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A lot of judges ask for a certain percentile. I'm around the top 25% at a top 15 school. Is there some flexibility when the judge asks for top 10?, for example? He can't possibly be applying that percentile across the board for all law schools, right? (Read: he doesn't treat top 10% the same whether it's a TTT or T15) Clue me in please. Especially those with first-hand experience. Thanks.

The judge can do whatever he or she wants. I'm sure some are flexible and others aren't.

If people here say not flexible at all, are you really not going to apply? It's the judge's decision. If they see someone who has things that appeal to them but the person is only top 50%, the judge can still hire them.

The judge can't turn you down if you don't apply for the job.

depends on whether they're acid wash and also how long he's been breaking them in

Anonymous User wrote:A lot of judges ask for a certain percentile. I'm around the top 25% at a top 15 school. Is there some flexibility when the judge asks for top 10?, for example? He can't possibly be applying that percentile across the board for all law schools, right? (Read: he doesn't treat top 10% the same whether it's a TTT or T15) Clue me in please. Especially those with first-hand experience. Thanks.

No such thing as T15. But you are correct that they obviously have different standards for different schools.

I know for a fact that the "cut-offs" posted on OSCAR don't always apply across the board. I went to a lower T14, and my GPA fell a decent bit below my judge's advertised cut-off. On the other hand, I remember seeing a few uber-prestigious COA judges who advertised no GPA preference at all (Williams on the DC Circuit, for one), and I find it hard to believe that they would realistically hire someone outside of, say, top 10%. Bottom line: as a couple posters above have noted, you can't get dinged if you don't apply.

jkech wrote:depends on whether they're acid wash and also how long he's been breaking them in

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