Best and worst judges to clerk for Forum

[Anonymous User]

Anyone know anything about Sanchez, Mendoza, or H. Thomas (all 9th)?

Just want to jump in and say that H. Thomas has also fired a clerk this year

Did Thomas fire them? They went to my school and were in a pretty prominent role on campus so there was a lot of speculation around what happened but consensus was the clerk left, largely because they went to a super prestigious firm after and it seemed unlikely the firm would take someone who just got fired from clerkship.

I don't know anything about the dynamics at issue, but it is very within the realm of possibility the clerk was fired but provided a face-saving excuse by the judge for employers.

I know nothing about this situation, but it isn't unheard of for a judge to actively try to place a clerk he or she privately wants to fire in a new job. That way there's no damage to the clerk's career and the judge gets the clerk out of chambers.

I dont think that those were the vibes because the clerk went to the firm they summered at - more seemed like they just went back early instead of going back after the clerkship. I take your point though that there's with respect to saving face and do think that the specific context made it such that both parties would benefit from quiet departure

Not to chime in here but its important people go in with clear info about H Thomas.This wasn’t a case of someone just leaving early or amicably separating. I know from other CA9 clerks that H Thomas fired said clerk two months in after clashing over work product quality. Don’t know how generalizable this is but the clerk was underperforming for H Thomas’s standards (if you want further proof, according to this clerk’s profile on their prestigious firm website they apparently also failed the bar last fall…)

[Anonymous User]

Anyone know anything about Sanchez, Mendoza, or H. Thomas (all 9th)?

Just want to jump in and say that H. Thomas has also fired a clerk this year

Did Thomas fire them? They went to my school and were in a pretty prominent role on campus so there was a lot of speculation around what happened but consensus was the clerk left, largely because they went to a super prestigious firm after and it seemed unlikely the firm would take someone who just got fired from clerkship.

I don't know anything about the dynamics at issue, but it is very within the realm of possibility the clerk was fired but provided a face-saving excuse by the judge for employers.

I know nothing about this situation, but it isn't unheard of for a judge to actively try to place a clerk he or she privately wants to fire in a new job. That way there's no damage to the clerk's career and the judge gets the clerk out of chambers.

I dont think that those were the vibes because the clerk went to the firm they summered at - more seemed like they just went back early instead of going back after the clerkship. I take your point though that there's with respect to saving face and do think that the specific context made it such that both parties would benefit from quiet departure

Not to chime in here but its important people go in with clear info about H Thomas.This wasn’t a case of someone just leaving early or amicably separating. I know from other CA9 clerks that H Thomas fired said clerk two months in after clashing over work product quality. Don’t know how generalizable this is but the clerk was underperforming for H Thomas’s standards (if you want further proof, according to this clerk’s profile on their prestigious firm website they apparently also failed the bar last fall…)

Or, that they didn't take the bar last fall; many who start clerkships straight out of school don't take the bar immediately

[Anonymous User]

If I’m guessing the clerk in question from the prior poster’s comment, they posted regularly on social media about studying for and taking the July 2023 bar... quite sad if true about only being admitted this May. Confirming what someone else has said about the H Thomas-clerk situation, seemed the clerk was let go following HAT being unhappy with work product following a missed deadline, following maybe unclear info on expectations from HAT.

[Anonymous User]

She is, indeed, rumored to be an awful boss.

I know one of her former clerks who speaks extraordinarily highly of her, so I find it hard to believe that’s the case.

Either you haven’t clerked or you had a super nice judge. Bad judges will often mistreat one clerk while simultaneously be incredibly nice with the other. My co-clerk was often humiliated and ignored while my work product was praised and the judge would mentor me. Was I smarter than him? No. The only difference - I’m white and he was not. Not saying it was racially motivated, but man, did I feel awful for him!

I'm a new poster. Your experience seems to be the one outside the norm. Not saying it didn't happen, but the average judge doesn't act like this. Sorry for your experience.

Not the poster with the somewhat-racist judge, but I agree that judges often do pick favorites among clerks. And although not all judges are abusive/crazy, I've been surprised at how many of my friends/classmates seem to have had rough clerkship experiences - I don't think anyone knows enough to say how the "average judge" acts, to be honest.

And having sat with Holly Thomas, she seemed nice enough and her chambers was pretty quick/efficient in terms of circulating things and responding to what we circulated. She was definitely more moderate/conservative than I would've thought given her NAACP background though.

Could you elaborate on her ideology?

[Anonymous User]

Anyone know anything about Sanchez, Mendoza, or H. Thomas (all 9th)?

