Clerkship Options For 2018 Grad Forum

[Anonymous User]

Was hoping someone could give me some advice.

Rising 3L at a T1. Top 5%, five CALIs, EIC of primary journal, and published a few times. Struck out with big law during OCIs last summer but landed an SA at a small firm in the city I want to practice in (secondary market).

Recently, I started applying for federal clerkships because I'd like to practice civil litigation and was hoping to have another shot at big law. Haven't had much luck, but just got an interview with a magistrate judge in the district I want to practice in.

My questions are: (1) whether I have a shot for clerking at the federal level in 2018 when I graduate; (2) if clerking for a magistrate judge could lead to big law in the jurisdiction that the clerkship is located; and (3) if I should take a magistrate clerkship position if offered since a lot of the 2018 positions are filled up.

Thanks in advance for any information/advice.

[BlackAndOrange84]

Was hoping someone could give me some advice.

Rising 3L at a T1. Top 5%, five CALIs, EIC of primary journal, and published a few times. Struck out with big law during OCIs last summer but landed an SA at a small firm in the city I want to practice in (secondary market).

Recently, I started applying for federal clerkships because I'd like to practice civil litigation and was hoping to have another shot at big law. Haven't had much luck, but just got an interview with a magistrate judge in the district I want to practice in.

My questions are: (1) whether I have a shot for clerking at the federal level in 2018 when I graduate; (2) if clerking for a magistrate judge could lead to big law in the jurisdiction that the clerkship is located; and (3) if I should take a magistrate clerkship position if offered since a lot of the 2018 positions are filled up.

Thanks in advance for any information/advice.

(1) Given your stats and EIC of your school's LR, in the abstract I'd think you'd be competitive for district court clerkships and could even land a COA (consider targeting any judges who are alums of your school or otherwise near either the school or the market you'll be working in). In terms of timing (whether you could make it happen for 2018), a lot could depend on when judges you'd be competitive for are hiring. Re: (2) and (3), I don't really know a lot about clerking for magistrate judges, except that how well magistrate clerkships are regarded can vary a lot from district to district and magistrate to magistrate. For (3), whether you accept that offer could really hinge on how substantive that judge's work is, how well he's regarded locally, how magistrate clerkships are regarded locally, and whether and how effectively he goes to bat for his clerks.

[mjb447]

Yeah, (2) and especially (3) are very difficult to answer in the abstract. If the clerkship is with an MJ with few connections and/or little interest in your finding a job and you'd be doing endless habeas and civil rights, I might answer differently than for a well-connected, well-respected judge who does interesting work and goes to bat for his clerks.

I agree that you're probably competitive for some Art. III clerkships, although a lot of them are full for 2018.

[lavarman84]

Yea, you should be competitive at the D. Ct. level at minimum. That doesn't guarantee anything, though. I'm surprised your law school hasn't done more for you. Considering your credentials, I would have expect them to push you for a clerkship. Considering that you're EIC of your school's law review, look for alumni judges. Also, look for current and former clerks who were on your journal. They might be willing to help you out, especially if your law review adviser vouches for you.

If you're willing to clerk for two years, you could take the Magistrate clerkship and apply for 2019 D. Ct. and COA clerkships. It would only help you. But I know some can't/aren't willing to clerk for two years. That's assuming you decide to go forward with the Magistrate process.

As for whether it will lead to biglaw, it could, but there are no guarantees. A D. Ct. or COA clerkship would offer much more of a boost. As others have pointed out, the prestige of the Magistrate clerkship is very dependent on the situation. Plus, you striking out with biglaw as a 2L isn't a good omen. A D. Ct. or COA clerkship doesn't even guarantee you biglaw (although, it would be a major boost to your chances).

[Anonymous User]

OP here. Thanks for the helpful input, everyone.

Was hoping someone could give me some advice.

Rising 3L at a T1. Top 5%, five CALIs, EIC of primary journal, and published a few times. Struck out with big law during OCIs last summer but landed an SA at a small firm in the city I want to practice in (secondary market).

Recently, I started applying for federal clerkships because I'd like to practice civil litigation and was hoping to have another shot at big law. Haven't had much luck, but just got an interview with a magistrate judge in the district I want to practice in.

