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Hi

YLS student here; looking feedback from alumni or others - how important is YLJ to clerking? I just found out (well, a week ago) that I didn't get in. Will I be able to get a CoA clerkship?

FYI - I have good grades (3Hs, 1P), have recommenders, and am not looking for a feeder judge. I just want someone who can teach me how to be a good lawyer.

PS: Non-YLS-ers, grades have no function on whether you get on to YLJ. There are several people on it right now that have 1H and 3Ps after a semester of grades. It's a bit shameful, but there you have it.

I have to assume you're talking about Yeshiva Law School

DELG wrote:I have to assume you're talking about Yeshiva Law School

Very funny. Close, but two hours too south of what I'm talking about.

I'm not a YLS student/alum so you'll find better sources. But I know two recent YLS grads who missed YLJ but clerked--one for CADC, the other for CA9. I think you'll be OK.

Tons -- TONS -- of people without LR from the whole T14 get federal clerkships. If you just want to learn about lawyering, CoA isn't even necessarily better, but is still attainable.

Seriously, I know of at least 5 people who clerked at the CoA who weren't even on law review at lower T1 schools. And if you want to know about lawyering, a dist. ct. is better imho.

YLS students who are not on YLJ regularly clerk on the Supreme Court. (Search the ATL posts on SCOTUS clerks for recent terms and Google the YLS kids). Many of the rising 3Ls and graduating students going to top feeder judges are not on YLJ. (Look at the employment list for graduating 3Ls). Of the kids in our class (rising 2Ls) who already have clerkships lined up, the two students that I know of who have "feeder" clerkships lined up are not on YLJ. (At least one didn't sit the Bluebook exam; I'm not sure about the other).

Think of all the free time you'll have this year that won't be wasted on correcting footnotes. Use that time to do well in classes, write stuff that could be published, and most importantly, RA for the right professors - it's increasingly clear that being in with one of the 2 or 3 "feeder" professors matters a lot more than your grades or any other accolades you may have.

Anonymous User wrote:PS: Non-YLS-ers, grades have no function on whether you get on to YLJ. There are several people on it right now that have 1H and 3Ps after a semester of grades. It's a bit shameful, but there you have it.

What a shame you would've been such a good fit for the journal too.

Considering that HLS and CLS students with strong grades can certifiably land federal clerkships without Law Review (which is write-on/diversity driven), it follows necessarily that Yale students with strong grades will definitely have a shot at CoA clerkships, with Yale's placement that much stronger & all. Moreover, I'm a little curious why you ask this on TLS - wouldn't fellow Yale students be good resources here?

Anonymous User wrote: I just want someone who can teach me how to be a good lawyer.

This isn't really what a Fed CoA clerkship is all about, FYI.

Anonymous User wrote: Moreover, I'm a little curious why you ask this on TLS - wouldn't fellow Yale students be good resources here?

But if OP turned to fellow Yale students, then he or she would run the risk of asking advice from those who had 1H and 3Ps after a semester of grades. It would be shameful.

YLS alum here.

To OP: Your question has no meaningful answer. Your 3 H's don't entitle you to anything. It's three freaking grades. And YLJ doesn't entitle anyone to anything either. As you probably know by now, clerkship hiring at YLS is unpredictable. You've gotta hustle and impress people. Connections matter. Timing matter. Dumb luck matters. If you want COA, just give it your best shot and don't waste time looking for validation on the internet.

To everyone else: I promise that not everyone at YLS talks like OP.

It's hilarious that you guys only have four grades after 1L.

Mal Reynolds wrote:It's hilarious that you guys only have four grades after 1L.

At that point, why even have any.

It's a bit shameful, but there you have it.

*imagines world where OP has 1H and gets on YLJ
"it's one of the best things about Yale--you get out what you're willing to put in"

jd20132013 wrote:

It's a bit shameful, but there you have it.

*imagines world where OP has 1H and gets on YLJ
"it's one of the best things about Yale--you get out what you're willing to put in"

OP got bested in a bluebooking and writing competition by a 1HPer. He lacka discirprine.

Desert Fox wrote:

jd20132013 wrote:

It's a bit shameful, but there you have it.

*imagines world where OP has 1H and gets on YLJ
"it's one of the best things about Yale--you get out what you're willing to put in"

OP got bested in a bluebooking and writing competition by a 1HPer. He lacka discirprine.

"it's one of the best things about Yale--you get out what you're willing to put in"[/quote]

It's not true: a lot of people are on the Journal that spent two days doing the writing portion (people are given four weeks). The bluebook exam only counts for 35% of the score, and then it's writing for 50%,* which is highly subjective. I know people who matched last year's high scores on the Bluebook exam, but didn't get on b/c of idiosyncrasies in evaluating the writing component.

* - The remainder 15% is a diversity statement.