No matter what kind of lawyer you wish to be when you finish law school, there is no doubt that getting offered a clerkship by a law firm is going to be the best way for you to reach your potential. Naturally however there is only a very small number of clerkships across the country, in comparison to the number of students who are passing their law degree. This means that you have to be an attractive candidate in order to receive an offer. No matter whether you wish to be a corporate lawyer, a criminal defense attorney or a sidewalk accident lawyer, here is what you will need to offer to be in with a chance of getting picked.

Great School

The first thing which a law firm will look at is the school from which they are picking their students. Over the years certain schools have gained a reputation for the very highest standards and for producing some of the best lawyers in the country. These are the schools which law firms will generally look at. There are also some smaller, less reputable firms who will look at schools outside of the top 5, so there is always a chance of getting picked regardless of where you study law.

Top of The Class

Those who are most likely to get offered a clerkship are those who are in the top 5-10% of students. This indicates consistent performance throughout the years at law school, in terms of grades, awards and general performance. It is not enough to only deliver in one or tow years of law school if you wish to get picked for a clerkship, as they will only look at those who have repeatedly delivered high quality results during their time studying law.

Recommendations

In many of the best schools the law firm will speak with professors to find out who offers the best potential for their firm’s interests. Those professors who are well respected by those at the firm will have their ear, and be able to put forward some of their best students for consideration. This is not to say that those recommendations are always picked, but they will always be considered by the firm which is offering the clerkship.

Interviews

Law students who do get picked out by the law firm will not be given a clerkship straight away, they will merely be in the running for it. The process will involve a series of interviews during which time the firm will identify the candidate which they believe best suits their firm, in terms of both legal ambition and personality traits. There are many high quality law students who have a great deal of potential, who may not make the final grade when it comes to the scrutiny of a law firm.

To anyone who wants to get picked for this kind of opportunity, it is imperative that they consistently perform to the highest level throughout their education.