How to Survive Clerkship Application Season – by someone who is currently freaking out just like you

Originally posted July 22, 2017

By Lauren Solomonson, edited by Julius Torres

If you’ve clicked the link to read this you’re thinking one of two things: A) what on Earth are clerkships or B) YES I’m not alone!!!

Now here’s a GIF of Harvey Specter smiling just to calm your nerves.

So, coming from personal experience gathered by both myself (currently doing this process just the same as you) and fellow law students who have also run this gauntlet, here are some tips to help you get by and hopefully get a kick ass clerkship for this upcoming season!

1. Make a list of places to apply

There’s nothing worse than knowing you need to do something but having no idea where to start. A simple Google search will set you on the right path, or (because I feel for you right now) I’ll link you straight to the LIV complete list of 2020 signatories: Click here for life-saving joy! There’s also other relevant information on their site, including deadlines and other helpful tips! Don’t want to miss out on opportunities because you get the deadline wrong.

2. Have a clear idea about the type of firm you would want to work at

When you picture your future, do you see yourself working in a corporate firm, or a criminal one, maybe family law, or something more obscure like media law? It may seem right now that the end goal is just receiving a clerkship offer, but be careful you don’t apply to firms that don’t interest you one bit. Starting off your career in an area you’re not interested in is not a great start, and you won’t feel as committed to the work and networking opportunities if you’re heart isn’t in it 110%.

3. Get that CV in tip-top shape

By now in your career you’ve probably got a resume or CV slowly growing on your desktop. Now is the best time to take what you’ve got and try to make it better! This could mean re-wording some old job descriptions, making sure your employment dates are correct, checking that old referees are still happy to be called, or doing a total re-design. Nothing could be worse than a firm calling a referee and having them say “Alex who?”. I personally use Canva, a free online tool, to do my graphic design work for my CV (not a paid ad, just a genuine recommendation) so if you’re feeling a bit tech savvy, I’d say give it a go!

4. Draft a cover letter, and get someone to proof read it for you

We all have that one friend from high school who got straight A+s in English or Literature, now is the time to hit them up for some proofreading. It always helps to have a fresh pair of eyes look over something you’ve been intently working on, as when you’re uber-familiar with a document you can often miss things that others will pick up on. Or, if you’ve got some time, pair up with another law student whose going through the same process and proofread each other’s letters! Sometimes, slow and painful processes are made better when done with company.

5. TAKE A BREAK

The chances are, if you’ve been working five hours straight writing and re-writing applications, your brain has gone to sleep and you’re not working at your highest efficiency. Take a break, it can be 15 minutes, an hour, or take a whole day off! Your mind will reset and you’ll be refreshed ready to keep on going when you next sit down to tackle the challenge ahead of you! Whilst this is an important process, it shouldn’t be one that turns into a nightmare due to the pressure, so make sure to take care of yourself along the way.

I hope this has been helpful – please know that if you ever want some advice you can always reach out to the DLSS Geelong with questions and our committee members will do our best to get you an answer! The Faculty advisers may also be a good place to stop and chat if you have some questions or are looking for advice.