2023-2024 Clerkship Application Thread Forum

[Anonymous User]

Man I'm mad despondent. I fucking killed myself to get fringe magna grades at HYSC and cant get a single day 1 touch. Instead, I gotta sit on the bench and watch my friends all get interviewed to high heaven. I'm ecstatic for them and I know things arent over yet for me but its damn tough.

I know these are annoying comments but holy shit all the effort and stress to this point feels futile. It feels like law school grades don't even matter and things are breaking on whether you went to HYSPM for undergrad or not. Shockingly, I did not. And its fucking ass to feel like choices I made at 16 are defining my life today

Hardly any judges care about undergrad and “fringe magna” (esp if at HLS) is not high enough to expect a call on the first day without hard ties to somewhere out of the way (and then those judges tend to move slower). That said, most judges don’t move on the first day. It’s a long process and everyone is telling you’ll be fine bc you genuinely will be.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone know which D Mass or 1st Cir judges have moved, if any?

[Anonymous User]

Barron has started. Also Holly Thomas (as well as all the 9th lib feeders) have too

[Anonymous User]

For those on the other side i.e. clerks who hire for super feeders, how does this normally work. Monday you frantically pick those who you will send interview invites to. Tuesday you send the invites. Wednesday you are done?

[Anonymous User]

Judge Lee (NDIL) filled per OSCAR

[Anonymous User]

I got an invite yesterday from a feeder judge who was like my mega reach and I feel way unqualified for. Terrified during the interview that he is going to ask me who else I am interviewing with, and when I say no one he will come to his senses and realize he is out of my league. Any advice for how to handle that potential question or am I (hopefully) vastly overthinking this.

[kolio6]

Dude, calm down. Focus on killing the interview. Everything else is noise. Frankly, I think your post is kind of obnoxious because people don’t get as far as you have by asking such inane questions.

[Anonymous User]

I got an invite yesterday from a feeder judge who was like my mega reach and I feel way unqualified for. Terrified during the interview that he is going to ask me who else I am interviewing with, and when I say no one he will come to his senses and realize he is out of my league. Any advice for how to handle that potential question or am I (hopefully) vastly overthinking this.

If you get this question, it is not a big deal to say you don't have any other interviews. Just say you applied to the judges you really want to clerk for.

[Anonymous User]

EDPA is moving - two judges for 2024 and 25

[yejeje]

Man I'm mad despondent. I fucking killed myself to get fringe magna grades at HYSC and cant get a single day 1 touch. Instead, I gotta sit on the bench and watch my friends all get interviewed to high heaven. I'm ecstatic for them and I know things arent over yet for me but its damn tough.

I know these are annoying comments but holy shit all the effort and stress to this point feels futile. It feels like law school grades don't even matter and things are breaking on whether you went to HYSPM for undergrad or not. Shockingly, I did not. And its fucking ass to feel like choices I made at 16 are defining my life today

1. Calls are not remotely close to finished, though I understand the frustration at watching your classmates get calls. I do not believe that most judges, even on the most selective circuits, care at all about undergraduate schools.

2. Now is a good time to reflect on the absolute wealth of terrific candidates the most sought-after judges have to choose from. Magna alone at HLS is around 56 students per class, and calls tend to concentrate amongst a select few at first. Now add the magna level/other sought-after softs students at other schools, and you begin to understand just how hard it is to be pulled from the pile for some of these judges.

The response here seems correct.

Judges adhering to the plan rules are also required to give at least 48 hours for a decision, which means that many judges will make their four offers and then be unable to make any more until they hear back from those candidates. So as the tippy-top candidates start turning down their offers, judges will continue to make offers in the days and weeks to come. Give it time.

[Anonymous User]

Man I'm mad despondent. I fucking killed myself to get fringe magna grades at HYSC and cant get a single day 1 touch. Instead, I gotta sit on the bench and watch my friends all get interviewed to high heaven. I'm ecstatic for them and I know things arent over yet for me but its damn tough.

I know these are annoying comments but holy shit all the effort and stress to this point feels futile. It feels like law school grades don't even matter and things are breaking on whether you went to HYSPM for undergrad or not. Shockingly, I did not. And its fucking ass to feel like choices I made at 16 are defining my life today

1. Calls are not remotely close to finished, though I understand the frustration at watching your classmates get calls. I do not believe that most judges, even on the most selective circuits, care at all about undergraduate schools.

2. Now is a good time to reflect on the absolute wealth of terrific candidates the most sought-after judges have to choose from. Magna alone at HLS is around 56 students per class, and calls tend to concentrate amongst a select few at first. Now add the magna level/other sought-after softs students at other schools, and you begin to understand just how hard it is to be pulled from the pile for some of these judges.

The response here seems correct.

Judges adhering to the plan rules are also required to give at least 48 hours for a decision, which means that many judges will make their four offers and then be unable to make any more until they hear back from those candidates. So as the tippy-top candidates start turning down their offers, judges will continue to make offers in the days and weeks to come. Give it time.

That 48-hour period might be better on paper than it is in reality. I've heard of judges telling applicants they might bump them to a later term if they wait, or getting mortally offended at the notion they need to wait for acceptance.

[Anonymous User]

Are wednesdays post-plan release usually this quiet?

[Anonymous User]

Have Matsuomoto or Ross on EDNY moved?

[TAR111]

Does anyone know what 7th Circuit judges have moved?

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone know what 7th Circuit judges have moved?

At least Wood and Hamilton

[Anonymous User]

Anything more on CA 9th Cir or NDCA?

[Anonymous User]

Anything more on CA 9th Cir or NDCA?

9th has had a ton of movement, best judges seem to be in late stages even. NDCA has Breyer full, Chhabria having gone, and significant other movement

[Anonymous User]

Anything more on CA 9th Cir or NDCA?

9th has had a ton of movement, best judges seem to be in late stages even. NDCA has Breyer full, Chhabria having gone, and significant other movement

Did Paez move?

[Anonymous User]

Has Tallman moved?

[Anonymous User]

Anything more on CA 9th Cir or NDCA?

9th has had a ton of movement, best judges seem to be in late stages even. NDCA has Breyer full, Chhabria having gone, and significant other movement

Any word on Koh?

[Anonymous User]

Anymore news about CDCA?

[Anonymous User]

Anything more on CA 9th Cir or NDCA?

9th has had a ton of movement, best judges seem to be in late stages even. NDCA has Breyer full, Chhabria having gone, and significant other movement

Corley and Orrick movement. Not sure who else in NDCA or about SF 9th

[TAR111]

Damn, feeling pretty down right about now. I understand how insanely competitive this process is, but I really thought I’d get a nibble somewhere

[Anonymous User]

Personally I’m just trying to soak in how much it sucks to feel like a fucking spectator rn so that I can remember it in a few months when I’m deciding between FedCourts and bar review. We go again next year

[Anonymous User]

Damn, feeling pretty down right about now. I understand how insanely competitive this process is, but I really thought I’d get a nibble somewhere

Things open up as the week goes on. The people getting calls immediately are usually getting a lot of calls, and can only accept so many clerkships. This doesn't even include the reality that many judges don't bother looking at applications till after the initial rush subsides.