clerkship: profs who will make calls for you Forum

[Anonymous User]

Do you ask the prof to make a call for you or do they volunteer?
Also, are they usually willing to make more than one call or will only call your first choice?

[Anonymous User]

Also curious about this. I've got two professors who will write me letters, and I know them reasonably well (office hours, RA, etc), but have no idea if they call. I know that for borderline applicants like me, a call will be huge, but I don't know whether to ask about calls or what have you.

[jonas]

1) Talk to alumni who are clerking or have clerked. (Ideally, track down alumni who had your same professors as recommenders.) Find out whether they asked the professors to make calls or the professors volunteered.

2) Go to the professors' office hours and ask directly (politely, unassumingly): "Would you be willing to call [Judge X] on my behalf?" They may ask you for the names of a few judges whom you're particularly interested in/think you have a shot at.

[PriyaRai]

I am thinking that I am definitely going to utilize this tactic. I bet that not enough people take advantage of it.

[Renzo]

I am thinking that I am definitely going to utilize this tactic. I bet that not enough people take advantage of it.

I think you vastly underestimate how bad people want clerkships.