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So, things aren't looking too good with the clerkship apps I've already submitted. Fortunately, the deadline for state court clerkships hasn't passed yet. I need two writing samples; I'm going to submit a memo I wrote for a class, but I am struggling to decide what to use as my second writing sample.

For my previous applications, I submitted my LR comment (yes, the entire 40 pages) as my second sample. In hindsight, I'm not sure I should have submitted my entire comment, despite the fact that it was chosen for publication. But everytime I try to use a <10 page excerpt, I end up hating it because I don't think it does it justice. So, I'd rather just not use it at all (or just bring the whole thing to the interview).

My next two options are: (1) a motion to suppress (slash supporting memo) that I wrote during a summer gig, or (2) my LR write-on paper (which is a comment on a state supreme court case). Which one should I chose? The motion to suppress is obviously more persuasive while the write-on is more objective. Do you think it matters? Would it depend on whether I am applying to a trial court or appellate court? Thanks!

I suggest sending both.

I feel your pain with excerpting from a long piece, but here's what I did: take the whole piece to someone you trust (who hasn't read it extensively before, so not someone who help you pre-publish) and ask them to pick an excerpt. They aren't married to it, so they'll be much more objective in finding a section that can stand on it's own, then all that's left to you is to write a proper introductory cover, so that the segment makes sense.