The value of doing a second federal clerkship

[tiktok]

I was lucky enough to land a clerkship at the federal court this cycle.  Lately, I've been contemplating the idea of seeking another clerkship at the FCA next cycle. One of the reasons I want to clerk at the FCA is because I am interested in tax law and appellate advocacy. However, I am uncertain if it's a good plan in the long-term. I understand that a second clerkship will delay my career as an LP by a year. Will a clerkship at the FCA be useful if my goal is work for the federal govt and possibly become general counsel or lead a division? Would I be better off getting an LLM in taxation from Osgoode? 

[DarthLaw]

Can I ask why you wanted to do the clerkship in the first place. What do you actually get out of it. I have read up on it but I haven't been convinced. Just curious what someone who has actually done it thinks.

[SNAILS]

My approach would be to narrow it down to 2 alternatives. If you do not do the second clerkship, what will you do instead? Do you have an employment offer that you can do instead of clerking? 

If you do, then think about what you would enjoy doing more, what will advance your career more long term, and what each pays respectively.

[tiktok]

15 hours ago, DarthLaw said:

Can I ask why you wanted to do the clerkship in the first place. What do you actually get out of it. I have read up on it but I haven't been convinced. Just curious what someone who has actually done it thinks.

I chose to pursue a clerkship because I didn't want to do BigLaw and knew that I wanted to work for the federal government. I've been told that the DoJ recruits from the federal courts every year. If I didn't land a clerkship, I would have applied to the Legal Excellence Program. A clerkship, in my opinion, is a good opportunity to work closely with a judge. Plus it can also even double as your articling! 

[tiktok]

14 hours ago, SNAILS said:

My approach would be to narrow it down to 2 alternatives. If you do not do the second clerkship, what will you do instead? Do you have an employment offer that you can do instead of clerking? 

If you do, then think about what you would enjoy doing more, what will advance your career more long term, and what each pays respectively.

If I don't do a second clerkship, I think I would start my legal career as counsel/litigator in the federal government and do the LLM part-time over like 4 years. A friend advised to apply to the FCA anyway because a career is at least 35 years and that I would not get the opportunity to clerk again. So, on one hand I am a bit torn because a part of me think they are right, but I am also hesitate because I would be earning a clerk's salary (~69k) two years in a row. I should also mention that I have no aspiration to become a professor. I know that people that some people who pursue appellate clerkships/clerk at the SCC aim to become professors. 

Edited July 2 by tiktok

[SNAILS]

I think you have your answer right there then @tiktok

I get the impression from your post you really do want to do that second clerkship, and just wanted some reassurance. This level of clerkship work does have potential to lead to an academic career, though I am no expert! You don't have anything else firmly lined up. And ~69k is not a bad salary at all compared to the general Canadian population, though it of course does not match the most highly paid opportunities out there.