Clerks Taking Questions Forum

[bk1]

When a judge doesn't post openings on OSCAR or only takes mail applications, is it generally ok to mail applications at any time? I wouldn't want to send something now and have it thrown away if they're not looking until, say, late winter or early spring.

I've only ever heard of 1 judge that actually binned early applications. There are undoubtedly more, but they are a very small minority and I would not let those few affect when you apply since most judges will either review the application immediately or put it aside to review later. While ideally you would apply when the judge is looking to hire, it's far better to apply 6 months early than it is to apply 1 day late (i.e. 1 day after the judge finishes hiring). I would err on the side of caution and apply early if you have no clue as to when the judge is hiring.

[LS-boundNYC]

Thanks, guys! This thread is a lifesaver.

[Anonymous User]

Feeder clerk, with offer from 2L summer firm, approached by another firm that pays big$$$ (almost 3x) sigining bonus and big YE bonus (50-100k more)- way more than my 2L Summer. Do you ask them to match or just move on?

[Anonymous User]

Do you have an offer in hand? Are you willing to accept that offer? If the answer to the first two is yes, then it wouldn't be totally unreasonable to ask. It is unlikely that they will match, though.

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone have a sense of what the 2016 application timeline should look like for mid-to-less competitive districts courts, mostly those within the 4/5/11th circuits? I know this is a broad question but after talking to my school, a couple clerk friends, and a few calls to chambers I have absolutely no idea when the bulk of judges want applications. Any insights, including anecdota, would be helpful.

[jw316]

Feeder clerk, with offer from 2L summer firm, approached by another firm that pays big$$$ (almost 3x) sigining bonus and big YE bonus (50-100k more)- way more than my 2L Summer. Do you ask them to match or just move on?

Can you please PM me? I pinky promise to preserve anonymity, I just have 4 or 5 questions.

[Anonymous User]

Feeder clerk, with offer from 2L summer firm, approached by another firm that pays big$$$ (almost 3x) sigining bonus and big YE bonus (50-100k more)- way more than my 2L Summer. Do you ask them to match or just move on?

I assume you're talking about Kellogg Huber. I doubt any typical biglaw firm will match. I would just move on if that's what you want.

[Anonymous User]

Lol yeah, no one is going to match KH. They pay that obscene bonus for a reason

[Anonymous User]

District Clerk in an east coast district (EDNY/SDNY/EDVA/DDC) happy to help answer questions.

[Anonymous User]

do you know anybody who has gone from Law school to D. court clerk to ADA? Is that a ridiculous sacrifice of preftige?

or, alternatively (and you might not be experts on the subject), is it a good way to get to the USAO?

would the clerkship plus 20 trials in 2-3 years experience as an ada make one a powerful candidate, or is it just a stupid way to flush potential income down the toilet?

and no, the target USAO (in the home competitive district that contained the LS and the D. court clerkship) did not participate in the DOJ honors program.

no loans

[Anonymous User]

My spouse and I are both at t14 schools - how feasible would it be to get clerkships in the same city? We're both from flyover states

[ggocat]

Don't worry about prestige and focus on what you want to do. There is no set career path for usao. Being an ada can get you there. But try to be happy in your career even if you are a "lowly" ada (assuming your goal is prosecution).

And yes, I've known someone who did state appellate clerkship, federal clerkship, and then ADA.

[Elston Gunn]

My spouse and I are both at t14 schools - how feasible would it be to get clerkships in the same city? We're both from flyover states

Er, will depend a lot on your grades/journal/etc.

[Anonymous User]

My spouse and I are both at t14 schools - how feasible would it be to get clerkships in the same city? We're both from flyover states

Er, will depend a lot on your grades/journal/etc.

Yeah, I figured, I was just wondering in the unlikely case we both are in that situation if the "you have to take your first offer" thing would make it functionally impossible

[Elston Gunn]

My spouse and I are both at t14 schools - how feasible would it be to get clerkships in the same city? We're both from flyover states

Er, will depend a lot on your grades/journal/etc.

Yeah, I figured, I was just wondering in the unlikely case we both are in that situation if the "you have to take your first offer" thing would make it functionally impossible

It's not really true that you have to take your first offer, at least IME. Judges will of course vary on this, but it's normal for them to give you like a week to decide, with the understanding that you may be looking at other judges. That's still not a lot of time, of course, considering the way the process works. It's also a problem for you that most flyover districts are only going to have a few judges. Basically, what you're talking about will be hard unless you're superstars, and even if you were superstars it might still be hard to do in a flyover city just because of the randomness. (E.g., I'm guessing it would be easier for two top, top students to both get SDNY than it would for both get Des Moines clerkships.)

