DOJ Honors 2015-16 Megathread Forum

[Anonymous User]

Application submitted. Throw your hat in the ring with me, friends.

[OutoftheWoods]

Waiting to start my essays when 3LOLCI is over. I'm getting it done as soon as possible, but does anyone know if it's rolling?

[Anonymous User]

It's not. Everything gets looked at after the deadline.

[Anonymous User]

Wanted to start a forum where we could discuss the application for the DOJ Honors Program. All info and advice welcome here.

[A. Nony Mouse]

Wanted to start a forum where we could discuss the application for the DOJ Honors Program. All info and advice welcome here.

Since one had already been started, I merged them so the info stays in one place rather than getting scattered across different threads.

[timmyd]

What qualifications are usually needed for this program? Law review and top 10% at t14-20?

[OutoftheWoods]

What qualifications are usually needed for this program? Law review and top 10% at t14-20?

Well they take people below T20. but at the T14-20, i'd guess top 10% is the minimum (not because they actually have a cutoff, but because of the actual number of applicants). This isn't like big law where top 10% = order of the coif so they want to advertise that, the DOJ isn't listing the credentials of attorneys for clients. I don't think they'd use that as an official cutoff, but with so many people applying, it ends up being de facto.

I could totally be wrong though! lol.

[Anonymous User]

It varies significantly by component. Some components are going to be more interested in public service background than grades/school/LR per se (although they can probably get people with both the public service background and the grades/pedigree). It may depend on who's doing the actual choosing in a given year. I know plenty of non-T14 Honors people, though generally they have excellent grades or credentials for the component they're applying for, or both.

My impression from going through this in the past/LinkedIn stalking Honors people/following it for a few years is that Civil Rights is notoriously pedigree-conscious (I know I found one Civil Rights honors attorney who was something like Yale undergrad, Harvard JD, SDNY + 9th Circuit clerkships), but they usually hire very very very few people through Honors so can afford to be extremely choosy. Civil may be more pedigree-conscious as well, but that's sort of a guess because I have little contact with anyone in civil. But really, most of the other components are going to be looking for experience with and demonstrated commitment to the agency mission. I have actually been surprised at how little a lot of federal agencies seem to care about school name. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of T14 people in the mix, but there are people from a really wide range of schools.

But again, in most cases related experience or being able to sell your experience as related seems to be much more important than a specific grade cutoff. Of course, good grades are never a bad thing, but I think the application is much more holistic than that.

(FWIW, I was not top 10% nor at a T14, or even a T20.)

[timmyd]

Gotcha. I was top 6% at ttt and 15% at UT with a fed dist clerkship. Was thinking of applying wasnt sure if it was a waste of time.

[Anonymous User]

Gotcha. I was top 6% at ttt and 15% at UT with a fed dist clerkship. Was thinking of applying wasnt sure if it was a waste of time.

It will depend on the component and your experience, but I would say no, definitely not a waste of time. (Admittedly it's still super competitive so nothing is guaranteed - I kind of lucked out in getting a position where my experience was a good fit and am still not sure why I got hired. But your numbers/school don't rule you out.)

[OutoftheWoods]

What are you guys writing for the "Additional Information" section? Is this supposed to be another essay? There is room for 4000 characters...

[clsk92]

current DOJ HP Atty @ EOIR here. Happy to answer any questions people have. I'm also reapplying.

[clsk92]

What are you guys writing for the "Additional Information" section? Is this supposed to be another essay? There is room for 4000 characters...

Exactly what it says under the description. Not an essay, just information you think will be helpful to your app.

[Anonymous User]

What's the situation on ranking components? Are there ones that we know for sure won't consider you if you don't rank them #1? I've heard criminal, but that was purely anecdotal.

[clsk92]

What's the situation on ranking components? Are there ones that we know for sure won't consider you if you don't rank them #1? I've heard criminal, but that was purely anecdotal.

Civil rights.

[Anonymous User]

What's the situation on ranking components? Are there ones that we know for sure won't consider you if you don't rank them #1? I've heard criminal, but that was purely anecdotal.

Civil rights.

I'm the quoted poster. Does anyone know anything about tax? ENRD?

I have also heard that civil rights, in part due to its highly competitive nature, only looks at candidates who ranked them #1.

[Anonymous User]

Hey there!

I would really like to apply to the National Security division, but unsure of my chances. T14, top 20%, EIC of the LR, and publishing my student note in National Security.

My concern is being able to afford the bar and time in between school and starting in DC. Has anyone had experience doing this before? It is really hard to turn down a firm willing to pay all your expenses and float you for the summer, but I know that is a short term decision and would love to hear from someone with experience.

[Anonymous User]

I think bar loans are fairly common. Or, if you haven't maxed your student loans for 3L, max those out and save the money for the bar/pre-job period.

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone accepted their firm offer and then continued to apply for DOJ?

[grand inquisitor]

yes

[Anonymous User]

Anyone receive a funnel offer for an Honors Attorney position through SLIP yet?? I imagine this is the time those offers usually come in but I haven't seen anything about them on here...anyone get any funnel offers yet?

[teapot123]

Anyone receive a funnel offer for an Honors Attorney position through SLIP yet?? I imagine this is the time those offers usually come in but I haven't seen anything about them on here...anyone get any funnel offers yet?

Funnel offers don't happen much these days now that SLIP is forced to hire veterans.

[Anonymous User]

I've followed the HP threads for a couple of years now (and read older ones) and I'm not sure I've even ever seen anyone reference getting a funnel offer. I'm sure there are some out there, but it seems very uncommon. (Also, if you want to clerk, can you take a funnel offer or do you have to reapply through the HP your clerkship year? Just because the people I've seen who did SLIP and then got Honors with their SLIP component often seemed to clerk in between, and not get a funnel offer even though they ended up in the same place. I'm totally speculating based on anecdata though.)

[mi-chan17]

Anyone receive a funnel offer for an Honors Attorney position through SLIP yet?? I imagine this is the time those offers usually come in but I haven't seen anything about them on here...anyone get any funnel offers yet?

I was a SLIP a few years ago, and two people that I knew from my SLIP class got funnel offers. Neither got them until September or so. That said, they aren't very common.

(Also, if you want to clerk, can you take a funnel offer or do you have to reapply through the HP your clerkship year? Just because the people I've seen who did SLIP and then got Honors with their SLIP component often seemed to clerk in between, and not get a funnel offer even though they ended up in the same place. I'm totally speculating based on anecdata though.)

If you clerk, you can't accept a funnel offer. The government isn't allowed to hold jobs open like that.

[bjohnsobf]

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