Gunning for regional clerkship Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hoping I can solicit some useful advice.

I'm currently a T4 student transferring to a T3 in the 9th Circuit. I've been accepted to a couple T1 schools, but I've weighed the pros and cons and determined that for me, the $16k a year I'll be saving, plus lower COL, plus the ability to go to school in the region in which I'd like to practice is worth the sacrifice of brand recognition.

As a transfer student coming from a poorly regarded school and moving to a school that, while represented in the federal judiciary, isn't considered prestigious, I recognize that my odds of securing a 9th District appellate clerkship are between 1 in 920,000 and 1 in 1,520,000 depending on the margin of error employed. However, the school I'm transferring to has a District Court with a judge whose opinions I've been following for a while, and I'm hoping to gun for a clerkship under him.

What can I do to maximize my chances? I recognize that this it's unlikely to be able gun for and secure a specific clerkship - I'll definitely be spreading my apps widely - but I'd still like to give it a shot. I'm totally new to this - my current school has absolutely no resources for clerking or for that matter OCI - so any advice would be great.

Edit: The judge is also an alum of the school I'll be attending.

[General Tso]

I've been following that judge's opinions closely as well, and I am at a better school so my advice is pick another circuit. 5th perhaps?

[Anonymous User]

I've been following that judge's opinions closely as well, and I am at a better school so my advice is pick another circuit. 5th perhaps?

Well shit, man, I'm trying to be as vague as possible to avoid inadvertent selfpwnage.

[ohnowtf]

Graduate in the top 10 of your class + editorial board. Publish something. Make it a plan to apply for the federal appellate clerkship 2-3 years out of law school. Spend 2 years at lower courts (state appellate/supreme court) and/or federal district court.

[Anonymous User]

Bump for more info.

[Anonymous User]

does your school place many students in fed clerkships?

[Anonymous User]

does your school place many students in fed clerkships?

To a degree disproportionate to its ranking, yes. Relative to the T20, of course, I'm sure the placement is laughable.

[kalvano]

This is going to sound incredibly stupid, but how does one go about getting a clerkship? Do you apply like any other job?

[Anonymous User]

This is going to sound incredibly stupid, but how does one go about getting a clerkship? Do you apply like any other job?

Not stupid at all - https://oscar.uscourts.gov/

[00TREX00]

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[270910]

This is going to sound incredibly stupid, but how does one go about getting a clerkship? Do you apply like any other job?

Not stupid at all - https://oscar.uscourts.gov/

It's much more complex than that.

let's start with the basics: Every federal judge has X law clerks. For CoA it's often 4, for district court it's often 2. Technically judges # of clerks is based on federal hiring practices for judges, and the have certain staff levels that they can play around with.

Anyway, the position lasts for a year, unless it lasts for two years, unless it's a "career" position (which is relatively rare). Hiring is done however the judge wants and there are no rules at all.

As you can imagine, the last sentence meant hiring was an unmitigated disaster, with much hiring happening right after the first year of law school. The FEDERAL LAW CLERK HIRING PLAN *thunder bolts* *lightning* sought to correct this problem. it implemented a plan that a large number of judges adhere to, which streamlines the process into about a month during the fall of a student's 3L year.

Plenty of judges go rogue and hire at other times.

The application itself is, like any other job, a cover letter + transcript + resume + writing sample. Judges tend to develop relationships with schools and professors, however, and each is deeply idiosyncratic - meaning it can be hard to peg criteria or where one has a good chance, which leads to all kinds of theatrics.

[leobowski]

Unless you can get on the law review board as a transfer, you're completely screwed. IMO.

[Anonymous User]

TTT.

no u

The application itself is, like any other job, a cover letter + transcript + resume + writing sample. Judges tend to develop relationships with schools and professors, however, and each is deeply idiosyncratic - meaning it can be hard to peg criteria or where one has a good chance, which leads to all kinds of theatrics.

This is actually very encouraging. I'm working on contacting some former clerks of his - I'm still woefully ignorant of the process, as my old school has virtually no resources. Is there any sort of formal or informal database with the identities of past and present clerks? I'd imagine this could create a host of issues, but no harm in asking.

Unless you can get on the law review board as a transfer, you're completely screwed. IMO.

This is why I might be a dumb. I've already written on to LR at a couple of the more well-ranked schools to which I'm giving consideration, but this particular school won't let transfers write on to the flagship, only to secondary journals. I'm assuming I'd be able to participate next year, but it's still a significant blow.

[kalvano]

This is going to sound incredibly stupid, but how does one go about getting a clerkship? Do you apply like any other job?

Not stupid at all - https://oscar.uscourts.gov/

It's much more complex than that.

let's start with the basics: Every federal judge has X law clerks. For CoA it's often 4, for district court it's often 2. Technically judges # of clerks is based on federal hiring practices for judges, and the have certain staff levels that they can play around with.

Anyway, the position lasts for a year, unless it lasts for two years, unless it's a "career" position (which is relatively rare). Hiring is done however the judge wants and there are no rules at all.

As you can imagine, the last sentence meant hiring was an unmitigated disaster, with much hiring happening right after the first year of law school. The FEDERAL LAW CLERK HIRING PLAN *thunder bolts* *lightning* sought to correct this problem. it implemented a plan that a large number of judges adhere to, which streamlines the process into about a month during the fall of a student's 3L year.

Plenty of judges go rogue and hire at other times.

The application itself is, like any other job, a cover letter + transcript + resume + writing sample. Judges tend to develop relationships with schools and professors, however, and each is deeply idiosyncratic - meaning it can be hard to peg criteria or where one has a good chance, which leads to all kinds of theatrics.

So, as with anything else, the best way is to simply do your best and make the highest possible grades? Is that a big determining factor like it is for other jobs?

Aside from that, I imagine getting to know some professors on a good level is important. How much will knowing some judges help me?

[leobowski]

So, as with anything else, the best way is to simply do your best and make the highest possible grades? Is that a big determining factor like it is for other jobs?

Aside from that, I imagine getting to know some professors on a good level is important. How much will knowing some judges help me?

From what I can tell, you generally need to be order of the coif+ LR + top school to stand a chance at federal COA clerkships. For US District Courts, you need coif + LR. For US magistrates and state supreme courts, you need top 15-20%+ LR. I can't comment on lower level courts, but I'd imagine they're looking for something similar.

I have heard that doing an externship for a judge one summer can help you get a clerkship with that judge. But don't count on it if you don't have the grades+LR.

This is all a very rough generalization and of course there are exceptions, especially within the more/less desirable circuits. Anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.