Clerkship Timing (or should I clerk at all?)
Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2017 2:20 am
I am a 2L at a T14, we're not ranked or anything but I'm guessing I'm probably in the top 20% at least. On LR, and currently have a job lined up for next summer at a V30. Very interested in patent law (particularly patent litigation), and that's what I would be doing at my SA (and I did last summer at my 1L SA).
I am currently waiting on recommenders to finish letters so that I can begin applying for clerkships, but am having second thoughts. My girlfriend and I have been together 7 years now. She started at a Ph.D program at my school the same year I started law school, but her program is 6 years long. By the time she finishes, I'll likely be 3 years out of law school. However, after that she has to complete a post-doc, which is a few more years and will likely be in another city. In that case, we would move.
My thought process is that I can clerk right away (in 2019, when I graduate), but that would mean I would only work for 2 years at my firm before potentially having to lateral. Alternatively, I could work for 3 years at the firm then clerk if/when we move before lateraling. The third alternative is that I don't clerk at all; I still don't fully understand what the benefits are of clerking and how useful it is once I've already started working.
Any thoughts? When's the best time to clerk? Should I clerk at all?
I am currently waiting on recommenders to finish letters so that I can begin applying for clerkships, but am having second thoughts. My girlfriend and I have been together 7 years now. She started at a Ph.D program at my school the same year I started law school, but her program is 6 years long. By the time she finishes, I'll likely be 3 years out of law school. However, after that she has to complete a post-doc, which is a few more years and will likely be in another city. In that case, we would move.
My thought process is that I can clerk right away (in 2019, when I graduate), but that would mean I would only work for 2 years at my firm before potentially having to lateral. Alternatively, I could work for 3 years at the firm then clerk if/when we move before lateraling. The third alternative is that I don't clerk at all; I still don't fully understand what the benefits are of clerking and how useful it is once I've already started working.
Any thoughts? When's the best time to clerk? Should I clerk at all?