2018-2019 Post-Clerkship Hiring Forum

(Seek and share information about clerkship applications, clerkship hiring timelines, and post-clerkship employment opportunities)
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Re: 2018-2019 Post-Clerkship Hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Mar 22, 2019 1:14 pm

Anonymous User wrote:How/as of what date are you certain KH is done? I heard they would make decisions within the next 2 weeks last week. Maybe they've done that and just haven't notified rejected applicants. So I'm curious of your source (to the extent you can share) and your degree of certainty.
Then I backtrack and say not certain! I just know of two friends with offers 1+ month ago and during the “interview-palooza” that’s KH did like 2 months back. So maybe I shouldn’t have said that and deterrred/provided doubt to applicants. My b.

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Re: 2018-2019 Post-Clerkship Hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Mar 22, 2019 1:45 pm

Can you elaborate more on what you mean about the Fed Cir apparently being on a different hiring schedule for DC firms? Have you heard that they are earlier or later than other fed clerk hiring?

Also curious why Latham and Gibson are more active than other firms. I have heard from other clerks in my circuit who have heard from them (I know of several offers being extended by both) but these same clerks have heard nothing yet from other DC firms (boutiques excluded). Anybody have ideas regarding what is different about these two?

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Re: 2018-2019 Post-Clerkship Hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Mar 22, 2019 1:49 pm

Anonymous User wrote:Can you elaborate more on what you mean about the Fed Cir apparently being on a different hiring schedule for DC firms? Have you heard that they are earlier or later than other fed clerk hiring?

Also curious why Latham and Gibson are more active than other firms. I have heard from other clerks in my circuit who have heard from them (I know of several offers being extended by both) but these same clerks have heard nothing yet from other DC firms (boutiques excluded). Anybody have ideas regarding what is different about these two?
Many biglaw firms send recruiting letters to FC chambers and host recruiting events/dinners that are separate and distinct (and almost uniformly later) than the letters sent and events/recruiting dinners held in NYC for NYC-based clerks. From what I understand, the FC recruiting is pretty much in full swing now and the recruiting circuit in NYC for NYC clerks was really hot in like January-Feb, with letters sent near everyday and events every week. Much less so now, while that is still going on in Dc

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Re: 2018-2019 Post-Clerkship Hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Mar 22, 2019 4:35 pm

Anonymous User wrote:Also curious why Latham and Gibson are more active than other firms. I have heard from other clerks in my circuit who have heard from them (I know of several offers being extended by both) but these same clerks have heard nothing yet from other DC firms (boutiques excluded). Anybody have ideas regarding what is different about these two?
+1

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Re: 2018-2019 Post-Clerkship Hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Mar 25, 2019 1:16 pm

Anonymous User wrote:Can you elaborate more on what you mean about the Fed Cir apparently being on a different hiring schedule for DC firms? Have you heard that they are earlier or later than other fed clerk hiring?
At least as compared to NYC (which can start in Dec/Jan), Fed Cir recruiting starts much later. This is so, at least in part, because if a clerk has applied or interviewed to a firm, that clerk shouldn't work on any cases involving that firm. That can be a big problem when the clerk is applying and interviewing at a lot of the big patent firms (e.g., Finnegan, Fish, Kirkland, Quinn...); a clerk will quickly be conflicted off half of the cases in a sitting. So, the hiring season is pushed back and starts in March/April, so there's less time that might cause issues, and runs through May or later. Many firms have patent-specific recruiting events for Fed Cir clerks.

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Re: 2018-2019 Post-Clerkship Hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Mar 25, 2019 1:22 pm

I heard from a DC partner that firms in DC are hiring slowly "because of the market." For complicated reasons, I'm not really in a position where I feel like I can bug him by following up and asking what he means. Does anyone have any thoughts on what this means for clerk hiring in DC?

And what does "because of the market" even mean? Are they slow because of the economy? Slow because of large summer classes? Etc.

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Re: 2018-2019 Post-Clerkship Hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Mar 25, 2019 1:47 pm

LA is moving slow too, hope it's not just because of the market though. That is really disconcerting if true. I thought the legal market was improving? I guess maybe not for litigation...

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Re: 2018-2019 Post-Clerkship Hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Mar 25, 2019 1:50 pm

I've heard that clerk hiring in DC is slow because lots of firms have had large SA classes the last few years and are waiting to see what those SA's who are clerking are doing before hiring. Whether that is true of other markets like LA, or whether that explains what "because of the market" means, I don't know. But seems it could definitely be a factor.

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Re: 2018-2019 Post-Clerkship Hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Mar 25, 2019 3:53 pm

According to a friend of a friend, Wilmer DC has just started its interview process. Has anyone here received an interview offer from them yet?

