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Currently taking 1.5 years off of law school due to medical reasons and starting again Fall 2018 for 1 year to finish up my degree. I have 3 years of experience at a firm and have clerked at other law firms throughout law school. Compared to the average law school student, I have a tremendous amount of work experience.

Since I have over half a year before I begin, I was wondering what would be the next best thing to a clerkship considering I have not graduated yet and ineligible. I would like to focus solely on research and writing.

The firm I am with now rarely has any research or writing opportunities. Are there any other options out there for someone in my position? Or am I just stuck with a paralegal job and no job opportunities exist to research and write?

One thing you could try to do - this isn't a substitute for a job, but would be a good use of your time, I think - would be to write a LR note or article and submit it for publication somewhere. I'd think that would look good and signal that you take writing and research seriously. Reach out to former/future professors for advice and feedback, etc.

flashdril wrote:One thing you could try to do - this isn't a substitute for a job, but would be a good use of your time, I think - would be to write a LR note or article and submit it for publication somewhere. I'd think that would look good and signal that you take writing and research seriously. Reach out to former/future professors for advice and feedback, etc.

TITCR

I believe that this contributed greatly to my subsequently getting a clerkship. Gotta get it published though, which is no easy feat.

Writing a LR article is good, but you'll have to really find something you think is interesting and invest the time in it.
Maybe see if you can get a judicial externship? Those are for students and it's very possible judges have 'em year round and not just during the summer. I don't know.

lolwat wrote:Writing a LR article is good, but you'll have to really find something you think is interesting and invest the time in it.
Maybe see if you can get a judicial externship? Those are for students and it's very possible judges have 'em year round and not just during the summer. I don't know.

Many do (usually through a law school externship program, but sometimes not).

mjb447 wrote:

lolwat wrote:Writing a LR article is good, but you'll have to really find something you think is interesting and invest the time in it.
Maybe see if you can get a judicial externship? Those are for students and it's very possible judges have 'em year round and not just during the summer. I don't know.

Many do (usually through a law school externship program, but sometimes not).

Oh, cool. I think OP should definitely look into that, then. It's probably as close to a research-and-writing job as OP can get (though perhaps not 100% research and writing), it looks pretty good on a resume, and the connections made during an externship could lead to a clerkship after graduation. (Although, some judges don't hire externs as clerks, so keep that in mind.)

If you can afford it, try to intern for a judge even if it's just part time. You won't get paid but you'll get close to the same experience as a clerk. I did an internship and an externship during law school and I think they helped me get my clerkship.