Law School Discussion

Nine Years of Discussion
;
Discussion Discussion
Resources Resources
Pages: [1]

Author Topic: State Clerkships  (Read 3934 times)

xferlawstudent

  • Sr. Citizen
  • ****
  • Posts: 608
    • View Profile
State Clerkships
« on: October 12, 2007, 10:09:28 AM »
How difficult is it to land a State Supreme Court or State Court of Appeals clerkship?  Anyone have any experiences with this?
Logged

vaplaugh

  • Guest
Re: State Clerkships
« Reply #1 on: October 12, 2007, 10:45:25 AM »
tag.

I've been told state supremes are as difficult to land as federal district.  Depends on the jurisdiction for intermediate appellate courts.  From the courts I've looked at, some don't even hire clerks; quite a few courts just have career briefing attorneys.  A few intermediate court applications I've seen require top 25% grades with a strong preference for law review.
Logged

Budlaw

  • Sr. Citizen
  • ****
  • Posts: 530
    • View Profile
Re: State Clerkships
« Reply #2 on: October 17, 2007, 06:39:24 PM »
You're foolish if you think that they're easy to get. State Appellate and Supreme Court clerkships are just as competitive as Federal District Court Clerkships. Maybe more so if you don't have a connection to the state that you're applying in.
Logged

gibbsale

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 73
    • View Profile
Re: State Clerkships
« Reply #3 on: November 28, 2007, 03:36:40 PM »
Very competitive.  People have told me that intermediate appellate and trial courts are easier than state supreme courts (at least to obtain interviews).  But the only interview offer I ever received was with a state supreme court.   
Logged

gershonw

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 57
    • View Profile
Re: State Clerkships
« Reply #4 on: November 28, 2007, 05:05:37 PM »
i got a summer clerkship at my state intermediate appellate court.  im a 1L at a t50 non t14. (yes it was a non nalp employer..although i didnt go to any Careerer services meetings and i had no idea about the dec 1 rule)

i had been going for any sort of sumemr clerkship and i called first every state trial judge in my area.  some told me they didnt know if they hire-some told me they would be hirign s submit a resume..some said they wernt hiring..and some didnt answer the phone...

as i was preparing to send resumes...

i then called the intermediate appellate court judges in my area

the intermediate appellate court judge told me to come in for an interview (told me just to bring my resume in).

i had a connection to the area and had been a law clerk at a firm before law school..and had other crim law experiences (probation office work)

the judge said he had an endless supply of criminal appeals...

he also liked that i westlaw-ed decisions that he had written or dissented from.  that gave him some idea that i wasn't a total moron.

good luck


of course thats just a summer clerkship...but i saw his current real clerks were grads of a  tier 3 and a tier 4 (both with a connection to the area)
Logged
Pages: [1]