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2YR lit V10, former COA clerk summary +Q's
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Date: October 7th, 2010 10:11 PM Author: motley deer antler roommate I used to post on this message board but haven't recently, mostly because work keeps me really busy. My background: I clerked on a COA and have been a litigator at a top firm for about a year now.
I'm taking the time to reflect on the past year. I think it's been OK. I've learned a ton. A lot of the work that I've done was interesting. But, on the downside, my hours have been pretty bad at times. And partnership (at least at the firm that I'm at) seems unlikely. Not that I've done a bad job--I think I've done OK (some mistakes, some good work). But, numerically, it just doesn't look likely.
Edit: One other opinion that I'll add: You don't learn all that much useful stuff as a COA clerk. You may improve your writing skills, and you may learn a little about oral argument (simply by watching so many). You may also learn some useful information about particular judges. But there are a zillion practical skills that you cannot learn as a COA clerk (and you can improve your writing while working at a firm, too). |
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Date: October 7th, 2010 10:19 PM Author: Rough-skinned Ladyboy Numerically, I expected a better post. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1444672&forum_id=2#16240537) |
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Date: October 7th, 2010 10:21 PM Author: Fishy base pozpig Subject: Clerkships are a waste of time I can attest, given I did 2! I should have just gone straight to a firm. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1444672&forum_id=2#16240560) |
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Date: October 7th, 2010 10:25 PM Author: motley deer antler roommate Don't know that I'd go that far. The resume value looks strong, to me. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1444672&forum_id=2#16240600) |
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Date: October 7th, 2010 10:27 PM Author: Chrome buck-toothed toilet seat parlour Do you think that you would have learned more useful skills from a district court clerkship? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1444672&forum_id=2#16240620) |
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Date: October 7th, 2010 10:30 PM Author: Ruby native (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1444672&forum_id=2#16240640) |
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Date: October 7th, 2010 11:09 PM Author: motley deer antler roommate Yeah, definitely. You still get the same opinion writing and brief reading work that you'd get an appellate court clerkship. And you also get to see all the nitty gritty trial stuff--jury selection, opening, closing, direct, cross, etc. Of course, biglaw doesn't usually involve a lot of trials--but if you know how a trial works, you better understand what you are aiming for in all the pre-trial stuff.
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Date: October 7th, 2010 11:41 PM Author: vivacious talking garrison lettuce Did you do a DCt and a COA? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1444672&forum_id=2#16241168) |
Date: October 7th, 2010 11:36 PM Author: Bearded Degenerate Set what is the biggest mistake youve made in biglaw? are there any associates youve worked with (or across) that obviously can't cut it? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1444672&forum_id=2#16241139) |
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Date: October 8th, 2010 8:34 AM Author: motley deer antler roommate Well, nothing major. Of course, I've turned in work product that was later revised heavily. That's normal, and I don't think of that as a mistake really. But there have also been times where I've missed a case or two when doing research (as far as I know, in all of these situations, I later found the missing case, so no harm was done). Stuff like that.
Are there people who obviously can't cut it? Well, not really. I'm sure they exist, but I haven't worked with any people like this. There are a lot of people who obviously won't make partner--in fact, most people obviously will not make partner. But there aren't many people who are not capable of doing good work as an associate. |
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Date: October 8th, 2010 10:16 AM Author: exhilarant site hissy fit what separates those who few who seem like partnership material from those who are (obviously) not? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1444672&forum_id=2#16242783) |
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Date: October 7th, 2010 11:41 PM Author: vivacious talking garrison lettuce Exit plans? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1444672&forum_id=2#16241170) |
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Date: October 8th, 2010 8:35 AM Author: motley deer antler roommate Not sure--smaller firm or government probably. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1444672&forum_id=2#16242515) |
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Date: October 8th, 2010 11:49 AM Author: Wine senate Describe the kind of small firm you'd work at (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1444672&forum_id=2#16243301) |
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Date: October 7th, 2010 11:44 PM Author: vivacious talking garrison lettuce Advice to people deciding whether or not to clerk? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1444672&forum_id=2#16241183) |
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Date: October 8th, 2010 8:36 AM Author: motley deer antler roommate Probably worth it for the resume value. Plus it's a fun job. But if you have a good firm gig lined up, it's not the end of the world if you don't clerk (and you can always clerk after a few years of working). (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1444672&forum_id=2#16242516) |
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Date: October 8th, 2010 9:05 AM Author: Underhanded fear-inspiring dopamine have partners in your firm tried to funnel more appellate work to you because of your clerkship? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1444672&forum_id=2#16242543) |
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Date: October 8th, 2010 10:28 AM Author: Nubile Painfully Honest Becky tyft (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1444672&forum_id=2#16242879) |