2012 Clerkship Application Thread Forum

[Anonymous User]

Year: 3L
School/Tier: ranked 15-30
Grades: Top 5%
LR?: Yes, E-Board
Published?: Yes (student note, other law journal article, plus handful of publications from another discipline in previous career)
SA position?: Yes (mid-sized, regional firm)
Anything else we should know: no
Number of Magistrate Applications: 0
Number of D. Ct. Applications: 0
Number of Circuit Applications: 30ish (sent early by snail mail)
Number of Specialty Court Applications: 0
Total interviews: 3 COA interviews
Offer(s): 1 COA in non-sexy circuit (second interview, accepted), declined last interview

[Anonymous User]

.

[Anonymous User]

Year: 3L
School/Tier: T30
Grades: Top 15%
LR?: Yes, no e-board
Published?: Nope
SA position?: Nope
Anything else we should know: Externed with COA judge who wrote a strong LOR
Number of Magistrate Applications: 0
Number of D. Ct. Applications: ~250
Number of Circuit Applications: 0
Number of Specialty Court Applications: 0
Total interviews: 1 D.Ct. in non-major district, but not the flyover-est of the flyovers
Offer(s): 1 D.Ct.

Lucky? Me? Never.

[ndirish2010]

Year: 3L
School/Tier: T30
Grades: Top 15%
LR?: Yes, no e-board
Published?: Nope
SA position?: Nope
Anything else we should know: Externed with COA judge who wrote a strong LOR
Number of Magistrate Applications: 0
Number of D. Ct. Applications: ~250
Number of Circuit Applications: 0
Number of Specialty Court Applications: 0
Total interviews: 1 D.Ct. in non-major district, but not the flyover-est of the flyovers
Offer(s): 1 D.Ct.

Lucky? Me? Never.

Love this, congrats! It only takes one.

[Anonymous User]

Bump.

[Anonymous User]

Year: Alumn ('11)
School/Tier: T14
Grades: ~Top 20%
LR?: Secondary Journal, minor editorial position
Published?: Not a chance
SA position?: Yes, v100
Anything else we should know: applied off-plan, worked for firm for 8 months at time of the interview
Number of Magistrate Applications: 0
Number of D. Ct. Applications: ~45 (only applied within driving distance of NYC - DNJ DConn. EDPA)
Number of Circuit Applications: ~10
Number of Specialty Court Applications: ~10
Total interviews: 1 D.Ct. in SDNY
Offer(s): 1 D.Ct. (accepted)

I'm posting this because I think that chances of getting a competitive district court are greatly improved with decent law firm experience. I don't think I had a shot on-plan (and my OCS told me as much--basically said to apply to courts in corn-country). So if you struck out, make sure to get some decent work experience and try again in a year.

[Anonymous User]

Strongly agree. I applied "as an alum" during my 3L year (clerkship to start the fall one year after graduation). My credentials were good, but not good enough to land a major city district court clerkship on-plan (though apparently good enough to get 3 interviews and strike out of all of them). During my second try, though, I landed SDNY/EDNY/DDC, even though my cover letter merely stated that I WOULD have a year's worth of experience by the time I started the clerkship.

[Anonymous User]

If I already have a 2023-2014 District Court clerkship, and I am going to start applying for 2014-2015 CoA clerkships, do I need to notify my judge and implicitly ask for his approval/blessing? Could it be weird for Judge 1 to get a potential phone call from a colleague about me when he wasn't expecting it?

[Anonymous User]

If I already have a 2023-2014 District Court clerkship, and I am going to start applying for 2014-2015 CoA clerkships, do I need to notify my judge and implicitly ask for his approval/blessing? Could it be weird for Judge 1 to get a potential phone call from a colleague about me when he wasn't expecting it?

I don't think it could hurt for you to let your DCT judge know. S/he may even have connections with particular COA judges on your circuit that you could take advantage of.

[Anonymous User]

Call from NDNY judge just recently

[Anonymous User]

Year: Alumn ('11)
School/Tier: T14
Grades: ~Top 20%
LR?: Secondary Journal, minor editorial position
Published?: Not a chance
SA position?: Yes, v100
Anything else we should know: applied off-plan, worked for firm for 8 months at time of the interview
Number of Magistrate Applications: 0
Number of D. Ct. Applications: ~45 (only applied within driving distance of NYC - DNJ DConn. EDPA)
Number of Circuit Applications: ~10
Number of Specialty Court Applications: ~10
Total interviews: 1 D.Ct. in SDNY
Offer(s): 1 D.Ct. (accepted)

I'm posting this because I think that chances of getting a competitive district court are greatly improved with decent law firm experience. I don't think I had a shot on-plan (and my OCS told me as much--basically said to apply to courts in corn-country). So if you struck out, make sure to get some decent work experience and try again in a year.

Strongly agree. I applied "as an alum" during my 3L year (clerkship to start the fall one year after graduation). My credentials were good, but not good enough to land a major city district court clerkship on-plan (though apparently good enough to get 3 interviews and strike out of all of them). During my second try, though, I landed SDNY/EDNY/DDC, even though my cover letter merely stated that I WOULD have a year's worth of experience by the time I started the clerkship.

Thanks for posting, guys. This gives me some hope after striking out.

