Clerks Taking Questions Forum

[Anonymous User]

As of a couple of months ago, APKS was interviewing clerk candidates.

There are only about 15 legacy KS attorneys in DC, not sure how that'll affect clerk hiring.

[AT9]

I have an interview request with a justice on a relatively prestigious state Supreme Court. Asked to do an interview in-person in the next month or two if I'd be in town, or a Skype interview if not. Is it better to schedule a skype interview soon or wait several weeks to meet in person? I feel like in-person interviewing is just generally better, but I don't want to lose my chance bc I waited too long.

[mjb447]

I have an interview request with a justice on a relatively prestigious state Supreme Court. Asked to do an interview in-person in the next month or two if I'd be in town, or a Skype interview if not. Is it better to schedule a skype interview soon or wait several weeks to meet in person? I feel like in-person interviewing is just generally better, but I don't want to lose my chance bc I waited too long.

I interviewed for a clerkship via video, and it wasn't that different. If you're going to have to wait a little while to interview in person, I'd take the Skype interview (especially if the judge extends offers on a rolling basis).

[AT9]

I have an interview request with a justice on a relatively prestigious state Supreme Court. Asked to do an interview in-person in the next month or two if I'd be in town, or a Skype interview if not. Is it better to schedule a skype interview soon or wait several weeks to meet in person? I feel like in-person interviewing is just generally better, but I don't want to lose my chance bc I waited too long.

I interviewed for a clerkship via video, and it wasn't that different. If you're going to have to wait a little while to interview in person, I'd take the Skype interview (especially if the judge extends offers on a rolling basis).

Thanks for the tip! I guess I will ask the assistant who called me about the time frame for hiring. If the justice isn't doing any interviews for a while yet (Skype or in-person), I'll just wait and do in-person. Otherwise I'll do the Skype interview ASAP.

[Anonymous User]

I have an interview request with a justice on a relatively prestigious state Supreme Court. Asked to do an interview in-person in the next month or two if I'd be in town, or a Skype interview if not. Is it better to schedule a skype interview soon or wait several weeks to meet in person? I feel like in-person interviewing is just generally better, but I don't want to lose my chance bc I waited too long.

I interviewed for a clerkship via video, and it wasn't that different. If you're going to have to wait a little while to interview in person, I'd take the Skype interview (especially if the judge extends offers on a rolling basis).

I would follow this advice, having been in your position last year (for a COA judge interview, and a substantive one at that). It ended well. YMMV, of course.

[Pure Applesauce]

.

[Anonymous User]

Have a one-year d. ct. clerkship lined up but looking to apply for a COA clerkship in the following year. Is that something I need to talk about with my d.ct. judge first? Or can I just go for it?

The biggest way this would affect your d. ct. judge is probably the timing of your departure, but that's an easier subject to talk about when you're a little farther along in the process, like after you've been invited to interview with a COA judge who's posted a rough start date on OSCAR (although that could be different if you're applying for COA positions that will cut into your d. ct. clerkship time significantly). I talked to my d. ct. judge before applying for positions just because judges like being in the loop, but I don't know that you need to.

[grand inquisitor]

Have a one-year d. ct. clerkship lined up but looking to apply for a COA clerkship in the following year. Is that something I need to talk about with my d.ct. judge first? Or can I just go for it?

as long as there's no date conflict you should be fine. you could coord just to be nice but its such a longshot there's little need to involve the judge unless you want his recommendation, which really can't come til you've worked for him (thus likely pushing the COA clerkship further into the future).

[MurdockLLP]

SDNY/DE Bk. Clerk jumping in

When did you apply for your clerkship? What do you think most helped set you apart in your application? Do you have your post-clerkship position locked down?

[jrf12886]

Have a one-year d. ct. clerkship lined up but looking to apply for a COA clerkship in the following year. Is that something I need to talk about with my d.ct. judge first? Or can I just go for it?

As long as the COA clerkship would start in the same month your D. Ct. clerkship ends, I would not coordinate prior to accepting the COA offer. It's normal to work out start/end dates a few months prior (and sometimes the two judges will speak to hammer out the precise turnover date if there is an issue). But if you would have to leave the D. Ct. clerkship earlier than the 12th month, you should discuss with the D. Ct. judge before accepting. It would be bad to raise that issue once you've already started, essentially giving the D. Ct. judge no option but to accept your early departure.

[Anonymous User]

Have a magistrate clerkship lined up in flyover country, but in the biggest city in the state. What are my chances in getting an Art. III or CoA clerkship the following year? Top 1% at a T50, law review, moot court, and 2L biglaw SA. I'm not super picky about where the clerkship would be, but I would prefer in CA or 9th Cir.

