Considering switch from federal agency to state appellate court clerkship Forum

[funkenstein]

I currently work at a federal agency, but I don't really enjoy the work that much. I previously did a clerkship at a federal COA and really liked it. I really enjoy researching and writing.

I think a permanent clerkship would be nice but they don't appear on OSCAR very often.

I am considering a position at a state appellate court, which would be a permanent position as long as the judge is on the bench (I don't think they will be leaving any time soon.)

Is this crazy to consider? Would I be taking a step backward? It would be a slight pay decrease.

I want a permanent position, so doing a term clerkship at the federal level doesn't really interest me and I can't move because I have a family and roots set down where I live.

Will this screw my career prospects? I feel that I could probably transition to a state supreme court position if one were to open up in a year or two.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. I am feeling very conflicted right now. I think I would enjoy the work more but don't want to make a career-threatening mistake that could hinder me long term.

[Anonymous User]

I currently work at a federal agency, but I don't really enjoy the work that much. I previously did a clerkship at a federal COA and really liked it. I really enjoy researching and writing.

I think a permanent clerkship would be nice but they don't appear on OSCAR very often.

I am considering a position at a state appellate court, which would be a permanent position as long as the judge is on the bench (I don't think they will be leaving any time soon.)

Is this crazy to consider? Would I be taking a step backward? It would be a slight pay decrease.

I want a permanent position, so doing a term clerkship at the federal level doesn't really interest me and I can't move because I have a family and roots set down where I live.

Will this screw my career prospects? I feel that I could probably transition to a state supreme court position if one were to open up in a year or two.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. I am feeling very conflicted right now. I think I would enjoy the work more but don't want to make a career-threatening mistake that could hinder me long term.

Some people just have personalities that are well suited for being permanent law clerks. I'm an older lawyer who has met a few such law clerks. They enjoy doing their thing, they have a good relationship with their judge, and that's that. Federal or state, I don't see the problem with this being your job choice.

You're asking about career prospects though. What are your ambitions? Being a long-term law clerk does limit your future options. Law firms might be wary of hiring, say, a 5 or 10 year lawyer who has no real idea what it's like to practice law. You might get pegged as someone who doesn't have interpersonal skills, and it might be assumed as that being the reason you chose this job. On the flip side, there are some government practices out there that might be interested in bringing you on to their appellate teams. You will have close to no oral argument experience though.

[crazywafflez]

Nothing wrong at all with taking the state appeals one if this is what your chosen career path will be. i know a couple career clerks; they make good money, have great hours, and enjoy their jobs.
My only concern would be how state judgeships are done. Do they serve terms or are they elected etc.
In my state, judges only serve a set number of years and need to be re-elected and max out after certain years and must step down etc. So just make sure you know that before making the leap!