Clerkship Hiring Thread Forum

[Anonymous User]

Given what I've heard from fellow NU students, many of whom have had good success, I'm left wondering whether the top CCN people striking out were being too geographically limited with where they applied.

Same Anonymous as above here: one of my friends, CCN, LR, extremely high grades, applied mainly in a very remote area, because that's where the person is from. Nada.

[TTT-LS]

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[Anonymous User]

One thing that I've noticed is that people in the top 15-33% range have landed interviews in some fairly unpredictable places--places they have no ties to whatsoever. Those interviews haven't always worked out, but apparently a few have (and hopefully more will as time passes). So if the top of the class+LR people at CCN are only applying in the large cities + their home state, that's probably too limited for this cycle. Though I haven't seen them all on LCA at this point, it now looks like NU has placed in 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, DC, and a bunch of district courts, and I'm sure there are still a lot of people I don't know about. There also seems to be an extremely strong correlation between being on the board of L. Rev. and COA clerkships. In fact, for the group just mentioned, it is 1:1.

How do you know what the top 15-33% range is at a school that doesn't rank? It seems to me that after 1st year, people could pretty much cherry pick classes that are guaranteed As (i.e., "Law and ......" classes), and skew their GPA (and rank in the class) in that way.

[helvidius2010]

It seems to me that after 1st year, people could pretty much cherry pick classes that are guaranteed As (i.e., "Law and ......" classes), and skew their GPA (and rank in the class) in that way.

Many judges and their clerks will look at the classes you have taken, so any obvious cherry picking may weaken the strength your application. There is nothing wrong with waiting until 3L to take classes like Fed Courts and Admin, but do not fill up your schedule with powder puff classes.

[Lawschoolman]

It seems to me that after 1st year, people could pretty much cherry pick classes that are guaranteed As (i.e., "Law and ......" classes), and skew their GPA (and rank in the class) in that way.

Many judges and their clerks will look at the classes you have taken, so any obvious cherry picking may weaken the strength your application. There is nothing wrong with waiting until 3L to take classes like Fed Courts and Admin, but do not fill up your schedule with powder puff classes.

Many does not equal all. Your point, however, is well taken, and I agree.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone else on here completely strike out? I really wasn't focused on the prestige aspect of a clerkship - most of the judges I applied to were magistrate judges in rural areas in TX, AK, OK, MS, NM, and LA. Can't say I'm surprised, but it's definitely disappointing after spending all that time preparing applications and writing custom cover letters for each judge.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone else on here completely strike out? I really wasn't focused on the prestige aspect of a clerkship - most of the judges I applied to were magistrate judges in rural areas in TX, AK, OK, MS, NM, and LA. Can't say I'm surprised, but it's definitely disappointing after spending all that time preparing applications and writing custom cover letters for each judge.

I definitely understand your frustration. It seems like judges were interviewing way more people than they usually did, and even after multiple interviews I was still striking out.

[johnadams]

applicants:

what are you using as your writing sample?

-interested 2L wanting to apply off cycle

[Anonymous User]

applicants:

what are you using as your writing sample?

-interested 2L wanting to apply off cycle

I used an objective memo because I was applying to trial judges. For appellate judges, a lot of people use an excerpt from their comment/note.

[TTT-LS]

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[charliec9]

applicants:

what are you using as your writing sample?

-interested 2L wanting to apply off cycle

I used a section of a seminar paper that I wrote, which was accepted for publication as an article in another school's journal. I applied to both COA and DCT. Some professors/advisers were kind of undecided on using an academic piece for district judges, but I got interview offers from a number of COA and district, so I don't think it hurts that much (unless you know the judge has a clear preference).

[helvidius2010]

I used an objective memo for both district courts and COA. I limited it to 10 double-spaced pages as I had seen several district court judges specifically state that limit. When I got to my COA interview, the judge seemed to want something more in depth. So I gave him a copy of my seminar paper. Thankfully, I got the job. If I had to do it again, I would use the 10-page objective memo for district court applications and the seminar paper for COA applications. And of course, take extra copies of the other to each interview.