Anecdotally, in situations like yours, I've heard of firms leaving open offers (at least tacitly) while the spouse without a clerkship works a fellowship or local job for a year.

[Anonymous User]

My spouse and I are both at t14 schools - how feasible would it be to get clerkships in the same city? We're both from flyover states

Er, will depend a lot on your grades/journal/etc.

Yeah, I figured, I was just wondering in the unlikely case we both are in that situation if the "you have to take your first offer" thing would make it functionally impossible

I know a couple who were able to get district court clerkships in adjacent districts. Cities are about 1.5 hours from each other, dunno what their living arrangement is, but they seem to have worked it out.

[run26.2]

I think most judges would be understanding if it were presented appropriately. I would certainly be trying my hardest to schedule all the interviews for you and your spouse in a particular spot in the same week and let the judges know your situation if you receive an offer, i.e., "My spouse is also interviewing this week, and I would accept if she/he were to get an offer. Can I have 3 days to decide?"

The possible wrench in the works is if your spouse's interviewers don't decide either way at the end of the interview, which is certainly a possibility. You could handle that by having the second spouse tell the judge that the first spouse had an offer that expired in a certain period of time.

[bk1]

My spouse and I are both at t14 schools - how feasible would it be to get clerkships in the same city? We're both from flyover states

Er, will depend a lot on your grades/journal/etc.

This, though I think it's pretty easy to say that in general the odds are low since of course the odds of getting any clerkship are fairly low and any area with lots of judges will likely be very competitive (e.g. LA/NY) so it's not like you and your spouse can just target areas with lots of clerkships and hope that helps your odds (whereas you can do that with biglaw if you are trying to end up at firms in the same city).

[Anonymous User]

My spouse and I are both at t14 schools - how feasible would it be to get clerkships in the same city? We're both from flyover states

Er, will depend a lot on your grades/journal/etc.

This, though I think it's pretty easy to say that in general the odds are low since of course the odds of getting any clerkship are fairly low and any area with lots of judges will likely be very competitive (e.g. LA/NY) so it's not like you and your spouse can just target areas with lots of clerkships and hope that helps your odds (whereas you can do that with biglaw if you are trying to end up at firms in the same city).

This is original "Anonymous User"

thanks for the info everyone. Seems that it's both not impossible and not something to plan on

[Anonymous User]

If a judge told me that I'd hear back before Christmas and I've not heard back either way, how long should I wait to inquire if a decision has been made?

[Anonymous User]

I think most judges would be understanding if it were presented appropriately. I would certainly be trying my hardest to schedule all the interviews for you and your spouse in a particular spot in the same week and let the judges know your situation if you receive an offer, i.e., "My spouse is also interviewing this week, and I would accept if she/he were to get an offer. Can I have 3 days to decide?"

The possible wrench in the works is if your spouse's interviewers don't decide either way at the end of the interview, which is certainly a possibility. You could handle that by having the second spouse tell the judge that the first spouse had an offer that expired in a certain period of time.

My judge sort of did this for a colleague. S/he had made an offer to a clerk whose spouse was a fellow law student, and asked my judge to interview the future clerk's spouse. My judge interviewed that candidate for a clerkship even though s/he wasn't on our initial shortlist. If the judge of whichever spouse gets a clerkship first is willing to reach out to fellow judges, it could be very helpful.

[rpupkin]

If a judge told me that I'd hear back before Christmas and I've not heard back either way, how long should I wait to inquire if a decision has been made?

If the judge told you that you would hear back before Christmas, I can't think of a reason not to contact chambers now about your status.

The lack of communication might portend bad news for you. Or perhaps the judge was really busy right before Christmas and didn't get around (as planned) to making a final hiring decision. Whatever the reason for the delay, you should just call (or email) instead of speculating/worrying about it.

[Anonymous User]

Any SLS grads around here that can speak to required grades for a feeder clerkship?

Also looking to clerk for a conservative judge, but there are next to zero conservative profs at Stanford besides McConnell and Cole, and Cole is useless. What's it like applying to conservative judges from Stanford?

[hdunlop]

I heard you need four.

[Anonymous User]

Any SLS grads around here that can speak to required grades for a feeder clerkship?

Also looking to clerk for a conservative judge, but there are next to zero conservative profs at Stanford besides McConnell and Cole, and Cole is useless. What's it like applying to conservative judges from Stanford?

Not SLS grad but clerked for a top feeder judge.

Finish 1L with all Hs and you'll be in great shape. 1 P likely won't hurt, More than 1 and you'll start becoming less competitive.