Let's talk 2nd Circuit! Forum

[Anonymous User]

Curious as to anyone know why published opinions don't have a standardized format like other circuits? I could be looking @ 3 published opinions and they would look different from one another

Judges, not the clerk, format opinions, and there’s never been a universal template liked by all judges. They’ve actually gotten somewhat more consistent over time.

It isn't just published opinions, either. The summary orders are all over the place, too.

"Format" understates it, if anything. Counsel listings! Indents! Justification! How case numbers are listed! Whether lead and consolidated cases are identified! The identification of district judges! The very purpose of those weird, borderline-pointless pre-opinion blurbs! Everything that can differ does differ.

I don't think the court realizes what an odd outlier it is. The lack of a unified look to the work-product only accentuates the whole separate-fiefdoms feel of the place.

The blurb's very useful for practitioners, unless it says nothing meaningful like how some judges do it.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone know if Brodie's filled up for 2025?

[Anonymous User]

Brodie is filled for 2025. She usually hires in late summer or early fall. She is a tough boss. Twelve plus hour days are the routine; she has the reputation of a perfectionist.

[Anonymous User]

(Same poster as above) Or if Brodie has even moved?

[Anonymous User]

(Same poster as above) Or if Brodie has even moved?

She’s moved on interviewing.

[Anonymous User]

For someone geographically limited to living in NYC, what appellate courts other than the Manhattan CA2 judges are doable commutes? The Newark judges on CA3? Any of the farther CA2 judges like the Connecticut ones? Is it possible to go all the way out to somewhere in PA or somewhere on CA1?

[Anonymous User]

Brodie is filled for 2025. She usually hires in late summer or early fall. She is a tough boss. Twelve plus hour days are the routine; she has the reputation of a perfectionist.

Agreed and, despite this, her opinions are mediocre.

[Anonymous User]

For someone geographically limited to living in NYC, what appellate courts other than the Manhattan CA2 judges are doable commutes? The Newark judges on CA3? Any of the farther CA2 judges like the Connecticut ones? Is it possible to go all the way out to somewhere in PA or somewhere on CA1?

Can't speak to NJ as well, though Newark would seem like the most doable scenario.

Merriam on CA2 is based in Bridgeport, CT and that's still pretty far (90+ minutes from Grand Central). New Haven is 2+ hours each way so I can't imagine that would be too attractive.

[Anonymous User]

For someone geographically limited to living in NYC, what appellate courts other than the Manhattan CA2 judges are doable commutes? The Newark judges on CA3? Any of the farther CA2 judges like the Connecticut ones? Is it possible to go all the way out to somewhere in PA or somewhere on CA1?

Can't speak to NJ as well, though Newark would seem like the most doable scenario.

Merriam on CA2 is based in Bridgeport, CT and that's still pretty far (90+ minutes from Grand Central). New Haven is 2+ hours each way so I can't imagine that would be too attractive.

There are people who commute to New Haven, but they're nuts imo. You have to really hate New Haven to do that.

[Anonymous User]

The PA to NY commute is doable. It's about an hour and 15 minutes each way from Penn Station to 30th Street Station and then another 15-20 minutes to the courthouse but it can be done .

[Anonymous User]

Brodie is filled for 2025. She usually hires in late summer or early fall. She is a tough boss. Twelve plus hour days are the routine; she has the reputation of a perfectionist.

Agreed and, despite this, her opinions are mediocre.

What do you mean exactly by mediocre? Do you get a notification every time she publishes a memo opinion?

[Anonymous User]

The PA to NY commute is doable. It's about an hour and 15 minutes each way from Penn Station to 30th Street Station and then another 15-20 minutes to the courthouse but it can be done .

Philadelphia is surprisingly cheap. I don't know your budget or if it's logistically possible for you, but it may save money for you to rent a studio in West Philly and stay on Monday-Thursday nights vs. NY-Philly round trip Amtrak five times a week. Presuming it takes you twenty minutes from Penn to wherever you want to be in NYC, and presuming no delays at any point, we're talking ~four hours of commute daily, so I'm not sure how much time you'd actually get in NYC.

[Anonymous User]

Did Raggi on CA2 hire yet for 2026-27? She did not do an OSCAR posting soliciting applications this year. Any vibe checks on her chambers?

[Anonymous User]

Can someone confirm how much EDNY clerks make? Like what is your paycheck? I have found "New York paycheck calculator" type websites to be often inaccurate.

Future clerk trying to figure out if I can stay in my apartment

[Anonymous User]

Can someone confirm how much EDNY clerks make? Like what is your paycheck? I have found "New York paycheck calculator" type websites to be often inaccurate.

Future clerk trying to figure out if I can stay in my apartment

https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/ ... k_2024.pdf

Clerks are at JS 11 step 1 if you start right out of law school. Clerks who start after at least a year in practice are at JS 12 step 1 (assuming they passed the bar before starting).

[Anonymous User]

I cannot stress strongly enough that if you are a 3L or current associate and are seeking a clerkship, particularly in EDNY or SDNY, you should send out paper and email applications to all chambers that haven't posted on OSCAR in the past 18-24 months. Not all chambers hire on plan, and the chambers that do not hire on plan are hiring throughout the fall, winter and spring. If you send along your application every few months (chambers emails are not that hard to find and you can also always mail it), you are maximizing your chances of getting picked for an interview. Even if a particular chambers is not hiring or intends to post on OSCAR, there is nothing to lose by sending in paper and email applications every few months.

[Anonymous User]

Any thoughts on Hellerstein?

[Anonymous User]

Any thoughts on Hellerstein?

Not great and getting up there.

[Anonymous User]

I know a former clerk of his from a few years ago who had a great experience and said he is an amazing mentor and a brilliant jurist. He still takes new cases and is active.

[Anonymous User]

Any thoughts on Hellerstein?

Not great and getting up there.

What's not great?

[Anonymous User]

Now that the Biden nominee circuit judges have been there for a couple of cycles, who are the good and the bad of Lee and Kahn and Perez and Robinson?

[Anonymous User]

Now that the Biden circuit judges have been there for a couple of cycles, who are the good and bad to work for? I'm thinking Lee and Kahn and Perez and Robinson?

[Anonymous User]

I have heard bad things about Perez

[Anonymous User]

I have heard bad things about Perez

As have I. The rest don't have great reputations as jurists, but Robinson seems like she'd be great to clerk for.

[Anonymous User]

I have heard bad things about Perez

As have I. The rest don't have great reputations as jurists, but Robinson seems like she'd be great to clerk for.

Nathan has a good reputation, but otherwise this is right. Lee, Robinson, Merriam, and Kahn all seem pretty middling so far—especially Lee and Kahn, who seem out of their depth. I’d say Perez is somewhere between that group and Nathan. Of course this is just my personal impression from clerking on CA2. Nathan and Robinson are the Biden judges I’d most like to work for. Robinson seems delightful.