Best and worst judges to clerk for Forum

[Anonymous User]

Elizabeth Branch joined the YLS boycott—she’s pretty obscure, so I doubt it’ll change anything, but I was surprised someone with a fairly nonideological background took such a hard stand

Ignoring the dumb commentary below the responded to comment, she is a surprise - not remotely a bomb-thrower, doesn't have SCOTUS aspirations (AFAIK), and I was under the impression she hired liberals.

[Anonymous User]

Elizabeth Branch joined the YLS boycott—she’s pretty obscure, so I doubt it’ll change anything, but I was surprised someone with a fairly nonideological background took such a hard stand

“Nonideological background”

Worked as a senior official for Bush for 4 years

Fed Soc weirdo for 20 years, 10 years of which has been in leadership roles in Georgia

Praised Scalia’s dissent in Lawrence

Wanted to gut Section 2 of the VRA

This is all pretty standard stuff for an R-appointee. Idk what non-ideological R circuit appointee looks like to you, but if it is someone like Judge St. Eve there is going to be like 3 of them

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone heard anything (good or bad) about Shelby in Utah?

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone heard anything (good or bad) about Shelby in Utah?

We have on review on him in our law school resources and it is very good. He seems to be very personable. No idea about work hours or anything though.

[lavarman84]

Elizabeth Branch joined the YLS boycott—she’s pretty obscure, so I doubt it’ll change anything, but I was surprised someone with a fairly nonideological background took such a hard stand

“Nonideological background”

Worked as a senior official for Bush for 4 years

Fed Soc weirdo for 20 years, 10 years of which has been in leadership roles in Georgia

Praised Scalia’s dissent in Lawrence

Wanted to gut Section 2 of the VRA

This is all pretty standard stuff for an R-appointee. Idk what non-ideological R circuit appointee looks like to you, but if it is someone like Judge St. Eve there is going to be like 3 of them

Yeah, there aren't a lot of them among the Trump circuit appointees. In terms of the Trump appointees on the Eleventh Circuit, Branch is definitely closer to the most partisan of them than the least partisan of them. (I am avoiding using ideological because one can be ideological without necessarily being partisan.)

[Anonymous User]

Elizabeth Branch joined the YLS boycott—she’s pretty obscure, so I doubt it’ll change anything, but I was surprised someone with a fairly nonideological background took such a hard stand

She's never hired a Yalie from what I can tell. Seems like she's been boycotting for a while and just never said it.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have any intel on the more liberal/centrist Fifth Circuit judges: people like Stewart, Higginson, Graves, Dennis, or maybe Haynes?

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have any intel on the more liberal/centrist Fifth Circuit judges: people like Stewart, Higginson, Graves, Dennis, or maybe Haynes?

Without trying to sound crass, Dennis looks like he is on death's door and I don't think he will remain on senior status for very long after Douglas is confirmed to replace him. Haynes is unpleasant to clerk for. Higginson is one of the smartest people on the circuit, I suspect any clerkship with him is a good one.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have any intel on the more liberal/centrist Fifth Circuit judges: people like Stewart, Higginson, Graves, Dennis, or maybe Haynes?

Without trying to sound crass, Dennis looks like he is on death's door and I don't think he will remain on senior status for very long after Douglas is confirmed to replace him. Haynes is unpleasant to clerk for. Higginson is one of the smartest people on the circuit, I suspect any clerkship with him is a good one.

Could you elaborate on Haynes. What is the unpleasantness aspect of it?

[lavarman84]

Anyone have any intel on the more liberal/centrist Fifth Circuit judges: people like Stewart, Higginson, Graves, Dennis, or maybe Haynes?

While I had only limited interactions with him, Stewart seemed pretty great. My judge also quite liked him.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have any intel on the more liberal/centrist Fifth Circuit judges: people like Stewart, Higginson, Graves, Dennis, or maybe Haynes?

Without trying to sound crass, Dennis looks like he is on death's door and I don't think he will remain on senior status for very long after Douglas is confirmed to replace him. Haynes is unpleasant to clerk for. Higginson is one of the smartest people on the circuit, I suspect any clerkship with him is a good one.

How likely is it Douglas will be confirmed with the midterms looming?

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have any intel on the more liberal/centrist Fifth Circuit judges: people like Stewart, Higginson, Graves, Dennis, or maybe Haynes?

