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what is needed for SDNY/EDNY and D.Cts in DC, Boston, Chicago, SF, LA and non-feeder 1,2,9 judges?
Friend at CLS told me that the average gpa for CoA clerks in general is A- (so I guess that means like 3.6 which apparently is like top 10-15%), the average gpa for SDNY/EDNY is also around A-.
If it's really true that top 10-15% can get you a non 2/9/DC CoA or SDNY at CLS why is it I hear about people with the equivalent of 3.7 gpas at HLS striking out?

Anonymous User wrote:If it's really true that top 10-15% can get you a non 2/9/DC CoA or SDNY at CLS why is it I hear about people with the equivalent of 3.7 gpas at HLS striking out?

Perhaps because the clerkship application process is about much more than mere numbers.

Anonymous User wrote:what is needed for SDNY/EDNY and D.Cts in DC, Boston, Chicago, SF, LA and non-feeder 1,2,9 judges?
Friend at CLS told me that the average gpa for CoA clerks in general is A- (so I guess that means like 3.6 which apparently is like top 10-15%), the average gpa for SDNY/EDNY is also around A-.
If it's really true that top 10-15% can get you a non 2/9/DC CoA or SDNY at CLS why is it I hear about people with the equivalent of 3.7 gpas at HLS striking out?

Grades won't be the sole consideration. While top 10-15% makes you competitive, judges will also consider LR/Board Positions, writing samples, recommendations/personal calls, and background/resume features like Work experience. Grades are a large factor, but not the only factor.

At HLS. Most people I know with COA clerkships have either LR (BSA also did very well) or impeccable grades (more DS than P), and often both. I know a ton of people at HLS with merely good grades (3.4-3.7) and no LR who snagged district court clerkships - I'm one of them. Most of them were not SDNY/EDNY/NDCA/CDCA/DDC/DMass/NDIll, especially because many of those judges really prefer applicants with experience. If you're willing to apply broadly and have good (around the cum laude cutoff or better) grades, you have a good chance of snagging something.

looking at the list of hls clerks it seems like almost nobody does a district clerkship outside the top 7 or 8 most desirable cities.
also, there are, it seems, about 80 coa clerks per year and only 40 people on LR per year. Even if all LR people clerk, which I know not to be even close to true, it seems like plenty of people not on LR get CoA. I know more than a few LR people who are clerking who are doing district courts so I'm guessing at least half the CoA people aren't on LR but instead have good grades (top 15-20% and special faculty relationships or other special softs such as publications, PhDs, or high level government experience)

When do they announce all the prizes and such? or do they even announce it?