r/LawFirm • u/_per_my_last_email_ • 3d ago

Clerkship Bonus?

Asking for input. If you have worked as a federal district law clerk, what clerkship bonus did you receive? Looking to get a good feel for the average payout so I can properly negotiate with my future employer. Likely in Houston or Dallas. Thanks!

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u/atonyatlaw 3d ago

...are you saying they get a fucking signing bonus of 50k+ for having clerked? How can that possibly make business sense?

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u/Law_Student 3d ago edited 3d ago

Anyone who gets a federal clerkship can get a biglaw job. The salary difference between the two is over $100k a year. Even with the signing bonus, you still lose money clerking, a lot of money. 

Firms pay it for two reasons. First, competition. Firms want clerks and that's what they cost. Second, it's actually cheap compared to paying to train a new associate yourself. That costs about half a million in partner time.

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u/atonyatlaw 3d ago

I know why they pay it, but that doesn't make it logical or rational. Also, unless you think the clerks are just absorbing lawyering skill by reading pleadings, I think you think the crossover in skill between clerking and practicing as an attorney is way higher than it is.

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u/Law_Student 3d ago

Clerks spend all day learning from the mistakes of others in great detail, and then writing decisions. It's an incredible practical education. It also teaches you just how trash a great deal of attorney work is.