1L Apply for Fed Judge Summer Externship before dec. 1? Forum

fallingup77 · Post by **fallingup77** » Fri Oct 31, 2014 12:00 am

I have spoken with a person in our career services office and a person in our externship office, who both recommend applying for federal judge externships sometime in November. They have assured me, because it will not be a paid internship, that this is allowable and expected by federal judges. But after reading a little bit on TLS I am nervous that it will be seen as breaking the rules if I contact judges before Dec. 1st and that they might blacklist me. Anyone able to shed any more light on this?
Thanks for any advice!

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Fri Oct 31, 2014 12:52 am

Absolutely DO NOT. what school do you go to? you need to out them for being inept in career services and PLEASE don't listen to those people ever ever again.

GOATlawman · Post by **GOATlawman** » Fri Oct 31, 2014 2:34 am

Anonymous User wrote:Absolutely DO NOT. what school do you go to? you need to out them for being inept in career services and PLEASE don't listen to those people ever ever again.

Wtf? I didn't know NALP had shills...

If someone is not a NALP member, NALP has no power over them. Well actually, NALP has no power over anyoneemeber or not. I didn't apply to judges, but i suspect that, like firms, some care about NALP and some don't.

Also I heard that some of the deadlines moved up a month to Nov 1 although idk which ones since I'm def not a 1l

ggocat · Post by **ggocat** » Fri Oct 31, 2014 9:01 am

November is probably fine. NALP is arbitrary and pointless and defying it will not get you blacklisted. Sure, maybe there will be one out of a hundred clerks who is like anon above.

Fwiw, I would probably only consider a 1L without grades from a very top school. Any other 1L needs to show me top 10-15% grades and a good writing sample. And I work at a state court.

But there are certainly clerks/judges who will hire 1Ls without grades.

nick417 · Post by **nick417** » Fri Oct 31, 2014 9:06 am

fallingup77 wrote:I have spoken with a person in our career services office and a person in our externship office, who both recommend applying for federal judge externships sometime in November. They have assured me, because it will not be a paid internship, that this is allowable and expected by federal judges. But after reading a little bit on TLS I am nervous that it will be seen as breaking the rules if I contact judges before Dec. 1st and that they might blacklist me. Anyone able to shed any more light on this?
Thanks for any advice!

My goodness, don't do this.

Honestly, most Judges won't hire until they see your first semester grades anyway. Therefore, how valuable is it going to be to get an application from someone with no grades, not to mention no writing sample either.

I would suggest waiting AT LEAST until winter break before applying.

BankruptMe · Post by **BankruptMe** » Fri Oct 31, 2014 9:35 am

I wouldnt submit until the fridayMonday before Thanksgiving.

They would get it and open it by the end of the month.

That is my plan atleast.

fallingup77 · Post by **fallingup77** » Sat Nov 01, 2014 10:15 am

Thanks guys. Looks like the safest bet is to wait.

jbagelboy · Post by **jbagelboy** » Sat Nov 01, 2014 12:31 pm

nick417 wrote:
fallingup77 wrote:I have spoken with a person in our career services office and a person in our externship office, who both recommend applying for federal judge externships sometime in November. They have assured me, because it will not be a paid internship, that this is allowable and expected by federal judges. But after reading a little bit on TLS I am nervous that it will be seen as breaking the rules if I contact judges before Dec. 1st and that they might blacklist me. Anyone able to shed any more light on this?
Thanks for any advice!
My goodness, don't do this.

Honestly, most Judges won't hire until they see your first semester grades anyway. Therefore, how valuable is it going to be to get an application from someone with no grades, not to mention no writing sample either.

I would suggest waiting AT LEAST until winter break before applying.

This is definitely not true. Grades don't mean shit for Judicial internships. Its more about applying early (on or around Dec 1) and making convenient interview arrangements. The judges take 1L interns as a courtesy to the schools. Its not academically competitive like firm hiring (most firms WILL want to see fall grades), but the timing is competitive. Of course, there will be judges taking interns in the early spring but its much more limited.

A. Nony Mouse · Post by **A. Nony Mouse** » Sat Nov 01, 2014 1:16 pm

The above depends a lot on your school, I think (or maybe region? But probably school). Federal judges didn't generally hire from my school without seeing grades. Lowly school, so not applicable to T14, but I throw it out there. I can't say none of the judges hired earlier (they may well have hired CCN people earlier), but most people at my school got internships end of January/February, and such internships were usually grades-competitive.

jbagelboy · Post by **jbagelboy** » Sat Nov 01, 2014 2:30 pm

A. Nony Mouse wrote:The above depends a lot on your school, I think (or maybe region? But probably school). Federal judges didn't generally hire from my school without seeing grades. Lowly school, so not applicable to T14, but I throw it out there. I can't say none of the judges hired earlier (they may well have hired CCN people earlier), but most people at my school got internships end of January/February, and such internships were usually grades-competitive.

Maybe I should have considered this. Sorry. The way it works here and for friends at other schools, essentially judicial internship decisions flow around or even before finals for new england and tri-state. For those who applied outside of the area, for example in California, they often interviewed and found out over winter break (before grades come out). Similar for USAO and state AG's offices which recruit on an earlier timetable. The standard advise was to apply for these and the international tribunals (yugoslavia, ect) ASAP (but not prior to December 1st). Whereas a lot of other employers, including some law firms, won't even start looking for 1Ls until second semester.

Avian · Post by **Avian** » Sat Nov 01, 2014 9:11 pm

Just have everything ready to go on December 1st. Sending them a week or two earlier than that is unlikely to benefit you because judges are planning to do their hiring in December. They will all absolutely know that you were not supposed to apply before December 1st. Maybe some wouldn't care, but I don't think you want to make a negative impression right off the bat.

Also if you're concerned about whether judges may require first semester grades from your school, I would just apply on December 1st anyway and they can always tell you if they'd like you to send your grades along when you get them.

1L Apply for Fed Judge Summer Externship before dec. 1? Forum

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