Fed Courts Fall of 2L Year Forum

somethingdemure · Post by **somethingdemure** » Fri Jul 01, 2011 9:08 pm

I'm thinking it's a bad idea, because I'll have to deal with OCI, and much of the class will be 3Ls who won't have that problem.

Then again, I want to try to position myself for a feeder or other top level clerkship, and I think a good grade in Fed Courts could be helpful for that. Question is, is the possibility of a bad grade lowering my GPA too much risk in light of the possible benefit of a good grade in Fed Courts by the time off-plan clerkship hiring starts?

Anyone have any strong opinions?

Gideon Strumpet · Post by **Gideon Strumpet** » Sun Jul 03, 2011 7:30 am

Bad grade would hurt your prospects far more than a good grade could help it. Not worth the risk.

monkey85 · Post by **monkey85** » Sun Jul 03, 2011 8:03 am

You don't want to show anything less than an "A" to a federal judge.

Cavalier · Post by **Cavalier** » Sun Jul 03, 2011 9:26 am

An A in Fed Courts would help you marginally, an A- wouldn't make a difference (and would probably lower your GPA if you actually have a shot at landing a feeder judge), and a B+ would do significant damage to your GPA. So the risk outweighs the reward.

After taking Fed Courts, I think its difficulty is overrated--I've been in other classes that are just as challenging to understanding with just as many law review clerkship gunners--so I wouldn't necessarily avoid it in the fall. If it fits best in your schedule then, or if you like the professor teaching it in the fall the most, feel free to take it. Now that OCI is generally very early, it won't interfere too much with the important part of the semester, and if your grades are as good as I'm assuming, you shouldn't have any problem getting an offer early and then focusing on school. If you choose to take it, prepare for the strong possibility of an A- by taking other classes where you're more likely to do well. Getting an A- in Fed Courts is fine by itself, but you want to do everything to keep your GPA high.

somethingdemure · Post by **somethingdemure** » Mon Jul 04, 2011 5:12 am

I think I agree with y'all. I think I'm going to take Admin, though. Not as much of a risk, right?

Cavalier · Post by **Cavalier** » Mon Jul 04, 2011 7:57 am

somethingdemure wrote:I think I agree with y'all. I think I'm going to take Admin, though. Not as much of a risk, right?

At UVA last fall semester, admin had a significantly higher number of law review folks than I ever saw in fed courts. That isn't usually the case, but as admin is one of those classes that everyone hoping to practice in DC takes, it's likely to draw people who are doing well in law school.

vamedic03 · Post by **vamedic03** » Mon Jul 04, 2011 12:06 pm

somethingdemure wrote:I think I agree with y'all. I think I'm going to take Admin, though. Not as much of a risk, right?

I think admin can be just as challenging / LR gunner filled as fed courts.

robert85 · Post by **robert85** » Mon Jul 04, 2011 6:40 pm

what happens if you get a shitty grade in fed courts (say a B), but you get As in the rest of your fluff classes? Would the fed clerkship be out because you did so bad in fed courts (even if you have a high gpa from taking fluff classes to round out your schedule)?

SweetnessUVA · Post by **SweetnessUVA** » Mon Jul 04, 2011 11:12 pm

Cavalier,

What would you consider to be the more LR-centric classes? You said Fed Courts and Admin, but I'd also say Conflicts of Laws, right?

What else?

Post by **vanwinkle** » Mon Jul 04, 2011 11:13 pm

As someone who did it... don't do it.

Cavalier · Post by **Cavalier** » Mon Jul 04, 2011 11:25 pm

SweetnessUVA wrote:Cavalier,

What would you consider to be the more LR-centric classes? You said Fed Courts and Admin, but I'd also say Conflicts of Laws, right?

What else?

Conflicts (if taught by Collins) and Legislation (if taught by Nelson--although I heard Gilbert was popular too) are the other big ones. Each were at least 25% Law Review last year, and that doesn't tell the whole story, as many (probably close to a majority) students in those courses had GPAs well above a 3.5. PR with Cohen also drew a substantial number of Law Review (presumably because he awards like a million A+ grades). Law Review folks tend to take courses for the professor, not the subject matter. Collins, Howard, Jeffries, Magill, Nelson, Prakash, and Schwartzman are all very popular.

somethingdemure · Post by **somethingdemure** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 2:33 am

TTH · Post by **TTH** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 11:29 am

somethingdemure wrote:
Cavalier wrote:
somethingdemure wrote:I think I agree with y'all. I think I'm going to take Admin, though. Not as much of a risk, right?
At UVA last fall semester, admin had a significantly higher number of law review folks than I ever saw in fed courts. That isn't usually the case, but as admin is one of those classes that everyone hoping to practice in DC takes, it's likely to draw people who are doing well in law school.
Hmm, interesting! I wonder, do you think that might be an east coast/DC thing that I can avoid at UCLA, or is Admin universally gunner heaven?

Should I just stick to some more intro type classes to try to get more As? BA, tax, evidence?

Speaking for my middling T1, Admin is usually seen as second only to Fed Courts in gunnerdom. Also, I wouldn't count on A's in the big BLL classes. I've heard the UCC courses tend to be easier though.

thesealocust · Post by **thesealocust** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 9:59 pm

Cavalier wrote:
SweetnessUVA wrote:Cavalier,

What would you consider to be the more LR-centric classes? You said Fed Courts and Admin, but I'd also say Conflicts of Laws, right?

What else?
Conflicts (if taught by Collins) and Legislation (if taught by Nelson--although I heard Gilbert was popular too) are the other big ones. Each were at least 25% Law Review last year, and that doesn't tell the whole story, as many (probably close to a majority) students in those courses had GPAs well above a 3.5. PR with Cohen also drew a substantial number of Law Review (presumably because he awards like a million A+ grades). Law Review folks tend to take courses for the professor, not the subject matter. Collins, Howard, Jeffries, Magill, Nelson, Prakash, and Schwartzman are all very popular.

* furiously takes note of what classes not to take *

Cavalier · Post by **Cavalier** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 10:16 pm

thesealocust wrote:
Cavalier wrote:
SweetnessUVA wrote:Cavalier,

What would you consider to be the more LR-centric classes? You said Fed Courts and Admin, but I'd also say Conflicts of Laws, right?

What else?
Conflicts (if taught by Collins) and Legislation (if taught by Nelson--although I heard Gilbert was popular too) are the other big ones. Each were at least 25% Law Review last year, and that doesn't tell the whole story, as many (probably close to a majority) students in those courses had GPAs well above a 3.5. PR with Cohen also drew a substantial number of Law Review (presumably because he awards like a million A+ grades). Law Review folks tend to take courses for the professor, not the subject matter. Collins, Howard, Jeffries, Magill, Nelson, Prakash, and Schwartzman are all very popular.
* furiously takes note of what classes not to take *

You already knew all that.

mattattack911 · Post by **mattattack911** » Wed Jul 06, 2011 10:20 am

Why is Conflicts so popular for LR people?

vamedic03 · Post by **vamedic03** » Thu Jul 07, 2011 12:11 am

mattattack911 wrote:Why is Conflicts so popular for LR people?

In someways its a continuation of Fed Courts - Fed Courts deals a lot with vertical federalism while Conflicts handles horizontal federalism.

Plus, it's a very fascinating area of law - there's not much more basic of a question than whose law applies.

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