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Figured I was a fringe candidate for the fed. clerkship game, but just got word today my journal note is going to be published, which I figure has to give me a boost. I'm trying to figure out what my chances are, as much as can be guessed ITE.

Vital Stats:
T20, top 10%, secondary journal, note published, school moot court competition semi-finalist, USAO internship (in a major east coast market), state-level judicial externship, litigation clinic.

Recommenders:
Outstanding letter from a professor at the top of her field (second-most Supreme Court cites in her field); good letter from a low-level state judge; solid but not outstanding letter from the law school dean (whose class I took).

Basically I feel like the only thing holding me back is my school, which is consistently in the 15-25 range. I know COA is out, but I'm applying to virtually every east coast district court judge on the hiring plan between Georgia and New Hampshire.

Thoughts?

Matthewnym wrote:Figured I was a fringe candidate for the fed. clerkship game, but just got word today my journal note is going to be published, which I figure has to give me a boost. I'm trying to figure out what my chances are, as much as can be guessed ITE.

Vital Stats:
T20, top 10%, secondary journal, note published, school moot court competition semi-finalist, USAO internship (in a major east coast market), state-level judicial externship, litigation clinic.

Recommenders:
Outstanding letter from a professor at the top of her field (second-most Supreme Court cites in her field); good letter from a low-level state judge; solid but not outstanding letter from the law school dean (whose class I took).

Basically I feel like the only thing holding me back is my school, which is consistently in the 15-25 range. I know COA is out, but I'm applying to virtually every east coast district court judge on the hiring plan between Georgia and New Hampshire.

Thoughts?

Very nice

G. T. L. Rev. wrote:Worth sending apps out, but the odds are stacked against you. Good luck!

GTL: I value your opinion highly. Why do you think the odds are stacked against him? Is it because he's late to the game? Or is it the lack of Law Review? (Obviously not being at Georgetown or higher hurts as well, but I would think that this type of resume would be competitive otherwise.)

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mistergoft wrote:

Matthewnym wrote:Figured I was a fringe candidate for the fed. clerkship game, but just got word today my journal note is going to be published, which I figure has to give me a boost. I'm trying to figure out what my chances are, as much as can be guessed ITE.

Vital Stats:
T20, top 10%, secondary journal, note published, school moot court competition semi-finalist, USAO internship (in a major east coast market), state-level judicial externship, litigation clinic.

Recommenders:
Outstanding letter from a professor at the top of her field (second-most Supreme Court cites in her field); good letter from a low-level state judge; solid but not outstanding letter from the law school dean (whose class I took).

Basically I feel like the only thing holding me back is my school, which is consistently in the 15-25 range. I know COA is out, but I'm applying to virtually every east coast district court judge on the hiring plan between Georgia and New Hampshire.

Thoughts?

Top 10% at a T20 couldn't snag you an SA?

Not having LR is going to hurt you. Not enough to keep you out of the running, though. If you have good ties to a secondary market I would blanket the federal district judges and magistrates. It's not going to be easy but if your apps are stellar you have a chance. Get applying NOW though.

In terms of SA, I was only top third after 1L. Also the main reason I didn't get law review. 2L I was top 2%, making top 10% overall. (For the record, I only had one seminar 2L, so my grades were almost entirely against the curve. Just took me too long to figure out law school exams.)

My other issue was I could only participate in about half of 2L OCI. My wedding overlapped with half the schedule. I was dumb and naive at the time thinking I could just submit my apps separately and explain my situation, and have anyone care. So I ended up with two interviews total, but nothing that worked out. Hence my unusual situation.