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I have an interview coming up with a state supreme court judge and in my preparations im struggling to prepare an answer for why x judge. I have answers for why I want to clerk, why I want that Court, but the particular judge is where I'm struggling. Obviously no one can answer that for me especially without knowing who the judge is, but does anyone have any ideas on how this question is usually answered. Thanks!

I never got that question in about a half dozen or so clerkship interviews (all USDC judges). I did get the "why do you want to clerk," and "why do you want to clerk in this new city you'd have to move to," but never the judge-specific question. Though there were a few judges that I had a specific reason for wanting to clerk for him/her (reputation for writing great opinions, knew someone in the chambers, etc.), and I made sure to work that in. Perhaps not surprisingly, I ended up taking an offer from one of those.

Lowly 1L, but I've heard the best way to do this is to locate former clerks and talk to them about the experience of clerking for the judge.

I agree with the above sentiments. If you're in a time crunch, however, I would research the opinions written by the judge (including dissents). If you're lucky, the judge will have a distinctive writing style, such as using quotations from literature, metaphors, etc. That could be worked into an answer, which an earlier commenter noted, but I wanted to highlight it. Beyond opinions, you could research the judge's background -- was he a trial judge before being on the supreme court? At least in my experience, judges who have trial experience versus judges who only have appellate experience approach the decision process differently (more attention to the record, for example). Are you in a state where the judges are elected? Perhaps the judge made some remarks during his "campaign" that caught your attention and impressed you, etc. etc.

If it is any comfort, I don't think that question gets asked very often.

Was also not asked this during clerkship interviews. But I think it's probably good practice to read some of the judge's past decisions before interviews.

OP-- Thanks everyone. I did speak to a former clerk of his and got an opportunity to speak with him about the clerkship. I'm still not sure how I would work that into a question though. Would something like "After speaking with formerclerk about this experience he raved about the amount the autonomy that was given to him as compared to some of his colleagues. This is something that is very important to me."

I actually got some version of this question twice ("why'd you ask so many people to call me"/"why'd you apply to me"). I just said I read their decisions, liked them, had an example or two.

How do you guys locate former clerks? I haven't been able to find clerks for two judges that previously interviewed me.

Your school may keep records of where former students clerked, and people who attended your school are usually the most willing to take questions. Otherwise, there's google.

Anonymous User wrote:How do you guys locate former clerks? I haven't been able to find clerks for two judges that previously interviewed me.

Firm bios + google = success

My answer was cuban food, but thats kinda judge specific.