Just want to jump in and say that H. Thomas has also fired a clerk this year

Did Thomas fire them? They went to my school and were in a pretty prominent role on campus so there was a lot of speculation around what happened but consensus was the clerk left, largely because they went to a super prestigious firm after and it seemed unlikely the firm would take someone who just got fired from clerkship.

I don't know anything about the dynamics at issue, but it is very within the realm of possibility the clerk was fired but provided a face-saving excuse by the judge for employers.

I know nothing about this situation, but it isn't unheard of for a judge to actively try to place a clerk he or she privately wants to fire in a new job. That way there's no damage to the clerk's career and the judge gets the clerk out of chambers.

I dont think that those were the vibes because the clerk went to the firm they summered at - more seemed like they just went back early instead of going back after the clerkship. I take your point though that there's with respect to saving face and do think that the specific context made it such that both parties would benefit from quiet departure

Not to chime in here but its important people go in with clear info about H Thomas.This wasn’t a case of someone just leaving early or amicably separating. I know from other CA9 clerks that H Thomas fired said clerk two months in after clashing over work product quality. Don’t know how generalizable this is but the clerk was underperforming for H Thomas’s standards (if you want further proof, according to this clerk’s profile on their prestigious firm website they apparently also failed the bar last fall…)

I'm not sure where you are getting that they failed the bar... They are listed on the July 2023 pass list. In any case, let's not equate passing or failing the bar with work product quality. It doesn't help anyone and is just a false equivalency (goes both ways).

[Anonymous User]

Any information on Koh in CA9?

[Anonymous User]

If I’m guessing the clerk in question from the prior poster’s comment, they posted regularly on social media about studying for and taking the July 2023 bar... quite sad if true about only being admitted this May. Confirming what someone else has said about the H Thomas-clerk situation, seemed the clerk was let go following HAT being unhappy with work product following a missed deadline, following maybe unclear info on expectations from HAT.

While it does appear they were admitted in May, they definitely passed the July 2023 bar. I’m not in that jurisdiction so I don’t know why that would be, but they are on the July 2023 pass list.

[Anonymous User]

If I’m guessing the clerk in question from the prior poster’s comment, they posted regularly on social media about studying for and taking the July 2023 bar... quite sad if true about only being admitted this May. Confirming what someone else has said about the H Thomas-clerk situation, seemed the clerk was let go following HAT being unhappy with work product following a missed deadline, following maybe unclear info on expectations from HAT.

While it does appear they were admitted in May, they definitely passed the July 2023 bar. I’m not in that jurisdiction so I don’t know why that would be, but they are on the July 2023 pass list.

Could be anything. New York, at least pre-COVID, didn't swear some of its July passers in until the following spring--not sure if some states still wait that long. A C&F issue could also delay the process. Some states don't run your C&F investigation until after you pass.

[Anonymous User]

Is there a world in which a C&F delay could be related to the firing? Trying to understand how vindictive HAT might be (and any further info/clarity on HAT would be helpful generally).

[Anonymous User]

Good lord, is there really this much to read into a swearing-in date? I waited for months because I didn't need to be licensed yet and figured I'd save it for a special occasion. Had no idea that I was risking my credibility right at the start of my career.

[Anonymous User]

Good lord, is there really this much to read into a swearing-in date? I waited for months because I didn't need to be licensed yet and figured I'd save it for a special occasion. Had no idea that I was risking my credibility right at the start of my career.

I will note that payscale bumps are tied to your bar date.

[Anonymous User]

Good lord, is there really this much to read into a swearing-in date? I waited for months because I didn't need to be licensed yet and figured I'd save it for a special occasion. Had no idea that I was risking my credibility right at the start of my career.

I will note that payscale bumps are tied to your bar date.

No it’s not.

[Anonymous User]

Good lord, is there really this much to read into a swearing-in date? I waited for months because I didn't need to be licensed yet and figured I'd save it for a special occasion. Had no idea that I was risking my credibility right at the start of my career.

I will note that payscale bumps are tied to your bar date.

No it’s not.

Yeah, this is right. You do have to be admitted to get the bump at all, but your work experience is measured by when you started work. I got bumped up in Sept of my second clerkship because that was a year from when I started working, regardless of having not been admitted until October.

So yeah, admission date doesn’t tell you anything about this clerk under debate.

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone have insight into what the Biden appointees on D. Md. (Boardman, Griggsby, Rubin, Hurson, and Maddox) or E.D. Va. (Giles, Nachmanoff, Hanes) are like as bosses?

Griggsby's two clerks both quit her chambers a few years back.