My questions are: (1) whether I have a shot for clerking at the federal level in 2018 when I graduate; (2) if clerking for a magistrate judge could lead to big law in the jurisdiction that the clerkship is located; and (3) if I should take a magistrate clerkship position if offered since a lot of the 2018 positions are filled up.

Thanks in advance for any information/advice.

(1) Given your stats and EIC of your school's LR, in the abstract I'd think you'd be competitive for district court clerkships and could even land a COA (consider targeting any judges who are alums of your school or otherwise near either the school or the market you'll be working in). In terms of timing (whether you could make it happen for 2018), a lot could depend on when judges you'd be competitive for are hiring. Re: (2) and (3), I don't really know a lot about clerking for magistrate judges, except that how well magistrate clerkships are regarded can vary a lot from district to district and magistrate to magistrate. For (3), whether you accept that offer could really hinge on how substantive that judge's work is, how well he's regarded locally, how magistrate clerkships are regarded locally, and whether and how effectively he goes to bat for his clerks.

I'm pretty new to the federal clerkship application procedures, so I didn't think of targeting judges who are alumni. Most of our alums are located within the state I'd want to practice in so I'll definitely give that a shot. I don't know a lot about this particular magistrate judge as he seems to be pretty new, which, based on what you've stated, might not be good if the judge doesn't have much of a reputation yet.

Yeah, (2) and especially (3) are very difficult to answer in the abstract. If the clerkship is with an MJ with few connections and/or little interest in your finding a job and you'd be doing endless habeas and civil rights, I might answer differently than for a well-connected, well-respected judge who does interesting work and goes to bat for his clerks.

I agree that you're probably competitive for some Art. III clerkships, although a lot of them are full for 2018.

Yea, the magistrate judge I have an interview with seems pretty new, unfortunately. So, I'm not sure if he would be particularly helpful for helping me find a job after I finish.

Yea, you should be competitive at the D. Ct. level at minimum. That doesn't guarantee anything, though. I'm surprised your law school hasn't done more for you. Considering your credentials, I would have expect them to push you for a clerkship. Considering that you're EIC of your school's law review, look for alumni judges. Also, look for current and former clerks who were on your journal. They might be willing to help you out, especially if your law review adviser vouches for you.

If you're willing to clerk for two years, you could take the Magistrate clerkship and apply for 2019 D. Ct. and COA clerkships. It would only help you. But I know some can't/aren't willing to clerk for two years. That's assuming you decide to go forward with the Magistrate process.

As for whether it will lead to biglaw, it could, but there are no guarantees. A D. Ct. or COA clerkship would offer much more of a boost. As others have pointed out, the prestige of the Magistrate clerkship is very dependent on the situation. Plus, you striking out with biglaw as a 2L isn't a good omen. A D. Ct. or COA clerkship doesn't even guarantee you biglaw (although, it would be a major boost to your chances).

My law school has been somewhat helpful. I only started thinking about clerkships because I had a few professors reach out to me about applying. A previous poster also mentioned reaching out to alumni as, so I'm definitely going to give that a shot. I also wouldn't mind clerking for two years if the magistrate clerkship could lead to a district court clerkship. Maybe, I'll consider doing that too.

[Jchance]

OP here. Thanks for the helpful input, everyone.
...
My law school has been somewhat helpful. I only started thinking about clerkships because I had a few professors reach out to me about applying. A previous poster also mentioned reaching out to alumni as, so I'm definitely going to give that a shot. I also wouldn't mind clerking for two years if the magistrate clerkship could lead to a district court clerkship. Maybe, I'll consider doing that too.

The bolded is an indication that your profs think you're competitive for USDC (and possibly CoA) clerkship, not fed. magistrate clerkship like what you're thinking. 2018 is still quite sometime away, if I was you, I'd focus on nailing down a 2018- or 2019- or 2020- USDC clerkship then try to fill the gap year(s) with a biglaw gig.

[lolwat]

Above is all solid advice.

You're probably intentionally vague about what T1 range and what market you're in/want to be in, but it does sound like you're competitive for district court clerkships. I think the smaller the market, the greater likelihood that a magistrate clerkship (caveat: must have good reputation/be reasonably connected in the area) can get you somewhere. A "new" magistrate judge means little in terms of connections; at least where I am, I believe you have to have like 8 years of experience before you can even apply to be a magistrate judge. So it means that judge has been in practice for 8+ years and was well enough known and liked to be selected by the district court judges as a magistrate. Do some more research into what the magistrate did before they became a judge.

