Cruel Fate

[baby duck monge]

Well I'm kinda bummed out, and I figured that a vaguely anonymous message board is as good a place as any to try to drum up some sympathy

Last Thursday I was informed that I had been selected for an externship with the Court of Appeals for the Western District of Tennessee. I am currently waiting to find out if I am going to be hired as a law clerk for the Judge running the externship, so this was going to be my chance to do an amazing job, score some extra points, and get the actual job.

Yesterday I got a call from the U.S. Attorney's office for Tennessee. I was also selected to do an externship with them, and they needed some information to begin processing a background check. I explained that I had already accepted an externship with the Court of Appeals, and that I was sad to say I would have to reject them.

Can anyone guess where this is going?

This morning I got an email from the Court of Appeals. A few months ago, one of the Justices from the Court of Appeals passed away. They have found a replacement. The replacement Justice needs the space that was to be used for the extern (me). The externship has been cancelled.

I called back the U.S. Attorney's Office on the off chance they haven't found someone to replace me - after all, it has been less than 24 hours. Naturally, this wasthe one time bureaucracy moved quickly, and the spot has been filled.

So sad. If only my externship had been cancelled one day sooner.

 

[Ntombi]

Wow, that really sucks. I'm sorry.

Do you have any other prospects?

 

[TEG]

Sorry about that, but that is why until you are given the actual offer letter, you never reject a job.

I've been interning with different companies while in school, and at one point had two companies wanting me. I waited until the one I really wanted gave me an offer letter before rejecting the other one, just in case the company's situation changed.

TEG

 

[baby duck monge]

Sorry about that, but that is why until you are given the actual offer letter, you never reject a job.

I've been interning with different companies while in school, and at one point had two companies wanting me. I waited until the one I really wanted gave me an offer letter before rejecting the other one, just in case the company's situation changed.

TEG

I agree with you 100%. However, this was not a job. This was an externship run through the law school in conjunction with the appropriate offices. It counts as a class. There are no offer letters. I had, however, completed the convoluted registration process, and was registered for the externship with the Court of Appeals. That's as close to confirmation as you can get for these things.

Your advice is spot on, and it's a tactic I have used in the past, but unfortunately it was not something that was possible in this situation.