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Re: 2018-2019 Post-Clerkship Hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Mar 25, 2019 5:14 pm

Anonymous User wrote:Also waiting on DC. Other than boutiques, it seems extremely and oddly quiet. I've made a list here of all the intel that's been posted on this thread. If anyone has updates or corrections, please add.

Boutiques
  • Kellogg: Reportedly done with offers (are we certain of this?)
    Robbins Russell: At least one offer
    Boies: Sent out some offers
    Wilkinson Walsh: Some CB extended, apparently some CBs already done
BigLaw
  • Gibson: At least one CB, at least one ding
    A&P: At least one ding, others reporting silence
    Latham: At least two CBs reported, silence also reported
    Cleary: CB reported, silence also reported
    W&C: Only silence reported so far
Major DC BigLaw with no intel so far
  • WilmerHale
    Kirkland & Ellils
    Covington
    Hogan
    Jones Day
    Sidley
    S&C
    Paul Weiss
    Paul Hastings
Not Taking Laterals This Year
  • Skadden (I was told this via someone in their Chicago office)
Dinged by W&C via email within a week of applying.

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Re: 2018-2019 Post-Clerkship Hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Mar 25, 2019 5:55 pm

Has anyone heard anything from Winston & Strawn's Chicago office?

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Re: 2018-2019 Post-Clerkship Hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Mar 25, 2019 6:10 pm

I can report another Robbins Russell offer (unless I know the poster who reported the other).

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Re: 2018-2019 Post-Clerkship Hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Mar 26, 2019 11:04 am

I can confirm that Wilmer DC has begun offering CB interviews. I applied back in January and received an email about a CB interview today.

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Re: 2018-2019 Post-Clerkship Hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Mar 26, 2019 11:29 am

Anonymous User wrote:I can confirm that Wilmer DC has begun offering CB interviews. I applied back in January and received an email about a CB interview today.
Would you mind sharing your school band (HYS, MVP, etc.) and approximate class rank? I'm curious how competitive WH is for clerks. I know for SA's it's very competitive. Are they a little less grade conscious for clerks?

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Re: 2018-2019 Post-Clerkship Hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Mar 26, 2019 3:47 pm

I can confirm that W&C has done callbacks. Don't know about offers.

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Re: 2018-2019 Post-Clerkship Hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Mar 26, 2019 4:05 pm

Anonymous User wrote:I can confirm that Wilmer DC has begun offering CB interviews. I applied back in January and received an email about a CB interview today.
Hope it's rolling! :|

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Re: 2018-2019 Post-Clerkship Hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Mar 26, 2019 4:07 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:I can confirm that Wilmer DC has begun offering CB interviews. I applied back in January and received an email about a CB interview today.
Hope it's rolling! :|
Yeah me too. I thought I'd be competitive for at least a screener call, but I've heard nothing. :?

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Re: 2018-2019 Post-Clerkship Hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Mar 27, 2019 1:43 am

[DELETE]

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Re: 2018-2019 Post-Clerkship Hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Mar 27, 2019 11:11 am

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:I can confirm that Wilmer DC has begun offering CB interviews. I applied back in January and received an email about a CB interview today.
Would you mind sharing your school band (HYS, MVP, etc.) and approximate class rank? I'm curious how competitive WH is for clerks. I know for SA's it's very competitive. Are they a little less grade conscious for clerks?
HYS and I clerk for a feeder judge. My grades are not competitive enough for a SCOTUS clerkship, but they are pretty good.

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Re: 2018-2019 Post-Clerkship Hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Mar 27, 2019 2:24 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:I can confirm that Wilmer DC has begun offering CB interviews. I applied back in January and received an email about a CB interview today.
Hope it's rolling! :|
Yeah me too. I thought I'd be competitive for at least a screener call, but I've heard nothing.
Story of my experience as well. Going into my COA clerkship, I thought I had pretty good stats, even for a CA 2/9/DC clerkship, but I have been rejected by WLRK, KH, and SG, and heard nothing from BSF. Nothing like post-clerkship rejection to cut you down to size before starting out in private practice!

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Re: 2018-2019 Post-Clerkship Hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Mar 27, 2019 3:54 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:I can confirm that Wilmer DC has begun offering CB interviews. I applied back in January and received an email about a CB interview today.
Hope it's rolling! :|
Yeah me too. I thought I'd be competitive for at least a screener call, but I've heard nothing.
Story of my experience as well. Going into my COA clerkship, I thought I had pretty good stats, even for a CA 2/9/DC clerkship, but I have been rejected by WLRK, KH, and SG, and heard nothing from BSF. Nothing like post-clerkship rejection to cut you down to size before starting out in private practice!
This. It's a humbling experience.

