Federal Clerkship Applications Hit New High
The National Law Journal reported today that applications for federal clerkships went up over 60% in 2009. Another important trend noted was that over 50% of the applicants were law school graduates rather than students in their final year (up from just 18% in 2005). This is reflecting significant changes in how graduating students can pursue immediate post-grad opportunities, as well as shifts in what jobs currently employed (or recently laid-off) attorneys are seeking out. The article highlights the importance of networking and internships as ways to get your foot in the door – as judges are overwhelmed by the number of online applicants they are relying more and more on these traditional methods to hire their clerks.