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone have insight into what the Biden appointees on D. Md. (Boardman, Griggsby, Rubin, Hurson, and Maddox) or E.D. Va. (Giles, Nachmanoff, Hanes) are like as bosses?

Griggsby's two clerks both quit her chambers a few years back.

Why, broadly?

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone have insight into what the Biden appointees on D. Md. (Boardman, Griggsby, Rubin, Hurson, and Maddox) or E.D. Va. (Giles, Nachmanoff, Hanes) are like as bosses?

Can speak to D.Md. here.

Griggsby is supposed to be extremely demanding. Rubin hired a clerk who quit before the clerkship began, apparently due to some unreasonable requests on her part. She seems like a nice person though. Hurson seems like a great guy, he's probably easy to work for. Maddox is a demanding boss and has high ambitions as a judge, but he's brilliant and you'll probably learn a lot.

[Anonymous User]

If I’m guessing the clerk in question from the prior poster’s comment, they posted regularly on social media about studying for and taking the July 2023 bar... quite sad if true about only being admitted this May. Confirming what someone else has said about the H Thomas-clerk situation, seemed the clerk was let go following HAT being unhappy with work product following a missed deadline, following maybe unclear info on expectations from HAT.

I’ve heard HAT has rehired this person for a future term.

[Anonymous User]

Anything on the new D.D.C judges - AliKhan, Reyes, Cobb? I can't seem to find much about them.

[Anonymous User]

Anything on the new D.D.C judges - AliKhan, Reyes, Cobb? I can't seem to find much about them.

I have heard very positive reports about AliKhan from both a former clerk and a lawyer who has appeared in front of her.

[Anonymous User]

Interested in hearing perspectives on the Biden nominees on CA2. I looked back at old posts but want to know if there's any update on them a few years out from when they were confirmed. Thinking Lee, Kahn, Perez, etc.

[Anonymous User]

has anyone heard anything about Judge Brinkema in EDVA?

Really well-respected judge. Great boss—and former clerks really love her and the EDVA experience / exposure to interesting cases and trials. Heavy workload, but not an outlier for a prestigious district court like EDVA. Lots of clerks coming from or going to Court of Appeals clerkships. Grade and law school sensitive.

This NYTimes profile of Brinkema and the DOJ/Google ad-tech litigation is pretty great and funny. She continues to get some massive cases (Abu Ghraib detainee torture trial from this month too) https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/25/tech ... ticleShare

[Jefferson9921]

Anyone have intel on Ho (CA5) and Stras (CA8)?

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have intel on Ho (CA5) and Stras (CA8)?

I have heard from a former Ho clerk that he is a good boss and that it was an enjoyable clerkship. That person is quite conservative, though, and I'm not sure he would be a good fit for a clerk of a different stripe.

I have heard quite negative things about Stras through the grapevine and from a professor who was on the faculty with him at Minnesota. I have also heard from someone who worked with him in private practice that he is a nice guy and was a good colleague. My guess is that he just isn't everyone's cup of tea.

[Jefferson9921]

Anyone have intel on Ho (CA5) and Stras (CA8)?

I have heard from a former Ho clerk that he is a good boss and that it was an enjoyable clerkship. That person is quite conservative, though, and I'm not sure he would be a good fit for a clerk of a different stripe.

I have heard quite negative things about Stras through the grapevine and from a professor who was on the faculty with him at Minnesota. I have also heard from someone who worked with him in private practice that he is a nice guy and was a good colleague. My guess is that he just isn't everyone's cup of tea.

Thanks! Stras kind of seems like his legendary former boss, J. Michael Luttig, in the "not being everyone's cup of tea" regard. Not to pile on, but have you heard anything about what it's like to work for Rushing (CA4)?

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have intel on Ho (CA5) and Stras (CA8)?

I have heard from a former Ho clerk that he is a good boss and that it was an enjoyable clerkship. That person is quite conservative, though, and I'm not sure he would be a good fit for a clerk of a different stripe.

I have heard quite negative things about Stras through the grapevine and from a professor who was on the faculty with him at Minnesota. I have also heard from someone who worked with him in private practice that he is a nice guy and was a good colleague. My guess is that he just isn't everyone's cup of tea.

Thanks! Stras kind of seems like his legendary former boss, J. Michael Luttig, in the "not being everyone's cup of tea" regard. Not to pile on, but have you heard anything about what it's like to work for Rushing (CA4)?

Former CA4 clerk. I've heard Rushing is kind and a good boss, but I've heard there's not a ton of day-to-day interaction with her clerks. Overall, supposed to be a positive clerkship experience though