Is there a chance and what should I do to improve my chances Forum

[Anonymous User]

I'm a 2L wondering if I have a chance at landing an Art. III clerkship and what I may do to improve my chances. I'm most interested in SDNY, District of Connecticut, and the Eighth Circuit. How much should I be concerned with my lack of substantial journal experience?

My statistics

Top ~25% at HYS after 1L
RA for 2 professors (I probably will have two strong recommendations from professors and one from an employer)
Entry level position with a secondary journal; I might become an article/line editor this year
1L SA in an Eighth Circuit state
2L SA at NYC V5

[ph14]

I'm a 2L wondering if I have a chance at landing an Art. III clerkship and what I may do to improve my chances. I'm most interested in SDNY, District of Connecticut, and the Eighth Circuit. How much should I be concerned with my lack of substantial journal experience?

My statistics

Top ~25% at HYS after 1L
RA for 2 professors (I probably will have two strong recommendations from professors and one from an employer)
Entry level position with a secondary journal; I might become an article/line editor this year
1L SA in an Eighth Circuit state
2L SA at NYC V5

Yes, you definitely have a shot, especially if you have ties to Eighth Circuit states and would be open to going back there to clerk. SDNY will be a bit tougher. Clerkship hiring is idiosyncratic, but lack of law review will probably hurt you. As far as substantive experience, I don't think that it too important to a lot of judges unless we are talking about an executive board position. That is, I don't think they will make a big deal of the fact that you are just an editor or staff member or whatever your journal calls it, as opposed to an articles or line editor or other mid-level positions.

If I was in your shoes, I would definitely apply and I would focus particularly on Eighth Circuit district courts and the Eighth Circuit itself.

One other thing that I think matters in giving you meaningful advice: What school do you go to? HYS are not all exactly the same. I'm guessing H or Y since you are more east coast focused. I'm not certain, but I wouldn't be surprised that clerkship hiring might be more idiosyncratic from Yale because being Top ~25% after 1L means you have 1 semesters worth of grades.

[Doorkeeper]

I'm a 2L wondering if I have a chance at landing an Art. III clerkship and what I may do to improve my chances. I'm most interested in SDNY, District of Connecticut, and the Eighth Circuit. How much should I be concerned with my lack of substantial journal experience?

My statistics

Top ~25% at HYS after 1L
RA for 2 professors (I probably will have two strong recommendations from professors and one from an employer)
Entry level position with a secondary journal; I might become an article/line editor this year
1L SA in an Eighth Circuit state
2L SA at NYC V5

I only know grades relative to federal clerkships at Harvard, but top 25% definitely puts you in the running for non-feeder, non-2/9/DC circuit judges, especially with 2 strong professor recs (and it would be even better if they could make calls for you). You're more than set for D. Conn. I'm not really sure about what grades are needed for SDNY.

[Detrox]

I'm a 2L wondering if I have a chance at landing an Art. III clerkship and what I may do to improve my chances. I'm most interested in SDNY, District of Connecticut, and the Eighth Circuit. How much should I be concerned with my lack of substantial journal experience?

My statistics

Top ~25% at HYS after 1L
RA for 2 professors (I probably will have two strong recommendations from professors and one from an employer)
Entry level position with a secondary journal; I might become an article/line editor this year
1L SA in an Eighth Circuit state
2L SA at NYC V5

I only know grades relative to federal clerkships at Harvard, but top 25% definitely puts you in the running for non-feeder, non-2/9/DC circuit judges, especially with 2 strong professor recs (and it would be even better if they could make calls for you). You're more than set for D. Conn. I'm not really sure about what grades are needed for SDNY.

Should probably have a decent shot at the SDNY judges that take right out of law school, but many (maybe even most by this point) require a year of work experience.