[mjb447]

Have a magistrate clerkship lined up in flyover country, but in the biggest city in the state. What are my chances in getting an Art. III or CoA clerkship the following year? Top 1% at a T50, law review, moot court, and 2L biglaw SA. I'm not super picky about where the clerkship would be, but I would prefer in CA or 9th Cir.

I'd just apply broadly and see what happens. Top 1% at almost any school could be competitive for Art. III clerkships (which includes district and circuit judges, BTW), but it's probably going to be pretty idiosyncratic (on top of how idiosyncratic clerkship hiring is to begin with) - for some judges your school might be a dealbreaker, and for others that won't be the case. CA/9th Cir. might be tough, though: they have their pick of a lot of students from very good schools.

[A. Nony Mouse]

I know a bunch of magistrate clerks who got district court clerkships after, although most of the time it was in the same
district where they did the magistrate clerkship.

[Anonymous User]

I just started a clerkship and I feel like I am doing absolutely nothing right. I spent the last 2 days getting yelled at over stuff that was mostly my fault, but that I honestly did not know any better. I am sincerely trying here, but I am getting very beaten down and my confidence is definitely shaken. I am concerned that my judge and co-clerks are losing confidence in me and will just dismiss be as an idiot. Is this normal? What should I do? What was the learning curve like when you started?

[jrf12886]

I just started a clerkship and I feel like I am doing absolutely nothing right. I spent the last 2 days getting yelled at over stuff that was mostly my fault, but that I honestly did not know any better. I am sincerely trying here, but I am getting very beaten down and my confidence is definitely shaken. I am concerned that my judge and co-clerks are losing confidence in me and will just dismiss be as an idiot. Is this normal? What should I do? What was the learning curve like when you started?

How long have you been there? It's fairly common to feel that way for several weeks. If you don't feel you're getting your bearings by the 2 month mark, that's when I would be concerned and maybe discuss with the Judge how you can improve.

[rpupkin]

I just started a clerkship and I feel like I am doing absolutely nothing right. I spent the last 2 days getting yelled at over stuff that was mostly my fault, but that I honestly did not know any better. I am sincerely trying here, but I am getting very beaten down and my confidence is definitely shaken. I am concerned that my judge and co-clerks are losing confidence in me and will just dismiss be as an idiot. Is this normal? What should I do? What was the learning curve like when you started?

I don't think it's normal. But if there's one theme in this thread, it's that it's hard to define a "normal" for judges. Judges are all over the place. Some judges are mean. Some judges yell.

Perhaps your judge just had a couple of bad days. Or perhaps your judge likes to be rough--at first--with new clerks, but then softens up as the weeks go by. But if you're clerking for a judge who is mean all the time, I'm sorry. All you can do is try your best and, if the judge continues to be unpleasant, remind yourself that it ends in a year. Hang in there.

[mjb447]

I just started a clerkship and I feel like I am doing absolutely nothing right. I spent the last 2 days getting yelled at over stuff that was mostly my fault, but that I honestly did not know any better. I am sincerely trying here, but I am getting very beaten down and my confidence is definitely shaken. I am concerned that my judge and co-clerks are losing confidence in me and will just dismiss be as an idiot. Is this normal? What should I do? What was the learning curve like when you started?

How long have you been there? It's fairly common to feel that way for several weeks. If you don't feel you're getting your bearings by the 2 month mark, that's when I would be concerned and maybe discuss with the Judge how you can improve.

Agreed - feeling at sea for the first few weeks or even months is totally normal. Of course, it's possible that the judge has unreasonable expectations about how fast you'll catch on (and how to bring errors to your attention - a matter-of-fact or brusque 'talking to' is pretty normal, screaming less so). Unfortunately, you really don't have any control over that. Are there any career people there who are willing to be helpful? Sometimes they can give you useful insight about surviving the year.

[rpupkin]

I just started a clerkship and I feel like I am doing absolutely nothing right. I spent the last 2 days getting yelled at over stuff that was mostly my fault, but that I honestly did not know any better. I am sincerely trying here, but I am getting very beaten down and my confidence is definitely shaken. I am concerned that my judge and co-clerks are losing confidence in me and will just dismiss be as an idiot. Is this normal? What should I do? What was the learning curve like when you started?

How long have you been there? It's fairly common to feel that way for several weeks. If you don't feel you're getting your bearings by the 2 month mark, that's when I would be concerned and maybe discuss with the Judge how you can improve.

Agreed - feeling at sea for the first few weeks or even months is totally normal.

To clarify, I agree that feeling at sea for awhile is totally normal. Getting yelled at is not.

[Anonymous User]

I just started a clerkship and I feel like I am doing absolutely nothing right. I spent the last 2 days getting yelled at over stuff that was mostly my fault, but that I honestly did not know any better. I am sincerely trying here, but I am getting very beaten down and my confidence is definitely shaken. I am concerned that my judge and co-clerks are losing confidence in me and will just dismiss be as an idiot. Is this normal? What should I do? What was the learning curve like when you started?