[Anonymous User]

Year: 3L
School/Tier: 40-60
Grades: ~1-2%
LR?: Yes
Published?: Yes
SA position?: Fed. Gov.
Anything else we should know: Applied Early for Circuits and preferred D. Cts., but didn't hear anything until plan time
Number of Magistrate Applications: 0
Number of D. Ct. Applications: 200+
Number of Circuit Applications: ~90
Number of Specialty Court Applications: 0
Total interviews: 3 D. Ct., 1 CoA
Offer(s): Rejected for 1 D. Ct., Accepted CoA, and withdrew from rest

I applied really broadly, though in hindsight it was unnecessary because I only got interviews in the places I wanted most/was most competitive for. Don't buy into "circuit prestige," but it is worthwhile to think about the types of cases each circuit takes. It would have liked to get DC Cir. because of the type of work I'm interested in, but I am not competitive for those judges.

Also, don't just assume CoA>D. Ct. Instead, think about the type of work each court does and the fit with individual judges. I am happy with how things turned out, but I also would have happily accepted an offer from one of the District Judges I interviewed with. My cycle just didn't shake out that way.

I wasn't a good fit with one judge and realized it pretty quickly into the interview. I might not have had the courage to act on realization that if I didn't have other interviews.

[Anonymous User]

Year: 3L
School/Tier: T6
Grades: ~33%
LR?: No
Published?: No
SA position?: V5
Anything else we should know: Strong regional ties
Number of Magistrate Applications: 0
Number of D. Ct. Applications: ~120
Number of Circuit Applications: ~50
Number of Specialty Court Applications: 0
Total interviews: 4 -- 3 district, 1 circuit (all Southeast/Midwest)
Offer(s): 2 -- accepted D. Ct.

[Anonymous User]

Strongly agree. I applied "as an alum" during my 3L year (clerkship to start the fall one year after graduation). My credentials were good, but not good enough to land a major city district court clerkship on-plan (though apparently good enough to get 3 interviews and strike out of all of them). During my second try, though, I landed SDNY/EDNY/DDC, even though my cover letter merely stated that I WOULD have a year's worth of experience by the time I started the clerkship.

So just change the cover letter to talk about anticipated work for the following year and start re-applying?

Should we start applying now? There are several judges that have 2014 positions already posted. Even if we are applying during 3L, we are officially "off plan" right?

[ndirish2010]

Has anyone who is doing a District clerkship in 2013 started applying to Circuits in 2014 yet? I just sent in my first couple of applications.

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone who is doing a District clerkship in 2013 started applying to Circuits in 2014 yet? I just sent in my first couple of applications.

Yes. The big unknown, I think, is when the judges will actually hire.

[ndirish2010]

Has anyone who is doing a District clerkship in 2013 started applying to Circuits in 2014 yet? I just sent in my first couple of applications.

Yes. The big unknown, I think, is when the judges will actually hire.

Do you think most of the judges at least wait until the new year?

[Anonymous User]

I would guess so, but I'm sure a handful will hire this semester (and I know others have already hired). Who knows; this year is crazy.

Other judges will probably conduct a lot of interviews this semester but then hire later. Off-plan judges can afford to take their time. That said, if there is a sense among them that their colleagues are hiring, then they might move earlier (sound familiar?).

[Anonymous User]

anyone still waiting to hear?

[Anonymous User]

yes. anyone know if seibel has hired?

[Anonymous User]

Strongly agree. I applied "as an alum" during my 3L year (clerkship to start the fall one year after graduation). My credentials were good, but not good enough to land a major city district court clerkship on-plan (though apparently good enough to get 3 interviews and strike out of all of them). During my second try, though, I landed SDNY/EDNY/DDC, even though my cover letter merely stated that I WOULD have a year's worth of experience by the time I started the clerkship.

So just change the cover letter to talk about anticipated work for the following year and start re-applying?

Should we start applying now? There are several judges that have 2014 positions already posted. Even if we are applying during 3L, we are officially "off plan" right?

off-plan only means not before Sept. 4th of your 3L year. It's past then so you can apply as early as you want; I've heard that only super-stars get hired that early though.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone else want to post stats/results from their clerkship cycle...

[Anonymous User]

bump

[Anonymous User]

Year: Current 3L
School/Tier: Top 30
Grades: Top 10%
LR?: Y
Published?: N
SA position?: N
Anything else we should know: 2L summer was at a U.S. Attorney's Office.
Number of Magistrate Applications: Pretty much everyone on OSCAR and several off plan
Number of D. Ct. Applications: Pretty much everyone on OSCAR and a few off plan
Number of Circuit Applications: Several
Number of Specialty Court Applications: 5 (Only the U.S. Court of International Trade)
Total interviews: 2 Dct interviews, 2 magistrate interviews
Offer(s): None so far. Still waiting to hear back from 1 Dct and 1 magistrate, but not hopeful at this point.

Given my stats, I was probably lucky to get the interviews that I did.

[Anonymous User]

Year: 3L
School/Tier: ranked 15-25
Grades: Top 5%
LR?: Yes
Published?: No
SA position?: No (externed for federal judge)
Anything else we should know: substantial legal work during school year in off-campus positions
Number of Magistrate Applications: 5
Number of D. Ct. Applications: 150 (80 via mail, 70 by oscar - Primarily 9th Circuit district courts)
Number of Circuit Applications: 50 (30ish sent by mail
Number of Specialty Court Applications: 0
Total interviews: 2 State SC, one 9th Circuit, one district court (9th circuit(
Offer(s): nothing