2012 Clerkship Application Thread Forum

[kalvano]

Sure there is. Not all judges will be done on Friday. Hell, some are still adding positions.

[Anonymous User]

Just got a call from an unknown number in the area code where I go to school (where I most want to clerk). Got my hopes up for two seconds, but it was my school's alert system informing us of a bomb threat. I hope it was made by another law student equally unnerved about clerkship apps.

I had a false alarm too. Got an email from a judge, but it was just to inform me that that they had received my application.

[Myself]

.

[Anonymous User]

Got a call from a district judge in the midwest to interview. Super jazzed.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone know what happened to JusticeJackson? That guy was cool. I saw he left and edited all his posts out.

This is a common theme on TLS: A current clerk (or former clerk) offers frequent clerkship advice on TLS and then mysteriously disappears. These posters, apparently, knew and said too much. Never forget the first rule of clerkships.

BTW, I'm top 15%ish at a mid-T14. No LR but EIC of a secondary. I applied, on-plan, to about 30 judges (mostly district court) in coastal markets. I'm expecting to strike out.

[Anonymous User]

This may be a weird question, but if I get an interview with a judge I have to fly to but can't get a slot Thursday morning, is it ok to call before getting on the plane to make sure the slot hasn't been filled yet? I really don't want to spend hundreds of dollars and hours on a plane just to get there and find out the job has already been filled. Is that just a risk I have to take, or can I call to check?

[Myself]

.

[Anonymous User]

Rising 3L
School: H/S
Rank: Median (even split H's, P's)
Journal: Board of secondary
Applied: COA's in Northeast, D. Ct.'s in home state, NY, DC

No way this is median at either school.

OP here. Conventional info. passed around is that even H/P split puts you within middle range of our school's clerkship applicants. Maybe that's different than the class at large? In your view where would the even split place (genuinely curious...)?

Oh, then I don't think we disagree - I imagine your grades are probably very close to the median of clerkship applicants, but anywhere from top 30-40% (depending on if you're at H or S, number of book prizes/Dean's Scholar's, etc.) of the class as a whole. Not everyone applies for clerkships, and those who do tend to (but don't universally) have better grades than the class as a whole.

if discussing Harvard, even split of H and P at graduation (or even slightly better) unfortunately does not make the top 40% cutoff. see eg http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 3&t=187017.

[Anonymous User]

SDNY judge made a call today setting up an interview tomorrow

Willing to say whether Dem or GOP appointee?

[uvauvauva]

Do interview invitations go out Monday or this Friday for on plan judges? I am a bit confused.

[Anonymous User]

SDNY judge made a call today setting up an interview tomorrow

Willing to say whether Dem or GOP appointee?

(D)

[Anonymous User]

Do interview invitations go out Monday or this Friday for on plan judges? I am a bit confused.

This Friday.

[Anonymous User]

Does anybody know the timeline for when judges begin placing phone calls tomorrow?

[Tangerine Gleam]

Does anybody know the timeline for when judges begin placing phone calls tomorrow?

I think the official call time is Noon EST (or thereabouts), but I hear that many judges call much earlier in the morning.

[Anonymous User]

I'll hop in late:

School: MVP, transfer student
GPA/Rank: ~3.85
Journal: Board of secondary, published comment
Applied To: About 30 judges on plan

[Anonymous User]

EDNY call this morning.

[Anonymous User]

EDNY call this morning.

Congrats!

[kalvano]

Will judges mark positions on OSCAR as "filled" when they hire someone?

[nevdash]

Will judges mark positions on OSCAR as "filled" when they hire someone?

At least some of them have been. I noticed about five of my applications were listed as available a couple of days ago but listed as filled last night.

[Anonymous User]

Did anyone see my question before about flying to judges who may give exploding offers? Can you call to confirm that they have not filled the position before getting on a plane or do you just have to risk spending a fortune and hours on a plane only to get there and find out the position has been filled?

[Citizen Genet]

Did anyone see my question before about flying to judges who may give exploding offers? Can you call to confirm that they have not filled the position before getting on a plane or do you just have to risk spending a fortune and hours on a plane only to get there and find out the position has been filled?

I don't see why that would be a problem. I would just check with his judicial assistant/secretary with a brief phone call before you go. Don't make it a big deal and make it a short, pleasant encounter for the assistant.

[Anonymous User]

Did anyone see my question before about flying to judges who may give exploding offers? Can you call to confirm that they have not filled the position before getting on a plane or do you just have to risk spending a fortune and hours on a plane only to get there and find out the position has been filled?

I'll tell you what our school's clerkship advisor said about this issue. If a judge has filled all clerkship positions on, say, Thursday morning, he or she will usually go ahead and do the interviews for the rest of the day without telling the applicants that there are no more open spots for the term. Still, our advisor explained, there is value in doing the interview for the applicant. If the interview goes well, the judge may decide to offer the candidate a clerkship for the following term. Or the judge may refer the applicant to a fellow judge who is hiring off-plan.

I can't vouch for the quality of our advisor's advice, but his general recommendation is that it's worthwhile to interview with a judge even if we have reason to think that the judge is no longer hiring for the current term.

[nevdash]

Did anyone see my question before about flying to judges who may give exploding offers? Can you call to confirm that they have not filled the position before getting on a plane or do you just have to risk spending a fortune and hours on a plane only to get there and find out the position has been filled?

I'll tell you what our school's clerkship advisor said about this issue. If a judge has filled all clerkship positions on, say, Thursday morning, he or she will usually go ahead and do the interviews for the rest of the day without telling the applicants that there are no more open spots for the term. Still, our advisor explained, there is value in doing the interview for the applicant. If the interview goes well, the judge may decide to offer the candidate a clerkship for the following term. Or the judge may refer the applicant to a fellow judge who is hiring off-plan.

I can't vouch for the quality of our advisor's advice, but his general recommendation is that it's worthwhile to interview with a judge even if we have reason to think that the judge is no longer hiring for the current term.

Oh yeah, because that minuscule chance of benefit is totally worth a $500 last-minute plane ticket. Solid advice from a CSO as always.

[Anonymous User]

If the interview goes well, the judge may decide to offer the candidate a clerkship for the following term.

This. My judge hired clerks through 2014 when he interviewed last fall (2011).

[Anonymous User]

Invitation to interview w/ a district court judge in the South.