Backing out of a 1L judicial externship? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hi all! I have an interview for a state circuit court judge tomorrow and then one for a federal district court magistrate judge in about two weeks. I’m also waiting to see if I got any of the in-house positions or if I got pre selected for OCI. I’m top 15% at my school, which is somewhere in the top 50.

My question is-did I really royally mess up taking this state court judge interview? I took it because I don’t have any other offers yet, but I’m hoping I will in the near future. I have heard that judges tend to extend offers on the spot, and this would be my last choice over the firm jobs, the federal judge, or the in-house job. If I have to accept, how bad would it look if I reneged in the case I did get something else? The interview is tomorrow so I don’t think I can just not go. I’ve heard that a state court judicial externship will look bad at OCI.

Sorry for the anonymous posting-I’m paranoid that if I use my account, the judge could see it and know what school I go to, which would look really especially bad.

[Anonymous User]

Hi all! I have an interview for a state circuit court judge tomorrow and then one for a federal district court magistrate judge in about two weeks. I’m also waiting to see if I got any of the in-house positions or if I got pre selected for OCI. I’m top 15% at my school, which is somewhere in the top 50.

My question is-did I really royally mess up taking this state court judge interview? I took it because I don’t have any other offers yet, but I’m hoping I will in the near future. I have heard that judges tend to extend offers on the spot, and this would be my last choice over the firm jobs, the federal judge, or the in-house job. If I have to accept, how bad would it look if I reneged in the case I did get something else? The interview is tomorrow so I don’t think I can just not go. I’ve heard that a state court judicial externship will look bad at OCI.

Sorry for the anonymous posting-I’m paranoid that if I use my account, the judge could see it and know what school I go to, which would look really especially bad.

I’m a 1L too so take this as being from someone that is in the same boat as you. I would personally email now and gracefully back out of the interview because you accepted another offer (just say your summer plans are finalized and you don’t want to waste their time and you apologize for cancelling last minute but you only found out about your other offer in the past day or so blah blah blah). It’s much better to cancel the interview (and from what I’ve heard, judges expect that) than to go and either renege on accepting their offer once you have another job lined up or reject their offer all together.

So I would email now to cancel the interview if you’re sure you don’t want this job.

[Anonymous User]

Hi all! I have an interview for a state circuit court judge tomorrow and then one for a federal district court magistrate judge in about two weeks. I’m also waiting to see if I got any of the in-house positions or if I got pre selected for OCI. I’m top 15% at my school, which is somewhere in the top 50.

My question is-did I really royally mess up taking this state court judge interview? I took it because I don’t have any other offers yet, but I’m hoping I will in the near future. I have heard that judges tend to extend offers on the spot, and this would be my last choice over the firm jobs, the federal judge, or the in-house job. If I have to accept, how bad would it look if I reneged in the case I did get something else? The interview is tomorrow so I don’t think I can just not go. I’ve heard that a state court judicial externship will look bad at OCI.

Sorry for the anonymous posting-I’m paranoid that if I use my account, the judge could see it and know what school I go to, which would look really especially bad.

I’m a 1L too so take this as being from someone that is in the same boat as you. I would personally email now and gracefully back out of the interview because you accepted another offer (just say your summer plans are finalized and you don’t want to waste their time and you apologize for cancelling last minute but you only found out about your other offer in the past day or so blah blah blah). It’s much better to cancel the interview (and from what I’ve heard, judges expect that) than to go and either renege on accepting their offer once you have another job lined up or reject their offer all together.

So I would email now to cancel the interview if you’re sure you don’t want this job.

Protip: lying to a judge is never the right option. You don't even have any other offers right now. Talk to your career services about how to politely punt accepting if you are offered on the spot.

[Anonymous User]

Hi all! I have an interview for a state circuit court judge tomorrow and then one for a federal district court magistrate judge in about two weeks. I’m also waiting to see if I got any of the in-house positions or if I got pre selected for OCI. I’m top 15% at my school, which is somewhere in the top 50.

My question is-did I really royally mess up taking this state court judge interview? I took it because I don’t have any other offers yet, but I’m hoping I will in the near future. I have heard that judges tend to extend offers on the spot, and this would be my last choice over the firm jobs, the federal judge, or the in-house job. If I have to accept, how bad would it look if I reneged in the case I did get something else? The interview is tomorrow so I don’t think I can just not go. I’ve heard that a state court judicial externship will look bad at OCI.

Sorry for the anonymous posting-I’m paranoid that if I use my account, the judge could see it and know what school I go to, which would look really especially bad.

I’m a 1L too so take this as being from someone that is in the same boat as you. I would personally email now and gracefully back out of the interview because you accepted another offer (just say your summer plans are finalized and you don’t want to waste their time and you apologize for cancelling last minute but you only found out about your other offer in the past day or so blah blah blah). It’s much better to cancel the interview (and from what I’ve heard, judges expect that) than to go and either renege on accepting their offer once you have another job lined up or reject their offer all together.

So I would email now to cancel the interview if you’re sure you don’t want this job.

Protip: lying to a judge is never the right option. You don't even have any other offers right now. Talk to your career services about how to politely punt accepting if you are offered on the spot.

Or if you definitely don’t want to take this job cancel the interview without offering any specifics so you an avoid lying. Agree, though: definitely don’t lie.

[mcmand]

A state court judicial externship does not look bad at OCI. Fed usually looks better, but that doesn't mean the state court is bad. You'll still develop the same skills.

If you don't want it cancel the interview. Don't waste a judge's valuable time.

[lavarman84]

Hi all! I have an interview for a state circuit court judge tomorrow and then one for a federal district court magistrate judge in about two weeks. I’m also waiting to see if I got any of the in-house positions or if I got pre selected for OCI. I’m top 15% at my school, which is somewhere in the top 50.

My question is-did I really royally mess up taking this state court judge interview? I took it because I don’t have any other offers yet, but I’m hoping I will in the near future. I have heard that judges tend to extend offers on the spot, and this would be my last choice over the firm jobs, the federal judge, or the in-house job. If I have to accept, how bad would it look if I reneged in the case I did get something else? The interview is tomorrow so I don’t think I can just not go. I’ve heard that a state court judicial externship will look bad at OCI.

Sorry for the anonymous posting-I’m paranoid that if I use my account, the judge could see it and know what school I go to, which would look really especially bad.

You've heard wrong.

[floatie]

I echo the other posters saying to back out (without giving a BS excuse) if you want, but I want to say that an externship with a state judge won't look bad for OCI. 1Ls get to do a lot of substantive work with judges, both federal and state. The only time an internship will look bad at OCI is if 1) you didn't do one and 2) if you can't communicate what you did during the internship.

[Anonymous User]

Thanks everyone. It probably won’t end up being an issue, the “interview” was just him showing me around and then telling me there were a lot of really good candidates.