My clerkship term is done in 8 months (April 2026). I have a standing offer from a boutique, and some large firms are telling its too far out for them know their needs. I don’t wanna leave the offering firm hanging around forever, but I do want to test the market. Any thoughts/advice?

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It depends on how much interest you have in the boutique, where you are clerking, and for what type of judge you are clerking. If you are clerking for a district judge in a relatively desirable district or at the circuit level, securing offers will probably not be an issue. Anecdotally, my clerkship ends in September, and interviews and offers started pouring in around March/April. Firms seem to be actively recruiting clerks, and all my co-clerks were able to secure a post-clerkship job they are happy with.

Overall, if I were you, I’d consider whether the boutique pays market, whether it has name recognition (i.e, whether you could easily lateral to a large firm if need be), and whether you would accept that offer against generic biglaw. You could also politely ask for how long the offer will remain open.

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Great, advice. Thanks!

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Unless you’ve heard otherwise from the boutique, I wouldn’t worry about waiting for a while to respond to them. Lots of clerks aren’t even allowed to officially accept an offer until close to the end of their clerkship. And most strong firms will understand that you want to explore options to find a mutually beneficial fit. I’d stay in touch with the boutique, but start networking with other firms now and apply in the fall to places of interest.

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