Interview with a District Court Judge Forum

[abenson25]

I have an interview this Tuesday with a District Court Judge. I have done some searching on the forum, but just curious if anyone else has some advice on what questions I may get asked. I am not too worried about it, but just thought I would ask!

[Anonymous User]

I have an interview this Tuesday with a District Court Judge. I have done some searching on the forum, but just curious if anyone else has some advice on what questions I may get asked. I am not too worried about it, but just thought I would ask!

I will assume this is for a semester or summer externship or a term clerkship, and not for a judicial assistant or career clerk position. I've interviewed for a district externship and clerkship, a magistrate clerkship, and an appellate clerkship, so I'll give you the factual rundown of questions:

District Externship:
I interviewed with two law clerks. They asked questions about my career plans. It was entirely social.
Then I interviewed with the judge. She didn't look at grades or anything. She just asked me about my family. Very social interview.

District clerkship interview #1:
The judge asked me about my academics. He wanted to know why I went to my law school. He wanted to know how I liked it there. He also mentioned my professor's letter, and he asked me my "life story." He also asked me where I saw myself five years from now. It was an hour-long interview, I think.

I did not interview with law clerks.

District clerkship interview #2:
The judge asked me about my life story, also. She asked me if I knew what I wanted to do after the clerkship. We talked quite a bit about my specific area of litigation. She told me about her court.

I interviewed with law clerks also, for quite a long time.

Magistrate judge interview:
The judge was very formulaic. He systematically went through my resume in time chronological order. And he asked me, again - very systematically - about each experience - from college through 1L, through 1L summer, through 2L, 2L summer, 3L, etc. Very methodical guy. Also asked me about my hobbies.

I interviewed with law clerks briefly.

Appellate clerkship interview:
The judge talked about my professors briefly. He asked me why I wanted to clerk on the appellate court. He asked me what I wanted to do with my life. Extremely short interview.

I interviewed with law clerks briefly.

I think you will experience something similar.

[bruss]

I have an interview this Tuesday with a District Court Judge. I have done some searching on the forum, but just curious if anyone else has some advice on what questions I may get asked. I am not too worried about it, but just thought I would ask!

I will assume this is for a semester or summer externship or a term clerkship, and not for a judicial assistant or career clerk position. I've interviewed for a district externship and clerkship, a magistrate clerkship, and an appellate clerkship, so I'll give you the factual rundown of questions:

District Externship:
I interviewed with two law clerks. They asked questions about my career plans. It was entirely social.
Then I interviewed with the judge. She didn't look at grades or anything. She just asked me about my family. Very social interview.

District clerkship interview #1:
The judge asked me about my academics. He wanted to know why I went to my law school. He wanted to know how I liked it there. He also mentioned my professor's letter, and he asked me my "life story." He also asked me where I saw myself five years from now. It was an hour-long interview, I think.

I did not interview with law clerks.

District clerkship interview #2:
The judge asked me about my life story, also. She asked me if I knew what I wanted to do after the clerkship. We talked quite a bit about my specific area of litigation. She told me about her court.

I interviewed with law clerks also, for quite a long time.

Magistrate judge interview:
The judge was very formulaic. He systematically went through my resume in time chronological order. And he asked me, again - very systematically - about each experience - from college through 1L, through 1L summer, through 2L, 2L summer, 3L, etc. Very methodical guy. Also asked me about my hobbies.

I interviewed with law clerks briefly.

Appellate clerkship interview:
The judge talked about my professors briefly. He asked me why I wanted to clerk on the appellate court. He asked me what I wanted to do with my life. Extremely short interview.

I interviewed with law clerks briefly.

I think you will experience something similar.

Did you get the job?

[Anonymous User]

Did you get the job?

Yes, I got offers for 3/5 interviews (externship, D.Ct., CoA). Got turned down for 2/5 (Magistrate, D.Ct.). I will clerk in D.Ct. first, then CoA next, from '12-'14. I did the externship last Fall. To set up the chronology, I interviewed for an externship position during 2L year Spring, and I did the actual externship 3L year Fall. The four federal interviews were through OSCAR during clerkship-mating season.

[monkey85]

Did you get the job?

Yes, I got offers for three of the above interviews (externship, D.Ct., CoA). Got turned down for two (Magistrate, D.Ct.). I will clerk in D.Ct. first, then CoA next, from '12-'14. I did the externship last Fall.

Ballin!

[Anonymous User]

Did you get the job?

Yes, I got offers for three of the above interviews (externship, D.Ct., CoA). Got turned down for two (Magistrate, D.Ct.). I will clerk in D.Ct. first, then CoA next, from '12-'14. I did the externship last Fall.

Ballin!

Not financially relative to my law firm friends. But long-term, I hope, yes.