Also, look not only for alumni judges, but also judges who have hired from your school in the past. My T20 is horrible at placing clerks but there are a few judges who consistently hire 1 or 2 clerks from my school every year. The D.Ct. clerkship I eventually got years ago was with a judge that hired once from my school and liked that clerk enough to give another person from my school (me) a shot despite every other judge in that district hiring more locally.

[Anonymous User]

OP here.

OP here. Thanks for the helpful input, everyone.
...
My law school has been somewhat helpful. I only started thinking about clerkships because I had a few professors reach out to me about applying. A previous poster also mentioned reaching out to alumni as, so I'm definitely going to give that a shot. I also wouldn't mind clerking for two years if the magistrate clerkship could lead to a district court clerkship. Maybe, I'll consider doing that too.

The bolded is an indication that your profs think you're competitive for USDC (and possibly CoA) clerkship, not fed. magistrate clerkship like what you're thinking. 2018 is still quite sometime away, if I was you, I'd focus on nailing down a 2018- or 2019- or 2020- USDC clerkship then try to fill the gap year(s) with a biglaw gig.

I thought the same thing but figured a magistrate clerkship was better than nothing. Yea, I also started going for 2019 and 2020 clerkships because it seems like there are a lot more available. I definitely wouldn't be opposed to working at a large- to mid-size firm for a year or two before clerking.

Above is all solid advice.

You're probably intentionally vague about what T1 range and what market you're in/want to be in, but it does sound like you're competitive for district court clerkships. I think the smaller the market, the greater likelihood that a magistrate clerkship (caveat: must have good reputation/be reasonably connected in the area) can get you somewhere. A "new" magistrate judge means little in terms of connections; at least where I am, I believe you have to have like 8 years of experience before you can even apply to be a magistrate judge. So it means that judge has been in practice for 8+ years and was well enough known and liked to be selected by the district court judges as a magistrate. Do some more research into what the magistrate did before they became a judge.

Also, look not only for alumni judges, but also judges who have hired from your school in the past. My T20 is horrible at placing clerks but there are a few judges who consistently hire 1 or 2 clerks from my school every year. The D.Ct. clerkship I eventually got years ago was with a judge that hired once from my school and liked that clerk enough to give another person from my school (me) a shot despite every other judge in that district hiring more locally.

Yea, I'm trying to be vague so I don't out myself, but I can say it's in the lower T1 range. I probably misspoke when I stated the judge might not have a ton of connections because he is new. I meant he might not have as great of a reputation as a magistrate judge compared to other magistrates because he's new. Regardless, I'm going to look into him further before I start drawing conclusions.

When you targeted judges who hired from your school in the past, did they have clerkship postings up on OSCAR or the court's site? From what I've heard, the judges in the jurisdiction I'm interested in usually hire later than most other judges. I'm wondering if I should reach out to them before they have anything posted about a clerkship.

[anon sequitur]

If you get a year of experience (either with a mag clerkship or a firm), you should be a very competitive applicant for a clerkship for 2019. You also might try to find a late-hiring AIII clerkship for 2018, a few judges hire on very short timelines.

[lolwat]

Yea, I'm trying to be vague so I don't out myself, but I can say it's in the lower T1 range. I probably misspoke when I stated the judge might not have a ton of connections because he is new. I meant he might not have as great of a reputation as a magistrate judge compared to other magistrates because he's new. Regardless, I'm going to look into him further before I start drawing conclusions.

When you targeted judges who hired from your school in the past, did they have clerkship postings up on OSCAR or the court's site? From what I've heard, the judges in the jurisdiction I'm interested in usually hire later than most other judges. I'm wondering if I should reach out to them before they have anything posted about a clerkship.

Yeah. I think having a good reputation as a magistrate judge helps, but if he's new, it doesn't matter as much what his reputation as a judge (as long as he doesn't develop a poor reputation in the year you clerk for him!) as much as what his reputation as an attorney was before he became a judge. If he was a partner at a biglaw firm before he became a judge he might still have fresh connections there.

Call chambers and ask, or just apply via paper applications. And get on that today! If they set up OSCAR listings later on then apply through there (too) but paper applications are hugely underrated by many people. (As for more directly responding to your question, I generally waited for OSCAR openings before applying--but in hindsight that was a mistake.)

