Penn Clerkship Discussion/Movement Forum

[Anonymous User]

It's really shameful how nasty this thread has gotten. What ever happened to "collegiality?"

10% going to federal clerkships is nothing to scoff at, so I have a feeling some folks are getting a little frustrated by Penn students acting like it's impossible to succeed and all the cards are stacked against them. It probably doesn't help that this is right after folks have accepted that plan didn't pan out and there's a lot of work ahead if they still want to get a clerkship.

I think it's also the general negative/snobby attitude toward anywhere that's not NY/CA/DC. Not likely to take OP very far and it's annoying to encounter these attitudes at a school like Penn where you expect your enormously privileged + power-seeking peers to have a more sophisticated and thoughtful way of looking at the world

This thread was nasty outside of that back and forth but the condescension from the Penn New York crowd has never been collegial!

[Anonymous User]

It's really shameful how nasty this thread has gotten. What ever happened to "collegiality?"

Nothing said later in the thread tops the OP who asked who else in ‘24 had clerkships because they weren’t talking to many people but wanted to compare. That person sums up what it’s like to go to law school in this small-minded little bubble.

[Anonymous User]

I think we can simultaneously acknowledge that (1) Penn’s institutional support and reach in popular districts is sub-par and needs to be improved AND (2) while I understand why people are upset and the frustration involved in the process, it’s no excuse to be rude.

Ultimately, even if — in the worst case — you don’t get a clerkship, how does that inhibit you? You can still be a partner, impact litigator, FPD, AUSA, and even a professor without having clerked.

[Anonymous User]

I think we can simultaneously acknowledge that (1) Penn’s institutional support and reach in popular districts is sub-par and needs to be improved AND (2) while I understand why people are upset and the frustration involved in the process, it’s no excuse to be rude.

Ultimately, even if — in the worst case — you don’t get a clerkship, how does that inhibit you? You can still be a partner, impact litigator, FPD, AUSA, and even a professor without having clerked.

It obviously inhibits people who fail to obtain a clerkship because it is harder to do most of those things without a clerkship.

[Anonymous User]

Look at our own faculty -- how many have clerked? Very very few on SCOTUS or for feeders. Heck, there are professors who aren't even lawyers!

[Anonymous User]

Look at our own faculty -- how many have clerked? Very very few on SCOTUS or for feeders. Heck, there are professors who aren't even lawyers!

Yeah, now publications and PhDs are more important. But all things equal, I’d still rather have those things and a clerkship. It’s just almost always a helpful resume line.

I personally have no interest in being a professor. The clerkships are a huge deal for AUSA and FPD jobs. And they matter a ton if you want to work for some of the more selective litigation boutiques or get into appellate work. You obviously don’t literally need a clerkship to do anything in the law, but the reality is that it’s practically a de facto requirement for some jobs if you are a young attorney.

[Anonymous User]

For the rising 2Ls among us, can we please make a compilation of which professors are good and bad recommenders for clerkships?

[Anonymous User]

For the rising 2Ls among us, can we please make a compilation of which professors are good and bad recommenders for clerkships?

Talk to your peers.

[Anonymous User]

For the rising 2Ls among us, can we please make a compilation of which professors are good and bad recommenders for clerkships?

I strongly recommend focusing on building the best possible relationships you can with professors over worrying about who is the "best," unless you're gunning for a feeder.

The recommender who did the most for me, using their personal connections and going above and beyond, is not someone most people think of as "good" because they didn't clerk and don't have judge connections. Meanwhile, I had a recommender that most folks say is "good," and they didn't make any calls for me. But my connection was just "I did well in your class," so I don't fault them. There wasn't a reason for them to go hard for me.

[Anonymous User]

How do you know which professors actually made calls for you?

[Anonymous User]

How do you know which professors actually made calls for you?

I talked to them about their recommendation process. Some professors have a set list of judges they might call, others ask you for your top choices, and some will call only once you have an interview. You can also find out throughout the application cycle if you are keeping them up-to-date.

[Anonymous User]

One of my professors asked who I wanted called and she called all of them. If you’re not discussing it they’re not calling.

[Anonymous User]

How do you know which professors actually made calls for you?

I’m so confused as a rising 3L with a clerkship, do any professors make calls for you and NOT tell you?

[Anonymous User]

How do you know which professors actually made calls for you?

I’m so confused as a rising 3L with a clerkship, do any professors make calls for you and NOT tell you?

Yeah. This actually happened for me. I actually only found out about it during the interview when the judge mentioned it.

[Anonymous User]

How do you know which professors actually made calls for you?

I’m so confused as a rising 3L with a clerkship, do any professors make calls for you and NOT tell you?

Yeah. This actually happened for me. I actually only found out about it during the interview when the judge mentioned it.

[Anonymous User]

How do you know which professors actually made calls for you?

I’m so confused as a rising 3L with a clerkship, do any professors make calls for you and NOT tell you?

Yeah. This actually happened for me. I actually only found out about it during the interview when the judge mentioned it.

Did the professor have information that you wanted to work for this judge specifically, or was it just a judge on your total list who the professor happened to know?

[Anonymous User]

How do you know which professors actually made calls for you?

I’m so confused as a rising 3L with a clerkship, do any professors make calls for you and NOT tell you?

Yeah. This actually happened for me. I actually only found out about it during the interview when the judge mentioned it.

Did the professor have information that you wanted to work for this judge specifically, or was it just a judge on your total list who the professor happened to know?

It was just a judge from my list who I guess the professor knew.

[Anonymous User]

How do you know which professors actually made calls for you?

I’m so confused as a rising 3L with a clerkship, do any professors make calls for you and NOT tell you?

Yeah. This actually happened for me. I actually only found out about it during the interview when the judge mentioned it.

Did the professor have information that you wanted to work for this judge specifically, or was it just a judge on your total list who the professor happened to know?

It was just a judge from my list who I guess the professor knew.

Struve?

[Anonymous User]

How do you know which professors actually made calls for you?

I’m so confused as a rising 3L with a clerkship, do any professors make calls for you and NOT tell you?

Yeah. This actually happened for me. I actually only found out about it during the interview when the judge mentioned it.

Did the professor have information that you wanted to work for this judge specifically, or was it just a judge on your total list who the professor happened to know?

It was just a judge from my list who I guess the professor knew.

Struve?

No, adjunct.

[Anonymous User]

For a PA judge?

[Anonymous User]

What’s the best way to get a writing sample? Do I need to do keedy?

[Anonymous User]

What’s the best way to get a writing sample? Do I need to do keedy?

The Appellate advocacy class is good too.

[Anonymous User]

Any seminars to avoid or that have horrendous grading?

[Anonymous User]

Any seminars to avoid or that have horrendous grading?

Reg review seminar.

[Anonymous User]

Any seminars to avoid or that have horrendous grading?

Reg review seminar.

Why?