Best Issues & Appeals Groups (DC) Forum

[turndown4brunch]

I was discussing with some co-clerks about the best issues and appeals groups in DC and their reputations. I know these are mostly accessible only to SCOTUS-level clerks, but we were curious about reputations and perceived rankings.

[crazywafflez]

I certainly can't give you a ranking. I've worked with a few different groups/had friends who did so, so I'll just list them here.

Consovoy, Cooper Kirk, Kellog, Hogan, Williams & Connolly, JD, O'Melveny, Jenner, and Munger.

I'm sure I'm missing a few.

[Anonymous User]

I certainly can't give you a ranking. I've worked with a few different groups/had friends who did so, so I'll just list them here.

Consovoy, Cooper Kirk, Kellog, Hogan, Williams & Connolly, JD, O'Melveny, Jenner, and Munger.

I'm sure I'm missing a few.

O'Mel and Hogan but not WilmerHale? Interesting choices.

[crazywafflez]

Would include WilmerHale as well.

[turndown4brunch]

Thanks. Is anyone willing to lay out some pros and cons (reputation, culture, work-life balance, interesting work, etc.) for the appellate groups at these firms? This might be a helpful thread for future law students and clerks too. The ones listed by people so far are:

Consovoy
Cooper Kirk
Kellog
Hogan
Williams & Connolly
JD
O'Melveny
Jenner
Munger
WilmerHale

There are also a few firms listed in the top few bands of Chambers Appellate that have not been mentioned (Latham, GDC, PW, Sidley, Orrick, MoFo, Goodwin, Mayer Brown). Insight on those firms also welcome.

[Anonymous User]

I certainly can't give you a ranking. I've worked with a few different groups/had friends who did so, so I'll just list them here.

Consovoy, Cooper Kirk, Kellog, Hogan, Williams & Connolly, JD, O'Melveny, Jenner, and Munger.

I'm sure I'm missing a few.

O'Mel and Hogan but not WilmerHale? Interesting choices.

No credit for Katyal

[Anonymous User]

I certainly can't give you a ranking. I've worked with a few different groups/had friends who did so, so I'll just list them here.

Consovoy, Cooper Kirk, Kellog, Hogan, Williams & Connolly, JD, O'Melveny, Jenner, and Munger.

I'm sure I'm missing a few.

O'Mel and Hogan but not WilmerHale? Interesting choices.

No credit for Katyal

Yeah what's with the shade towards Hogan? Are people forgetting that Prelogar and the Chief worked there?

[crazywafflez]

TLS is a fine place to get pros and cons for this stuff, and we certainly are a good forum (if not the best for this kind of stuff), but I don't think you'll get quite what you're looking for here on precise details of each of these groupings. Even if there are folks who were/are sup clerks or top shop appeals folks who hang out here on occasion, my guess is you won't get quite the response you want.

If you're clerking for Pryor or something, you probs already have an idea about some of this stuff and have better folks to ask than us. And if you don't have a circuit court clerkship, you probs won't be getting in on these groups (I'm sure there are a few outliers). You could try David Lat's podcast, or even emailing him (he does respond), and inquiring with him about a few of these firms. You can't go wrong with the groups mentioned on this page, my only forewarning would be some of the ones listed tend to have a political slant, so make sure that's something you are okay with.

I could very well be wrong, just wouldn't want clerks to rely on this stuff when there are better resources (cough, talk to your judge and past clerks).

[The Lsat Airbender]

But then you'd get nuanced, subjective, actionable advice—not an ordinal ranking that OP can use to settle pissing contests in chambers

[Anonymous User]

Thanks. Is anyone willing to lay out some pros and cons (reputation, culture, work-life balance, interesting work, etc.) for the appellate groups at these firms? This might be a helpful thread for future law students and clerks too. The ones listed by people so far are:

Consovoy
Cooper Kirk
Kellog
Hogan
Williams & Connolly
JD
O'Melveny
Jenner
Munger
WilmerHale

There are also a few firms listed in the top few bands of Chambers Appellate that have not been mentioned (Latham, GDC, PW, Sidley, Orrick, MoFo, Goodwin, Mayer Brown). Insight on those firms also welcome.

I'm knowledgeable about many of these firms, as (I'm sure) are others on this board. But this list is all over the place. Consovoy is as far right as it gets; Jenner is far left. No candidate could be seriously debating between the two. What sort of work are you hoping to do? If you provide more information about your search, we may be able to provide more constructive advice.

[Anonymous User]

Thanks. Is anyone willing to lay out some pros and cons (reputation, culture, work-life balance, interesting work, etc.) for the appellate groups at these firms? This might be a helpful thread for future law students and clerks too. The ones listed by people so far are:

Consovoy
Cooper Kirk
Kellog
Hogan
Williams & Connolly
JD
O'Melveny
Jenner
Munger
WilmerHale

There are also a few firms listed in the top few bands of Chambers Appellate that have not been mentioned (Latham, GDC, PW, Sidley, Orrick, MoFo, Goodwin, Mayer Brown). Insight on those firms also welcome.

I'm knowledgeable about many of these firms, as (I'm sure) are others on this board. But this list is all over the place. Consovoy is as far right as it gets; Jenner is far left. No candidate could be seriously debating between the two. What sort of work are you hoping to do? If you provide more information about your search, we may be able to provide more constructive advice.

OP here. I'm about to start a clerkship with a liberal feeder-ish judge who has sent several clerks to SCOTUS. I'm thinking about next steps and places to apply to over the coming months. I care about the factors mentioned above (reputation, culture, work-life balance, interesting work, partnership track, etc.). Hoping to do mostly appellate work.