Without trying to sound crass, Dennis looks like he is on death's door and I don't think he will remain on senior status for very long after Douglas is confirmed to replace him. Haynes is unpleasant to clerk for. Higginson is one of the smartest people on the circuit, I suspect any clerkship with him is a good one.

This aligns with what I've heard.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have any intel on the more liberal/centrist Fifth Circuit judges: people like Stewart, Higginson, Graves, Dennis, or maybe Haynes?

While I had only limited interactions with him, Stewart seemed pretty great. My judge also quite liked him.

Stewart recently won the Devitt Award, the highest honor from the Judicial Conference, which is the sort of thing you don't win unless other judges really like you.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have any intel on the more liberal/centrist Fifth Circuit judges: people like Stewart, Higginson, Graves, Dennis, or maybe Haynes?

Without trying to sound crass, Dennis looks like he is on death's door and I don't think he will remain on senior status for very long after Douglas is confirmed to replace him. Haynes is unpleasant to clerk for. Higginson is one of the smartest people on the circuit, I suspect any clerkship with him is a good one.

How likely is it Douglas will be confirmed with the midterms looming?

I'd say odds are pretty good - both of Louisiana's Republican senators OK'ed her nomination and she got bipartisan support on her Senate Judiciary Committee vote. If the Dems lose the Senate in the midterms, they're almost certainly going to press ahead with confirming a bunch of judges in November/December before McConnell obstructs everything. Nothing's a sure bet (especially with Senator Leahy hospitalized today), but Douglas is probably the most likely of all the pending nominees to be confirmed.

The fact that Biden left Costa's seat vacant on CA5 is disappointing - given that the administration had no issue telling Marsha Blackburn to take a hike re: the CA6 nominee, they should've told Cruz to do the same.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have any intel on the more liberal/centrist Fifth Circuit judges: people like Stewart, Higginson, Graves, Dennis, or maybe Haynes?

Without trying to sound crass, Dennis looks like he is on death's door and I don't think he will remain on senior status for very long after Douglas is confirmed to replace him. Haynes is unpleasant to clerk for. Higginson is one of the smartest people on the circuit, I suspect any clerkship with him is a good one.

How likely is it Douglas will be confirmed with the midterms looming?

The circuit nominees who have gotten through committee, including Douglas, are virtually guaranteed to be confirmed in time. The circuit judges I'd be most worried about are Abudu, Bloomekatz, and Rikelman, who will require discharge votes that eat up lots of floor time.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have any information on Northern District of Indiana judges?

[Anonymous User]

I’ve heard terrible things about Florence Pan from her one year on DDC.

[Anonymous User]

I’ve heard terrible things about Florence Pan from her one year on DDC.

Do tell.

[Anonymous User]

I’ve heard terrible things about Florence Pan from her one year on DDC.

Do tell.

Bad hours, nasty and demeaning to clerks, all-around bad boss.

[Anonymous User]

I’ve heard terrible things about Florence Pan from her one year on DDC.

Do tell.

Bad hours, nasty and demeaning to clerks, all-around bad boss.

I've heard the same. avoid.

[Anonymous User]

I’ve heard terrible things about Florence Pan from her one year on DDC.

Do tell.

Bad hours, nasty and demeaning to clerks, all-around bad boss.

I've heard the same. avoid.

Is Pan like Holme or Kozinski level or is this just like typical bad clerk boss stuff.

[Anonymous User]

has anyone heard anything about Judge Brinkema in EDVA?

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have any intel on the more liberal/centrist Fifth Circuit judges: people like Stewart, Higginson, Graves, Dennis, or maybe Haynes?

Without trying to sound crass, Dennis looks like he is on death's door and I don't think he will remain on senior status for very long after Douglas is confirmed to replace him. Haynes is unpleasant to clerk for. Higginson is one of the smartest people on the circuit, I suspect any clerkship with him is a good one.

This aligns with what I've heard.

When you say Dennis is on death's door is he still like an active/nice boss but just old or is he like actually on death's door. Seems like he has still been very active.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have any intel on the more liberal/centrist Fifth Circuit judges: people like Stewart, Higginson, Graves, Dennis, or maybe Haynes?

By many accounts, Higginson is one of the nicest people on the planet.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have any intel on the more liberal/centrist Fifth Circuit judges: people like Stewart, Higginson, Graves, Dennis, or maybe Haynes?

By many accounts, Higginson is one of the nicest people on the planet.

I have heard similarly about Judge Higginson. Another judge that is known to be supremely kind is Judge Friedland on the Ninth.