[Barrred]

With your stats and your goal of getting a second shot at biglaw, I would say that accepting a magistrate judge clerkship for '18 is a mistake if you only want to clerk for one year. If you are open to doing a magistrate clerkship in '18 and then a D.ct. in '19, this could be a good plan in terms of your goals. I knew some of the magistrate judge clerks from when I was clerking, and they had a significantly tougher time with post-clerskhip hiring than the the d.ct. clerks, even when they had similar academic credentials.

ETA: If you only want to clerk for one year, focus on d.ct. clerkships and apply widely/to judges who have hired from your school previously (as other posters have rightly suggested).

[Jchance]

With your stats and your goal of getting a second shot at biglaw, I would say that accepting a magistrate judge clerkship for '18 is a mistake if you only want to clerk for one year. . . . I knew some of the magistrate judge clerks from when I was clerking, and they had a significantly tougher time with post-clerskhip hiring than the the d.ct. clerks, even when they had similar academic credentials.

+1. I second this.

[Anonymous User]

OP here. Thanks again for the input.

If you get a year of experience (either with a mag clerkship or a firm), you should be a very competitive applicant for a clerkship for 2019. You also might try to find a late-hiring AIII clerkship for 2018, a few judges hire on very short timelines.

I've applied to around 30-40 district court/CoA positions for 2018 over the past three weeks and haven't gotten anything (besides the one interview with a magistrate judge). Maybe a 2019 district clerkship might be more realistic if I can get a magistrate clerkship for 2018.

Yea, I'm trying to be vague so I don't out myself, but I can say it's in the lower T1 range. I probably misspoke when I stated the judge might not have a ton of connections because he is new. I meant he might not have as great of a reputation as a magistrate judge compared to other magistrates because he's new. Regardless, I'm going to look into him further before I start drawing conclusions.

When you targeted judges who hired from your school in the past, did they have clerkship postings up on OSCAR or the court's site? From what I've heard, the judges in the jurisdiction I'm interested in usually hire later than most other judges. I'm wondering if I should reach out to them before they have anything posted about a clerkship.

Yeah. I think having a good reputation as a magistrate judge helps, but if he's new, it doesn't matter as much what his reputation as a judge (as long as he doesn't develop a poor reputation in the year you clerk for him!) as much as what his reputation as an attorney was before he became a judge. If he was a partner at a biglaw firm before he became a judge he might still have fresh connections there.

Call chambers and ask, or just apply via paper applications. And get on that today! If they set up OSCAR listings later on then apply through there (too) but paper applications are hugely underrated by many people. (As for more directly responding to your question, I generally waited for OSCAR openings before applying--but in hindsight that was a mistake.)

Good point. I'm going send out my application to all of the judges in the jurisdiction I want to clerk in. They haven't posted a ton of positions and, unless anyone thinks it will only annoy judges to receive unsolicited applications, I figure it could only help.

With your stats and your goal of getting a second shot at biglaw, I would say that accepting a magistrate judge clerkship for '18 is a mistake if you only want to clerk for one year. If you are open to doing a magistrate clerkship in '18 and then a D.ct. in '19, this could be a good plan in terms of your goals. I knew some of the magistrate judge clerks from when I was clerking, and they had a significantly tougher time with post-clerskhip hiring than the the d.ct. clerks, even when they had similar academic credentials.

ETA: If you only want to clerk for one year, focus on d.ct. clerkships and apply widely/to judges who have hired from your school previously (as other posters have rightly suggested).

But, if I did want to clerk for only one year, do you think doing a magistrate clerkship would put me in a better position to get biglaw than I would be in from mass mailing my 2L summer/3L year? I'll keep applying for 2018, but I haven't had a ton of luck so far with 2018 and it seems like most of the positions are already filled.

[mjb447]

30 - 40 apps over three weeks isn't much. That may be what's left for 2018, but don't read too much into your chances at d.ct. or COA from that sample size.

[lavarman84]

OP here. Thanks for the helpful input, everyone.

Was hoping someone could give me some advice.

Rising 3L at a T1. Top 5%, five CALIs, EIC of primary journal, and published a few times. Struck out with big law during OCIs last summer but landed an SA at a small firm in the city I want to practice in (secondary market).

