2018-2019 Clerkship Application Thread Forum

[lolwat]

Unfortunately there is almost no way to answer this, since judges hire on all different kinds of schedules. I heard back within like 3 days of sending the app. Others hear weeks later when the judge gets around to reviewing applications. You kind of have to make peace with sending apps into a void and possibly never hearing anything.

This... just depends when the judge reviews applications. And many don't send rejection letters so you really have no idea. Months (or even longer) after submission you might still get a call from a judge's chambers.

[Anonymous User]

What's the word on Griffith (DC Cir)? (looking at you, yalies). I think he's about to start making moves.

[Anonymous User]

What's the word on Griffith (DC Cir)? (looking at you, yalies). I think he's about to start making moves.

He's almost full/already full for 2018.

[deuceindc]

What's the word on Griffith (DC Cir)? (looking at you, yalies). I think he's about to start making moves.

Seriously? He just opened his app on Friday. That'd be ... incredible.

[Anonymous User]

DC Cir. is moving FAST this week. Get them apps out before friday.

[hdunlop]

He just opened for 2019, not 18.

[deuceindc]

He just opened for 2019, not 18.

Sorry, assumed OP was asking about '19. We obviously aren't going to see any movement on '18, it being filled and all.

[Anonymous User]

Who else on DC Cir. is full for 2018? Kavanaugh? Srinivasan?

[Anonymous User]

DC Cir. is moving FAST this week. Get them apps out before friday.

This. Kavanaugh is also filled for '18. (He had filled at least two coming into this summer.) Kavanaugh and Griffith are interviewing for '19 right now. I believe Pillard and Millett both have '18 spots remaining, but both have are interviewing for those spots (and '19 spots) this week. I don't know anything about Srinivasan or Garland.

[Anonymous User]

I know that Srinivasan's given out at least one interview, but don't know anything more. Word is that Garland is not interviewing anyone for the time being.

[Anonymous User]

This clerkship waiting game s u c k s, y'all. It's worse than law school apps. At least we had status checkers back then.

[Anonymous User]

There seems to be a lot of disagreement in the clerkship threads re: length of writing sample. What is your thought for COA? My school says 20-30 is good for COA, which would seemingly horrify several former clerks based on their TLS comments.

[lolwat]

There seems to be a lot of disagreement in the clerkship threads re: length of writing sample. What is your thought for COA? My school says 20-30 is good for COA, which would seemingly horrify several former clerks based on their TLS comments.

What's the 20-30 page sample you're using? I think over 10-15 pages and you're at risk of horrifying some clerks, but that's a flexible range. My first writing sample was my law review note. I couldn't excerpt any section and have it make any sense alone, so I submitted the entire thing. I think that was about 20 pages, but included a few pages of endnotes so the actual text was more like 15 pages or so. I felt that was pushing the limit. My current writing sample is 15 pages, but formatted in a way that it's really more like 10 pages of text (it's an appellate brief filed in a court which has specific margin and text size formatting requirements, larger than normal).

[Anonymous User]

There seems to be a lot of disagreement in the clerkship threads re: length of writing sample. What is your thought for COA? My school says 20-30 is good for COA, which would seemingly horrify several former clerks based on their TLS comments.

What's the 20-30 page sample you're using? I think over 10-15 pages and you're at risk of horrifying some clerks, but that's a flexible range. My first writing sample was my law review note. I couldn't excerpt any section and have it make any sense alone, so I submitted the entire thing. I think that was about 20 pages, but included a few pages of endnotes so the actual text was more like 15 pages or so. I felt that was pushing the limit. My current writing sample is 15 pages, but formatted in a way that it's really more like 10 pages of text (it's an appellate brief filed in a court which has specific margin and text size formatting requirements, larger than normal).

OP here. It is a 13-page single-spaced memo analyzing the merits of litigation that will follow a recent SCOTUS decision. So after double-spacing it, it's give or take in the 20-25 range. The background section, which would normally be the first to go, contains a bunch of relevant shit for the analysis. So idk what to do.

[Anonymous User]

I know that Srinivasan's given out at least one interview, but don't know anything more. Word is that Garland is not interviewing anyone for the time being.