How long have you been there? It's fairly common to feel that way for several weeks. If you don't feel you're getting your bearings by the 2 month mark, that's when I would be concerned and maybe discuss with the Judge how you can improve.

Agreed - feeling at sea for the first few weeks or even months is totally normal.

To clarify, I agree that feeling at sea for awhile is totally normal. Getting yelled at is not.

Anon OP here. Thank you for all of the replies-- I do feel a bit better. I am less than a month in and the assignments that have gone wrong are literally the first ones that I have done. The culture around the office is a little off-putting, so I think I am magnifying the issues and taking things more personally than I should. My Judge and co-clerks may yet dismiss me as an idiot, but I think my lack of knowledge is normal at this point.

[jrf12886]

I just started a clerkship and I feel like I am doing absolutely nothing right. I spent the last 2 days getting yelled at over stuff that was mostly my fault, but that I honestly did not know any better. I am sincerely trying here, but I am getting very beaten down and my confidence is definitely shaken. I am concerned that my judge and co-clerks are losing confidence in me and will just dismiss be as an idiot. Is this normal? What should I do? What was the learning curve like when you started?

How long have you been there? It's fairly common to feel that way for several weeks. If you don't feel you're getting your bearings by the 2 month mark, that's when I would be concerned and maybe discuss with the Judge how you can improve.

Agreed - feeling at sea for the first few weeks or even months is totally normal.

To clarify, I agree that feeling at sea for awhile is totally normal. Getting yelled at is not.

I agree. There is really no reason a judge (or any boss except perhaps in the military/police) should be screaming at employees. I personally think it's highly unprofessional. But sadly, there is really nothing a clerk can do about it.

[mjb447]

Good luck, OP. Hopefully you don't end up at http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 4&t=259620

[Anonymous User]

I got a a voicemail last week with an interview request. Called back soon after and got the assistant/clerk who called me. We discussed possible interview dates and I asked if I could discuss with my SO bc of travel issues and then get back to them. Assistant said that was fine. Very normal and polite interaction in line with most interview scheduling stuff.

I called back early on Monday and got voicemail (it was president's day, but the court wasn't closed per the website). Called this morning and got voicemail again, and didn't get a call back today.

Obviously, the assistant could be out of town or exceptionally busy or something, but this seems unusual to me. I'm wondering if they hired someone else or decided not to interview me for some reason.

Anyway, how often should I call back before giving up? Should I send a follow-up letter if I don't hear anything by the end of this week or some other point? I don't want to let the interview chance slip away, but I also don't want to be a pest.

[BVest]

I got a a voicemail last week with an interview request. Called back soon after and got the assistant/clerk who called me. We discussed possible interview dates and I asked if I could discuss with my SO bc of travel issues and then get back to them. Assistant said that was fine. Very normal and polite interaction in line with most interview scheduling stuff.

I called back early on Monday and got voicemail (it was president's day, but the court wasn't closed per the website). Called this morning and got voicemail again, and didn't get a call back today.

Obviously, the assistant could be out of town or exceptionally busy or something, but this seems unusual to me. I'm wondering if they hired someone else or decided not to interview me for some reason.

Anyway, how often should I call back before giving up? Should I send a follow-up letter if I don't hear anything by the end of this week or some other point? I don't want to let the interview chance slip away, but I also don't want to be a pest.

If you left a voicemail, then stop calling for a week.

[Anonymous User]

I got a a voicemail last week with an interview request. Called back soon after and got the assistant/clerk who called me. We discussed possible interview dates and I asked if I could discuss with my SO bc of travel issues and then get back to them. Assistant said that was fine. Very normal and polite interaction in line with most interview scheduling stuff.

I called back early on Monday and got voicemail (it was president's day, but the court wasn't closed per the website). Called this morning and got voicemail again, and didn't get a call back today.

Obviously, the assistant could be out of town or exceptionally busy or something, but this seems unusual to me. I'm wondering if they hired someone else or decided not to interview me for some reason.

Anyway, how often should I call back before giving up? Should I send a follow-up letter if I don't hear anything by the end of this week or some other point? I don't want to let the interview chance slip away, but I also don't want to be a pest.

If you left a voicemail, then stop calling for a week.

And after that, try calling one last time, letter, nothing?

[rpupkin]

I got a a voicemail last week with an interview request. Called back soon after and got the assistant/clerk who called me. We discussed possible interview dates and I asked if I could discuss with my SO bc of travel issues and then get back to them.

The next time this happens, say you can make it at the earliest interview date offered, and then figure out a way to make the logistics work.