Applying for SCC clerkship?

[no1carmelasopranofan]

Hi guys,

 

Just wondering if I'm competitive enough to bother applying to SCC. I tried talking to my career office about it but they were pretty useless (as they tend to be). I know that you guys can't read a crystal ball or anything, but I'd appreciate any input. No one else I know is clerking, my career office was a bit of a dead end (they basically said do whatever), so I'd really appreciate anything you guys could tell me.

 

Here's what I'm looking at in terms of my application (while doing my best not to dox myself):

• My grades are pretty good for most things, but not for SCC. I have a mix of As and Bs and one C+. Some of my As are in the important classes (admin, evidence). My C+ is in family.
• I have an appellate level clerkship lined up. It's not for ONCA, FCA, or BCCA, but for a more medium-sized province. I know an appellate level one is good, not sure if it'll be seen as less valuable because it's (I assume) less competitive to get my clerkship than say, ONCA.
• I have good journal experience. Worked on both my school's journal and another journal that I got paid to edit.
• My French is nowhere near good enough for SCC.
• I think I have pretty decent references. I have 1 person who supervised me at a court placement during law school, 1 professor who's now been elevated to the president of my university, and another professor. I also have a professor who I was an RA for during 1L that I could ask, I just didn't ask for the CoA because they've done a lot for me and I didn't want to ask more of them.
• No publications, no LLM or PhD.
• I am currently articling and working a second job as well. I'm doing it because I live in a HCOL area and my articling pay is ridiculous, but maybe I can spin it as multitasking or perseverance or something lol

 

Is it worth it to apply? Not sure if my grades by themselves as enough to sink me. I know people say you have nothing to lose by applying, but it does take time and effort. I would rather not waste my time and bother my references again if I have basically no shot. 

[Scrantonicity2]

I'm answering as someone who applied for SCC clerkships thinking I was a marginal but not unthinkable candidate, who wishes that someone had given me more honest advice. In your shoes, with the benefit of my experience, I probably wouldn't apply. I've been a strong student in law school, but the people I know who landed interviews with the SCC were highly exceptional. They all had at least one publication, had summered and articled at very competitive firms, had prior appellate clerkships at BCCA, ONCA, or the FCA, and were either medalists or, at minimum, had heaps of course prizes. And I know some people who basically fit that profile who didn't get offers or even interviews at the SCC. I have no idea whether an appellate clerkship at a court outside BC or Ontario would be looked at less favorably, but I would be surprised, given the rest of the information you provided, if it would be enough to secure a spot. 

Now, if you don't mind doing the work, there is no harm in shooting your shot. But, as you know from your appellate clerkship application process, it can be a lot of work, and I think you'd be a very long shot candidate.

[no1carmelasopranofan]

Thanks, I appreciate the honesty. That's kind of what I was thinking as well. I have (non-law) people in my life encouraging me to apply, but I think they just don't really understand how exceptional the people who get these positions really are. I'm happy with my COA clerkship, like the city where I live/the clerkship is, and to be honest, don't really fancy a move to Ottawa (no offence Ottawans) and spending a year away from everyone I love anyway. So I'm not too broken up about it, lol.