Srinivasan made at least one offer last week.

[Anonymous User]

I know that Srinivasan's given out at least one interview, but don't know anything more. Word is that Garland is not interviewing anyone for the time being.

Srinivasan made at least one offer last week.

Srinivasan also filled at least two (if not more) 2018 spots last summer.

[Anonymous User]

Has Lohier given any interview offers for 2019?

[lolwat]

There seems to be a lot of disagreement in the clerkship threads re: length of writing sample. What is your thought for COA? My school says 20-30 is good for COA, which would seemingly horrify several former clerks based on their TLS comments.

What's the 20-30 page sample you're using? I think over 10-15 pages and you're at risk of horrifying some clerks, but that's a flexible range. My first writing sample was my law review note. I couldn't excerpt any section and have it make any sense alone, so I submitted the entire thing. I think that was about 20 pages, but included a few pages of endnotes so the actual text was more like 15 pages or so. I felt that was pushing the limit. My current writing sample is 15 pages, but formatted in a way that it's really more like 10 pages of text (it's an appellate brief filed in a court which has specific margin and text size formatting requirements, larger than normal).

OP here. It is a 13-page single-spaced memo analyzing the merits of litigation that will follow a recent SCOTUS decision. So after double-spacing it, it's give or take in the 20-25 range. The background section, which would normally be the first to go, contains a bunch of relevant shit for the analysis. So idk what to do.

Well, I would take a very hard look at it and see if you can excerpt any section of it. Without seeing the memo itself, it's hard to say, but I can't remember ever writing anything other than research papers in the form of law review notes which couldn't be excerpted in some manner. Most briefs and memos are sectioned off into headers and subheaders, and while it might not give a "complete picture" of the memo/brief to take part of it out, the purpose of the writing sample is to show the judge you can analyze and write.

[Anonymous User]

1. Is there general wisdom on what you can use for a writing sample as a rising 2L? Have seen a few judges in their postings say not to submit anything from a 1L legal writing class, but not sure what else you could be using at this stage.

2. Any word on movement in DDC for 18-19 besides the possible mention higher up in this thread?

[Anonymous User]

1. Is there general wisdom on what you can use for a writing sample as a rising 2L? Have seen a few judges in their postings say not to submit anything from a 1L legal writing class, but not sure what else you could be using at this stage.

2. Any word on movement in DDC for 18-19 besides the possible mention higher up in this thread?

As for your first question, I used my 1L moot court brief that I trimmed down to ~15 pages, and it worked out fine for a 2/9/DC clerkship. Having said that, if the judge specifically says not to use a 1L writing sample then obviously follow those instructions. If you're not pressed for time, I'd submit something from this summer.

[Anonymous User]

My writing sample is a case comment that argues case X was wrongly decided (it's a right premise, wrong conclusion argument). How bad of an idea is it to use that writing sample in an application to the judge who wrote the opinion in case X? I'd use something else but it's the only thing I have that's ready to go. :/

[A. Nony Mouse]

I would really not do that. It's not that judges are such fragile flowers, they can't take criticism (though I'm sure some are), I just think it could look arrogant/like you're lacking in judgment.

(I'm sure there are judges who might find it ballsy in a good way, but unless you can talk to someone who knows Judge X, I just think it's way risky.)

[Anonymous User]

My writing sample is a case comment that argues case X was wrongly decided (it's a right premise, wrong conclusion argument). How bad of an idea is it to use that writing sample in an application to the judge who wrote the opinion in case X? I'd use something else but it's the only thing I have that's ready to go. :/

Dollars to donuts this is an HLS student applying to Wood on the Seventh Circuit.

[Emma.]

My writing sample is a case comment that argues case X was wrongly decided (it's a right premise, wrong conclusion argument). How bad of an idea is it to use that writing sample in an application to the judge who wrote the opinion in case X? I'd use something else but it's the only thing I have that's ready to go. :/

No.

[Anonymous User]

2. Any word on movement in DDC for 18-19 besides the possible mention higher up in this thread?

DDC judges hire on very, very different timeframes. Boasberg and Cooper are full for 18-19 and looking at applications for 19-20. I'm 100% sure there are others who will not be looking at 18-19 for quite some time.