Recently, I started applying for federal clerkships because I'd like to practice civil litigation and was hoping to have another shot at big law. Haven't had much luck, but just got an interview with a magistrate judge in the district I want to practice in.

My questions are: (1) whether I have a shot for clerking at the federal level in 2018 when I graduate; (2) if clerking for a magistrate judge could lead to big law in the jurisdiction that the clerkship is located; and (3) if I should take a magistrate clerkship position if offered since a lot of the 2018 positions are filled up.

Thanks in advance for any information/advice.

(1) Given your stats and EIC of your school's LR, in the abstract I'd think you'd be competitive for district court clerkships and could even land a COA (consider targeting any judges who are alums of your school or otherwise near either the school or the market you'll be working in). In terms of timing (whether you could make it happen for 2018), a lot could depend on when judges you'd be competitive for are hiring. Re: (2) and (3), I don't really know a lot about clerking for magistrate judges, except that how well magistrate clerkships are regarded can vary a lot from district to district and magistrate to magistrate. For (3), whether you accept that offer could really hinge on how substantive that judge's work is, how well he's regarded locally, how magistrate clerkships are regarded locally, and whether and how effectively he goes to bat for his clerks.

I'm pretty new to the federal clerkship application procedures, so I didn't think of targeting judges who are alumni. Most of our alums are located within the state I'd want to practice in so I'll definitely give that a shot. I don't know a lot about this particular magistrate judge as he seems to be pretty new, which, based on what you've stated, might not be good if the judge doesn't have much of a reputation yet.

Yeah, (2) and especially (3) are very difficult to answer in the abstract. If the clerkship is with an MJ with few connections and/or little interest in your finding a job and you'd be doing endless habeas and civil rights, I might answer differently than for a well-connected, well-respected judge who does interesting work and goes to bat for his clerks.

I agree that you're probably competitive for some Art. III clerkships, although a lot of them are full for 2018.

Yea, the magistrate judge I have an interview with seems pretty new, unfortunately. So, I'm not sure if he would be particularly helpful for helping me find a job after I finish.

Yea, you should be competitive at the D. Ct. level at minimum. That doesn't guarantee anything, though. I'm surprised your law school hasn't done more for you. Considering your credentials, I would have expect them to push you for a clerkship. Considering that you're EIC of your school's law review, look for alumni judges. Also, look for current and former clerks who were on your journal. They might be willing to help you out, especially if your law review adviser vouches for you.

If you're willing to clerk for two years, you could take the Magistrate clerkship and apply for 2019 D. Ct. and COA clerkships. It would only help you. But I know some can't/aren't willing to clerk for two years. That's assuming you decide to go forward with the Magistrate process.

As for whether it will lead to biglaw, it could, but there are no guarantees. A D. Ct. or COA clerkship would offer much more of a boost. As others have pointed out, the prestige of the Magistrate clerkship is very dependent on the situation. Plus, you striking out with biglaw as a 2L isn't a good omen. A D. Ct. or COA clerkship doesn't even guarantee you biglaw (although, it would be a major boost to your chances).

My law school has been somewhat helpful. I only started thinking about clerkships because I had a few professors reach out to me about applying. A previous poster also mentioned reaching out to alumni as, so I'm definitely going to give that a shot. I also wouldn't mind clerking for two years if the magistrate clerkship could lead to a district court clerkship. Maybe, I'll consider doing that too.

Yea, you're getting closer to the end for 2018, but you're not there yet. I had a handful of interviews and secured my D. Ct. clerkship for 2017 this fall (so the fall of my 3L year). I didn't even begin applying until the end of August of my 3L year. If you have strong credentials (which you do), you'll have a shot.

That all said, there still aren't any guarantees. That's why I'm hesitant to tell you to pass on anything.

Your credentials aren't that different from mine (I just graduated from a T1). My class rank might be a bit higher, but I was only a low-level editor on my school's law review. Thus, I still think you have a solid D. Ct. chance. You'll have the entire summer and 3L fall to apply. One other thing I noticed is that alumni D. Ct. judges reached out to law review specifically at my school to request applicants. I don't know if that happens for you, but those judges are really ideal for you. Being EIC will be a huge boost for you.