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Re: 2018-2019 Post-Clerkship Hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Mar 28, 2019 2:52 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:I can confirm that Wilmer DC has begun offering CB interviews. I applied back in January and received an email about a CB interview today.
Hope it's rolling! :|
Yeah me too. I thought I'd be competitive for at least a screener call, but I've heard nothing.
Story of my experience as well. Going into my COA clerkship, I thought I had pretty good stats, even for a CA 2/9/DC clerkship, but I have been rejected by WLRK, KH, and SG, and heard nothing from BSF. Nothing like post-clerkship rejection to cut you down to size before starting out in private practice!
This. It's a humbling experience.
I may just be imagining it but firms definitely seemed more interested in me during OCI than they are now. Has the market changed in the last few years? Are there fears of a recession? Have I become unlikeable with age? Am I just imagining it??

yooobagz

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Re: 2018-2019 Post-Clerkship Hiring

Post by yooobagz » Thu Mar 28, 2019 3:34 pm

I can't speak to litigation generally, but I'm a bankruptcy clerk (non-SDNY/DE), and it seems like other than the really big debtor-side shops (Weil/K&E), no one is hiring due to the restructuring market being slow, filings being down, etc. And someone I know and trust at Kirkland mentioned that their restructuring class is "oversubscribed," so it looks like that's slowing down the clerk hiring market even further. There's only so much mid-market work going to larger firms that pay market, so if the big guys aren't hiring anymore and the smaller groups at larger firms aren't hiring because it's slow that's, uh, bad news.

I'm lucky that I've had some callbacks which I believe will turn into offers in my target market (some of the folks I'm clerking with are having an even tougher time than I am), albeit from big law firms that aren't particularly notable for their bankruptcy work. My understanding is that big time litigation is also slower at the moment (maybe due to the current administration, big cases going to boutiques, or other factors I don't understand), so overall, it seems to be a grimmer picture for clerks in 2019 than in recent years!

Then again, a lot of firms/offices that people are talking about on here are super selective to begin with and may only hire a handful of clerks each year. And, I guess if you already had a job lined up or have already found something you like, you may not be posting in the thread anymore. So, maybe we're all reading something into the tea leaves that's not actually there? :shrugs:

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Re: 2018-2019 Post-Clerkship Hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Mar 28, 2019 4:39 pm

yooobagz wrote:I can't speak to litigation generally, but I'm a bankruptcy clerk (non-SDNY/DE), and it seems like other than the really big debtor-side shops (Weil/K&E), no one is hiring due to the restructuring market being slow, filings being down, etc. And someone I know and trust at Kirkland mentioned that their restructuring class is "oversubscribed," so it looks like that's slowing down the clerk hiring market even further. There's only so much mid-market work going to larger firms that pay market, so if the big guys aren't hiring anymore and the smaller groups at larger firms aren't hiring because it's slow that's, uh, bad news.

I'm lucky that I've had some callbacks which I believe will turn into offers in my target market (some of the folks I'm clerking with are having an even tougher time than I am), albeit from big law firms that aren't particularly notable for their bankruptcy work. My understanding is that big time litigation is also slower at the moment (maybe due to the current administration, big cases going to boutiques, or other factors I don't understand), so overall, it seems to be a grimmer picture for clerks in 2019 than in recent years!

Then again, a lot of firms/offices that people are talking about on here are super selective to begin with and may only hire a handful of clerks each year. And, I guess if you already had a job lined up or have already found something you like, you may not be posting in the thread anymore. So, maybe we're all reading something into the tea leaves that's not actually there? :shrugs:
NYC restructuring associate (and former SDNY/DE clerk) checking in. Are you talking about non-NYC markets? If so - yes those places are slow because the market is so consolidated in NYC. Virtually all big bankruptcy business goes to NYC. Further, the restructuring lateral market is on fire in NYC right now - there is a lot of bankruptcy work and everyone is bulking up in anticipation of the coming recession. Lots of firms are hiring.

Now, firms generally prefer true laterals rather than clerks because they like candidates to have previous private practice experience. But as things progress they will start dipping further into the clerk pool. Have faith. When I was coming out of my clerkship people didn't start getting offers until summer. Most landed their gigs in late summer.

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Re: 2018-2019 Post-Clerkship Hiring

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Mar 28, 2019 4:56 pm

Anonymous User wrote:Now, firms generally prefer true laterals rather than clerks because they like candidates to have previous private practice experience. But as things progress they will start dipping further into the clerk pool. Have faith. When I was coming out of my clerkship people didn't start getting offers until summer. Most landed their gigs in late summer.
Do you mean bankruptcy clerks specifically? Or clerks generally? If its late summer for clerks generally (I'm a COA clerk) that's kind of annoying. I have a few offers now but really want to hear back from a few other firms before making a decision. They've been flexible so far but I can't imagine they would wait for me to "hopefully hear" from other firms all the way into the summer, especially the end of summer.

Seriously? What are you waiting for?

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