Off Plan Clerkships Thread Forum

[Anonymous User]

MVP 2L here. Now that Spring 2L semester is starting, I was hoping we could get some insight into off plan clerkship hiring. [fingers crossed that G.T.L.Rev. responds]

Things I'm interested in finding out from current clerks and soon to be clerks:

(1) How did you find out that your judge was accepting applications?

(2) What materials did you send to apply off plan?

(3) What did you use for your writing sample?

(4) Any general suggestions?

I'm sure others here will also have questions. More than any other hiring, clerkships (and especially off plan clerkships) seem to operate in a black box.

[vanwinkle]

I'll have to keep an eye on this thread.

[Renzo]

This thread is [not yet] relevant to my interests.

[XxSpyKEx]

MVP 2L here. Now that Spring 2L semester is starting, I was hoping we could get some insight into off plan clerkship hiring. [fingers crossed that G.T.L.Rev. responds]

Things I'm interested in finding out from current clerks and soon to be clerks:

(1) How did you find out that your judge was accepting applications?

there are some decent blogs, such as lawclerkaddict. Also, my school runs an email to people subscribed that has all the judges who are accepting applications (mostly OSCAR listings, which you don't get access to by late spring).

(2) What materials did you send to apply off plan?

I recall everything exactly, but it's fairly typical-- the same stuff you would send on-plan through OSCAR. Resume, cover letter, writing sample, transcript, grade explanation, letters of recommendation, etc.

(3) What did you use for your writing sample?

I think if a generally applicable statement can be made, it would be that district court judges typically like to see something practitioner orientated writing (such as a brief) and CoA judges like to see something more academic (e.g. law review note). With that said, if you have something you published, you should always just include it. Even if the judge requests something that is completely your own work (i.e. not editted by a round of notes editors), we were told that we should just send something that meets that standard (such as a brief) and to also send the note as well.

[Anonymous User]

GTL or whomever else can answer--

When applying with a COA judge, how does a call/LOR from a district judge (for whom you interned and who is in the COA judge's circuit) compare to calls/LORs from well-known professors? Do district judges even write LORs, or would they just call if they were willing to?

I worked for a district judge last summer and am just wondering whether I should go out of my way to attempt to get him to recommend me. I haven't spoken with the judge specifically about recommendations, but I've heard that he normally has a blanket policy against making them but occasionally makes exceptions.

[Anonymous User]

Awesome, I will definitely approach the judge about it. He is not in the same courthouse, but I know that he and the COA judge definitely know each other. Thanks so much!

[Anonymous User]

I'll gladly pay for the early judge list from one of the aforementioned law reviews.

[Anonymous User]

Do district judges even write LORs, or would they just call if they were willing to?

I have written reference letters from both my DCt judge and my COA judge. Both also have been willing to give phone recommendations on my behalf where relevant. Although both of my two judges will call for law clerks, AFAIK only my COA judge will make calls for externs. And he has to be very, very convinced that the quality of the extern is extraordinary - in his many years on the bench, he has done it only twice.

[Anonymous User]

Do district judges even write LORs, or would they just call if they were willing to?

My DCt and COA judges have both given me written reference letters. Both also have been willing to give phone recommendations on my behalf where relevant. Although both of my two judges will call for law clerks, AFAIK only my COA judge will make calls for externs. And he has to be very, very convinced that the quality of the extern is extraordinary - in his many years on the bench, he has done it only twice.

[Anonymous User]

Negotiable, and because I want to avoid the plan if at all possible and its tough (impossible?) to find any up to date & comprehensive list of early judges (OCS at my school claims not to have such a list).

Any other suggestions on how to get such a list?

[Cavalier]

Negotiable, and because I want to avoid the plan if at all possible and its tough (impossible?) to find any up to date & comprehensive list of early judges (OCS at my school claims not to have such a list).

Any other suggestions on how to get such a list?

Read OSCAR and LawClerkAddict; you can get a lot of information there. Other than that, if you're curious about a particular judge, call their chambers and ask.

[Anonymous User]

Negotiable, and because I want to avoid the plan if at all possible and its tough (impossible?) to find any up to date & comprehensive list of early judges (OCS at my school claims not to have such a list).

Any other suggestions on how to get such a list?

Read OSCAR and LawClerkAddict; you can get a lot of information there. Other than that, if you're curious about a particular judge, call their chambers and ask.

Been doing all of the above, but if there are actual lists out there, why not try and get my hands on one?

[Cavalier]

Negotiable, and because I want to avoid the plan if at all possible and its tough (impossible?) to find any up to date & comprehensive list of early judges (OCS at my school claims not to have such a list).
Any other suggestions on how to get such a list?

Read OSCAR and LawClerkAddict; you can get a lot of information there. Other than that, if you're curious about a particular judge, call their chambers and ask.

Been doing all of the above, but if there are actual lists out there, why not try and get my hands on one?

Because the only people who have current lists are probably rising 3Ls who are themselves applying to clerkships and aren't just going to give away a product that required a lot of work to create and that contains a lot of personal information to random people on the Internet?

[Anonymous User]

Negotiable, and because I want to avoid the plan if at all possible and its tough (impossible?) to find any up to date & comprehensive list of early judges (OCS at my school claims not to have such a list).
Any other suggestions on how to get such a list?

Read OSCAR and LawClerkAddict; you can get a lot of information there. Other than that, if you're curious about a particular judge, call their chambers and ask.

Been doing all of the above, but if there are actual lists out there, why not try and get my hands on one?

Because the only people who have current lists are probably rising 3Ls who are themselves applying to clerkships and aren't just going to give away a product that required a lot of work to create and that contains a lot of personal information to random people on the Internet?

Which is why I offered money!

Are you a rising 3L right now? If so, these lists will be of only partial utility, as most of the judges on them are already well underway with hiring or done entirely. The time to identify who you want to apply to off-plan is March or April, not the last day of June.

Probably true.