... Forum

[OutCold]

I actually did precisely what you are slated to do. I clerked in the district court straight out of law school, then did a year at NYC biglaw, and am now a COA clerk. As everyone has already said, you are dramatically overestimating how exciting a year at the firm will be. Junior associate work is mostly terrible, especially having come from a clerkship. You will go from drafting opinions at your clerkship to doc review at the low end and perhaps taking a first pass at a section of a brief on the high end. It can actually be pretty discouraging taking a major hit in responsibility. Chances are you won't even want to go back to the same firm you were at pre-COA, but even if you do, you will have skipped over the most miserable years at the firm. Hell, I lined my clerkship up while I was at the firm because I was stuck on a case that had me billing 250+ for about four months and it was killing me. I get the money concern though--that was a big decision for me in deciding to clerk a second time. If you do it right, you'll collect a second clerkship bonus.

[Anonymous User]

If you do it right, you'll collect a second clerkship bonus.

Can you expound on this? How likely is it that one can get a second full clerkship bonus by simply going to a different firm after the second clerkship?

[OutCold]

If you do it right, you'll collect a second clerkship bonus.

Can you expound on this? How likely is it that one can get a second full clerkship bonus by simply going to a different firm after the second clerkship?

All of the offers I received included the clerkship bonus without any negotiating on my part, but I know that there are some firms that are less willing. My previous firm was reluctant to pay a second bonus if I returned, but was willing to consider it. I was changing markets so I didn't pursue the issue. For what it is worth, another friend with the same clerkship sequence is returning and successfully negotiated a second bonus. It's an opaque process so I can't say for sure what your chances are, but it definitely happens. I received another single year bonus, not a two year bonus.