Ultimately, it's up to you, but I wouldn't be panicking at this point. You still have plenty of time, and you should have some law review connections to lean on. Trust me, a lot of law review alumni will bend over backwards to help out an EIC.(and I'd expect your law review adviser to have meaningful connections there)

One other thing: Don't just rely on OSCAR. Be prepared to call around to D. Ct. judges in your region to see if they have hired for 2018. Some won't post on OSCAR. They typically get less applicants which enhances your chances.

[Anonymous User]

OP here.

30 - 40 apps over three weeks isn't much. That may be what's left for 2018, but don't read too much into your chances at d.ct. or COA from that sample size.

Okay, that's reassuring. I'll have to research the application to interview to offer ratios to get a better idea.

OP here. Thanks for the helpful input, everyone.

Was hoping someone could give me some advice.

Rising 3L at a T1. Top 5%, five CALIs, EIC of primary journal, and published a few times. Struck out with big law during OCIs last summer but landed an SA at a small firm in the city I want to practice in (secondary market).

Recently, I started applying for federal clerkships because I'd like to practice civil litigation and was hoping to have another shot at big law. Haven't had much luck, but just got an interview with a magistrate judge in the district I want to practice in.

My questions are: (1) whether I have a shot for clerking at the federal level in 2018 when I graduate; (2) if clerking for a magistrate judge could lead to big law in the jurisdiction that the clerkship is located; and (3) if I should take a magistrate clerkship position if offered since a lot of the 2018 positions are filled up.

Thanks in advance for any information/advice.

(1) Given your stats and EIC of your school's LR, in the abstract I'd think you'd be competitive for district court clerkships and could even land a COA (consider targeting any judges who are alums of your school or otherwise near either the school or the market you'll be working in). In terms of timing (whether you could make it happen for 2018), a lot could depend on when judges you'd be competitive for are hiring. Re: (2) and (3), I don't really know a lot about clerking for magistrate judges, except that how well magistrate clerkships are regarded can vary a lot from district to district and magistrate to magistrate. For (3), whether you accept that offer could really hinge on how substantive that judge's work is, how well he's regarded locally, how magistrate clerkships are regarded locally, and whether and how effectively he goes to bat for his clerks.

I'm pretty new to the federal clerkship application procedures, so I didn't think of targeting judges who are alumni. Most of our alums are located within the state I'd want to practice in so I'll definitely give that a shot. I don't know a lot about this particular magistrate judge as he seems to be pretty new, which, based on what you've stated, might not be good if the judge doesn't have much of a reputation yet.

Yeah, (2) and especially (3) are very difficult to answer in the abstract. If the clerkship is with an MJ with few connections and/or little interest in your finding a job and you'd be doing endless habeas and civil rights, I might answer differently than for a well-connected, well-respected judge who does interesting work and goes to bat for his clerks.

I agree that you're probably competitive for some Art. III clerkships, although a lot of them are full for 2018.

Yea, the magistrate judge I have an interview with seems pretty new, unfortunately. So, I'm not sure if he would be particularly helpful for helping me find a job after I finish.

Yea, you should be competitive at the D. Ct. level at minimum. That doesn't guarantee anything, though. I'm surprised your law school hasn't done more for you. Considering your credentials, I would have expect them to push you for a clerkship. Considering that you're EIC of your school's law review, look for alumni judges. Also, look for current and former clerks who were on your journal. They might be willing to help you out, especially if your law review adviser vouches for you.

If you're willing to clerk for two years, you could take the Magistrate clerkship and apply for 2019 D. Ct. and COA clerkships. It would only help you. But I know some can't/aren't willing to clerk for two years. That's assuming you decide to go forward with the Magistrate process.

As for whether it will lead to biglaw, it could, but there are no guarantees. A D. Ct. or COA clerkship would offer much more of a boost. As others have pointed out, the prestige of the Magistrate clerkship is very dependent on the situation. Plus, you striking out with biglaw as a 2L isn't a good omen. A D. Ct. or COA clerkship doesn't even guarantee you biglaw (although, it would be a major boost to your chances).

My law school has been somewhat helpful. I only started thinking about clerkships because I had a few professors reach out to me about applying. A previous poster also mentioned reaching out to alumni as, so I'm definitely going to give that a shot. I also wouldn't mind clerking for two years if the magistrate clerkship could lead to a district court clerkship. Maybe, I'll consider doing that too.

Yea, you're getting closer to the end for 2018, but you're not there yet. I had a handful of interviews and secured my D. Ct. clerkship for 2017 this fall (so the fall of my 3L year). I didn't even begin applying until the end of August of my 3L year. If you have strong credentials (which you do), you'll have a shot.

