clerkship questions (1 Viewer)

[Marmalade.]

Should I go nuts and apply to 25- 30 firms?

Assuming I put in the time to write well-written and targeted cover letters, and do decent answers to any questions, is it too much to put in so many seasonal clerkship applications?

I am really interested in only about 7 particular firms, and the rest mean nothing to me.

I have no problem putting in a few hours sending these applications, because if I get a clerkship or two it will be worth it, but I don't want to have too many interviews. Am I a strong candidate that will get a hanfdul of first round interviews, or will I get many rejections, therefore making it reasonable to apply to heaps of places?

Also, when they say they want an academic transcript, do they mean a scan of your official transcript or will a table at the end of your resume with the figures typed in be adequate? Provided you can show an official transcript at interview

PS If you're wondering why I'm asking this now, it's because I know that I'm going to be super busy when application are due so I'm trying to do as much as possible early.

 

[hfis]

Take an official transcript to your interview. Until then they'll be satisfied with whatever you put on cvMail.

If your grade average and experience is what you say it is, then as long as you aren't a completely socially inept shut-in you'll most likely get into every firm you apply for.

I would only apply to the firms that you're interested in working in. You're not going to be unemployable after your degree, so don't worry about that - if you honestly can't see yourself working in the practice area of a particular firm, or you think its 'firm culture' is a load of bollocks, just stay away from it. Honestly, you'll be miserable there if you accept the offer, and the time you spent on preparing your application and attending the interviews could have been better spent elsewhere. If you're only interested in 7 firms, apply for those 7 firms; as I said, I don't think rejections will really be a problem for you.

 

[melsc]

I'd think you'd been seen as a very good applicant...I wish my grades were that good.

 

[Marmalade.]

No, I'm not a shut-in.

melsc, if you were me would you apply everywhere?

I don't feel that confident. My grades aren't that good, and my experience and extra-curriculars are minimal.

 

[Frigid]

My grades aren't that good

errr... say what?

 

[Marmalade.]

errr... say what?

Sorry - I meant not *that* good, in response to melsc saying I'm a strong candidate.

 

[Frigid]

Sorry - I meant not *that* good, in response to melsc saying I'm a strong candidate.

with those grades alone, you should be fine for some big 6 interviews. trust me.

 

[hfis]

My grades aren't that good

I would highly recommend never speaking this aloud in the presence of other law students if you'd like your campus' suicide rate to stay steady.

 

[neo o]

My grades aren't that good

I call lies. Noone with a HD average is stupid enough to think that it's a mediocre average.

 

[jackmurray1989]

I call lies. Noone with a HD average is stupid enough to think that it's a mediocre average.

Agreed. Fishing for compliments/ego boost.

 

[Marmalade.]

I've already explained what I meant by that. I was not saying that my grades aren't good. I stated in my first post that I have good grades. I was saying that they alone may not make me a strong candidate - all I hear is 'well-rounded' when firms talk about what they're looking for. Also, I don't have a HD average for law: my arts grades are relatively unimportant to law firms.

 

[subdued123]

if you want to apply, apply.

If you don't want to apply, don't apply.

But don't post your life story up here and then have everyone fawning over you to tell you that you'll be ok, only to have you deny it. I think you might need to be worried.

You have grades and whatnot, but you actually might be socially inept. Or at the very least, immature.

And what position am I to comment? I work at a top tier law firm.

I will take no further part in this ridiculous fishing/ego stroking exercise.

 

[Marmalade.]

if you want to apply, apply.

If you don't want to apply, don't apply.

But don't post your life story up here and then have everyone fawning over you to tell you that you'll be ok, only to have you deny it. I think you might need to be worried.

You have grades and whatnot, but you actually might be socially inept. Or at the very least, immature.

And what position am I to comment? I work at a top tier law firm.

I will take no further part in this ridiculous fishing/ego stroking exercise.

Why so nasty? I am not fishing for compliments, I am looking for advice on how selective I can be when applying. My "life story" is therefore relevant. So far, only hfis has answered this question. Just because I have good grades and am not confident that this alone is good, doesn't mean that what I'm looking for is for people to give me an ego boost. I just want honest advice.

And why the hell would you bring up where you work? At least me talking about myself is relevant, you seem to want to add in that you work at a top-tier for no reason other than to gloat.

 

[melsc]

No, I'm not a shut-in.

melsc, if you were me would you apply everywhere?

I don't feel that confident. My grades aren't that good, and my experience and extra-curriculars are minimal.

Personally, I would apply to everywhere for a number of reasons:

1. Keeping my options as wide open as possible.

2. Giving myself the best possible chance to get a clerkship (more you apply to more chances)

3. You may actually find your interests change or new experiences might change your mind. I hated torts at uni and always say myself working in criminal law but working on a variety cases has shown me that its totally different when working on real cases and I have developed new interests.

4. While it might take time, you don't want to be wondering what you missed, or realising that the time taken to do a few more apps would have been worth it because you missed something good.

5. No one ever knows what they want so applying to a variety of firms may ensure that you find one thats looking for someone like you.

I am not sure what my fate will be when this happens, my extra-curriculars and work experience is my strong point, whereas my law grades are average.
I have done mooting since second year including one external comp, subcommittee stuff for the law society, written for law society mag, mentoring and will be doing a clinical placement unit in 06 as well as working JAN - Mar in a crappy law firm (if you could call it that) and since March as a paralegal for two barristers BUT I have to law Ps, heaps of credits and one law D and HD (hoping for a few d's this semester find out on Friday). I know Blakedawson wasn't impressed with the p's in my paralegal interview...I just hope to pull my marks up next year and apply to whoever I can.

If I don't get one, while it will make it harder to snag a good grad job that will pay my PLT its not the end of the world,. my bosses are great and I get to do a whole lot of relevant stuff so I can't complain...although I'd like to try out a big firm to see if I like it,

 

[Marmalade.]

^ Thanks for you answer, melsc. Those are pretty impressive extra-curriculars.

I'll probably apply to the 7 I like and then add in another 7 or so as a back-up.

 

[ephemeral]

if you want to apply, apply.

And what position am I to comment? I work at a top tier law firm.

lol, come on...

 

[velox]

This thread is ripe for locking...

If the OP actually has the average they say, they should know the answers to the questions already...

 

[RogueAcademic]

I know Blakedawson wasn't impressed with the p's in my paralegal interview...I just hope to pull my marks up next year and apply to whoever I can.

How do you mean they weren't impressed with your Ps? What did they say and how did they say it? (If you don't mind me asking.)

 

[neo o]

From my experience during clerkship interviews, top tier firms didn't seem overly concerned with my transcript (and I have my fair share of Ps). Government departments were a different matter though.

 

[melsc]

How do you mean they weren't impressed with your Ps? What did they say and how did they say it? (If you don't mind me asking.)

They had circled it on their copy of my CV and asked me why the rest of my marks were so good and these ones weren't...