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A few questions on Washington Supreme Court Clerkships (Evergreen State, not the Capitol). If anyone has any insight, I'd appreciate it!

Do WA Supreme Court Judges consider hiring people right out of law school?

How important is it to have clerked at a WA state appellate court?

How much do these judges value a prior connection to WA?

How competitive is it compared to federal district court clerkships/in comparison to other state supreme court clerkships?

Yes they frequently hire out of law school. It is definitely not a requirement to have clerked previously; again, most clerks are fresh out of law school. It is slightly less competitive than a district court clerkship in the state. But coming up with a plausible tie is a important; the WA Supreme Court is more tie-conscious than western district judges in my experience. There’s a site online that lists which justices are seeking clerks for which terms; no harm in applyIing broadly.