That all said, there still aren't any guarantees. That's why I'm hesitant to tell you to pass on anything.

Your credentials aren't that different from mine (I just graduated from a T1). My class rank might be a bit higher, but I was only a low-level editor on my school's law review. Thus, I still think you have a solid D. Ct. chance. You'll have the entire summer and 3L fall to apply. One other thing I noticed is that alumni D. Ct. judges reached out to law review specifically at my school to request applicants. I don't know if that happens for you, but those judges are really ideal for you. Being EIC will be a huge boost for you.

Ultimately, it's up to you, but I wouldn't be panicking at this point. You still have plenty of time, and you should have some law review connections to lean on. Trust me, a lot of law review alumni will bend over backwards to help out an EIC.(and I'd expect your law review adviser to have meaningful connections there)

One other thing: Don't just rely on OSCAR. Be prepared to call around to D. Ct. judges in your region to see if they have hired for 2018. Some won't post on OSCAR. They typically get less applicants which enhances your chances.

Yea, I'm generally pretty risk adverse, which is why I would normally consider accepting a magistrate clerkship if offered. But, in this case, I think I might try to hold out for a district court clerkship. Based on what I've read on here so far, a district court clerkship has generally been pretty successful for most, while the same can't be said for the magistrate clerkships.

Also, that's a great idea. I'll definitely try calling all of the chambers I'm interested in over the next few days. I think a lot of the judges in the jurisdiction I'm looking at don't utilize OSCAR as much as other judges.

[lavarman84]

Yea, I'm generally pretty risk adverse, which is why I would normally consider accepting a magistrate clerkship if offered. But, in this case, I think I might try to hold out for a district court clerkship. Based on what I've read on here so far, a district court clerkship has generally been pretty successful for most, while the same can't be said for the magistrate clerkships.

Also, that's a great idea. I'll definitely try calling all of the chambers I'm interested in over the next few days. I think a lot of the judges in the jurisdiction I'm looking at don't utilize OSCAR as much as other judges.

I think it's likely the right call. There will be more magistrate openings over the next 4 to 5 months if you can't land a D. Ct. clerkship.

Good luck!

[lolwat]

Yea, I'm generally pretty risk adverse, which is why I would normally consider accepting a magistrate clerkship if offered. But, in this case, I think I might try to hold out for a district court clerkship. Based on what I've read on here so far, a district court clerkship has generally been pretty successful for most, while the same can't be said for the magistrate clerkships.

Also, that's a great idea. I'll definitely try calling all of the chambers I'm interested in over the next few days. I think a lot of the judges in the jurisdiction I'm looking at don't utilize OSCAR as much as other judges.

I think it's likely the right call. There will be more magistrate openings over the next 4 to 5 months if you can't land a D. Ct. clerkship.

Good luck!

I will add that during my job search I applied very broadly out of desperation and then later when I thought about it more, withdrew a bunch of applications (including a few clerkships) because I felt I could do better and those positions wouldn't have gotten me where I wanted to be. Ended up with a D.Ct. clerkship and now living where I always wanted to end up. I think you'll be fine but it will require hustling a bit for the 2018 clerkship since most already are gone.

[Anonymous User]

Yea, I'm generally pretty risk adverse, which is why I would normally consider accepting a magistrate clerkship if offered. But, in this case, I think I might try to hold out for a district court clerkship. Based on what I've read on here so far, a district court clerkship has generally been pretty successful for most, while the same can't be said for the magistrate clerkships.

Also, that's a great idea. I'll definitely try calling all of the chambers I'm interested in over the next few days. I think a lot of the judges in the jurisdiction I'm looking at don't utilize OSCAR as much as other judges.

I think it's likely the right call. There will be more magistrate openings over the next 4 to 5 months if you can't land a D. Ct. clerkship.

Good luck!

I will add that during my job search I applied very broadly out of desperation and then later when I thought about it more, withdrew a bunch of applications (including a few clerkships) because I felt I could do better and those positions wouldn't have gotten me where I wanted to be. Ended up with a D.Ct. clerkship and now living where I always wanted to end up. I think you'll be fine but it will require hustling a bit for the 2018 clerkship since most already are gone.

OP here. Thank you, both for the advice!