Clerkship chances and importance of e-board for sec. Journal Forum

[Anonymous User]

chance me on fed district court clerkships and maybe? COA clerkships. 3.83 at GW (5-10 percent) secondary journal, pretty generic recommendations (don't currently have strong relationships with many profs). Also this may be a fairly obv question but how important is it that I get on the eboard of my journal. I hate the thought of doing it but I guess it's prob that important?

Some other probbly irrelevant factors: spending this summer at a mid-size non market paying firm. I've had three different judicial internship at three different levels (local, state and federal dist court). Chance me please

[madame defarge]

As a former COA clerk who vetted applications, I valued great recommendations far more than an ed board position on a secondary journal. If I were you, I'd focus on getting more than just a generic recommendation (always the kiss of death in our chambers). Interact with your profs, be a research assistant, say something intelligent in class, etc. Maybe one of them will hook you up with a phone call/e-mail to a judge friend that will get your app pulled from the stack.

Also, use your judicial internships to your advantage. If you had a good relationship with your judges, they can help you with phone calls as well.

I think you have a good shot at a district court clerkship. COA is not looking good without law review and better recommendations.

[Anonymous User]

It's obviously not the most important thing. That said, the clerkship handbook at my school said that of those who landed clerkships that were not on law review, >90% held ed baord positions on a secondary journal. Obviously, there is a lot of self selection here, but why not play the game. Most secondary journal e-board positions are pretty slack.

[koalatriste]

top 10% at GW is not looking good for COA. i think most COA judges demand law review (or law review credentials) from lower T14 schools, much less the T14's distant outer orbitals.

are you from a flyover state? local ties might help you get an "undesirable" district court.

[Anonymous User]

top 10% at GW is not looking good for COA. i think most COA judges demand law review (or law review credentials) from lower T14 schools, much less the T14's distant outer orbitals.

are you from a flyover state? local ties might help you get an "undesirable" district court.

OP -- unfortunately no im from NY. Thoughts about state court clerkship chances?