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Thursday, March 12, 2009

Courts - Law clerks may be quaking in their boots

Above the Law has a long entry today headed "Clerks: Can't Go Home Again?," that includes this:

Once upon a time, clerks were a hot commodity, wooed by major law firms with constantly increasing clerkship bonuses. The market-rate clerkship bonus rose to $50,000 for one clerkship, $70,000 for two clerkships, and $250,000 for Supreme Court clerks. But times have changed since 2007 -- and clerks, despite their general orientation towards the somewhat more recession-proof field of litigation, are not immune.

Back in February 2008, we wrote about firms no longer welcoming back former associates who left their firms to clerk, contrary to past practice. We also covered the trend of firms imposing freezes on hiring clerks who didn't summer there.

The bad news continues to roll in. More recently, we've heard reports of firms cold-offering clerks holding offers to return. Now we're hearing reports -- anecdotal, admittedly -- of firms outright rescinding offers to current clerks.

[More] This ATL entry is also recommended.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on March 12, 2009 10:12 AM
Posted to Courts in general