offers from judges so on the phone I said that yes I'm interested in accepting the offer but I'm not sure what my schedule will be in the fall of 2017 and will need to call you in the spring once I have it figured out.

Protocol is to always say yes to an offer of a clerkship. You're an intern - you can say no. They won't care, and it won't burn a bridge.

twister93 wrote: I was thinking of calling the chambers tomorrow morning to confirm that I would talk to them in the spring about it but I'm not sure as of this moment what classes/clinics I will be taking next fall so not sure I can fully commit to the judicial internship as of right now. Is this okay to say?

This is completely okay to say. Make it clear that you're honored to get the offer, and you really appreciate them thinking of you, but you're not sure of your schedule yet, and could you tell them by X date. If they have an issue, they'll tell you.

It's fine to say no. You didn't apply for Fall.

My school's clerkships office told us that the protocol is to always say yes to the first judicial-externship offer you get. However, this seems different since you applied for a summer position and they're offering you a fall position. IMO, it would be fine for you to say no so long as you don't want to do a judicial externship in the fall. If you want to do one, you should accept the offer from this judge.