Hello!
Sorry for the absence but I needed to breathe for a bit after last semester. I received questions from some of you about getting a federal clerkship since I am currently completing mine in D.C.
#1: Start looking for clerkship before August! A lot of federal clerkships require applications to be sent in by September. Prepare to spend at least a few days writing out an essay and tuning your resume up. There is a huge disadvantage for upcoming 1Ls because a lot of clerkships require a writing sample preferably a legal one. It is okay to use a sample from one of your undergrad classes though!
#2: I am not going to lie but it really helps if you know someone. My eldest sister has a motto: “Part of succeeding is just getting out there even when you’re tired.” Make a point to attend as many networking events that your school hosts. Attend these events and keep every card that you receive. I recommend making an excel sheet of everyone you meet with the name, e-mail, job, and where you met. This will make an e-mail easy and very personal. Tip: check Facebook for local networking events! These events don’t have to exclusively be for young attorneys. Follow your local ABA and CLE chapters so you can stay in the know.
#3: Spend the school year volunteering! Try to volunteer with something related to the area of law you’re interested in. A lot of employers want to see how interested you are in in a particular area. I came to my externship with 4 years of volunteer experience but I spent it in different areas of immigration law. My boss said that my different experiences showed that I was very interested in immigration and human rights issues.
#5: Work with your school! If you have a specific goal in mind then talk about it with your school! A fellow 1L wanted to work at the Patent Office, but the clerkship required a 2L-level class. Because he talked to the school about his goal, the school allowed him to audit that class. Long story short, he got the clerkship! Your school should have an office dedicated to helping students with clerkships. Develop a relationship with that office because it will be so vital!
#6: Take your legal research and writing class seriously! As a 1L, it is a common theme to ignore everything that your legal research and writing professor teaches you. Some people will moan about how they will have paralegals do “that” for them. But guess what, you will most likely not have a paralegal for another 7 years. As a clerk, you are expected to conduct legal research projects and write numerous memorandums at a drop of a hat. Tip: bring all your legal research and writing books and your bluebook with you to your clerkship.
#7: Check LinkedIn, Glassdoor, USAjobs.gov, and Google for opportunities! Try to switch out clerkship for externship or internship.
#8: If you do get a clerkship and it is out of town, check local colleges for housing! Most colleges will provide summer externs with housing and amenities such as gym membership. I chose to stay at a college over the summer because a lot of subleases required 4+ months or were too expensive. I preferred staying in a college apartment so I had my own space, a lease that was ideal, and a place near the metro so I could get to my clerkship easily.