Penn clerkships Forum

[Anonymous User]

Who should I ask to be a recommender
How do I know how long a clerkship is for
How many clerks does each judge have

Can’t help you with specific names, but generally you need someone who knows your work well enough that they can speak compellingly with detail about how great you are.

If you apply through OSCAR, it has information about the length of terms and how many openings there are (otherwise not sure why it matters how many clerks they have. As a general matter, DCt judges have 2 (the chief usually has a 3rd) and COA have 4).

[Anonymous User]

Who should I ask to be a recommender
How do I know how long a clerkship is for
How many clerks does each judge have

Can’t help you with specific names, but generally you need someone who knows your work well enough that they can speak compellingly with detail about how great you are.

If you apply through OSCAR, it has information about the length of terms and how many openings there are (otherwise not sure why it matters how many clerks they have. As a general matter, DCt judges have 2 (the chief usually has a 3rd) and COA have 4).

Wait district judges have two? I feel like most (all not chiefs) I've interacted with have had three?

[Anonymous User]

Who should I ask to be a recommender
How do I know how long a clerkship is for
How many clerks does each judge have

Can’t help you with specific names, but generally you need someone who knows your work well enough that they can speak compellingly with detail about how great you are.

If you apply through OSCAR, it has information about the length of terms and how many openings there are (otherwise not sure why it matters how many clerks they have. As a general matter, DCt judges have 2 (the chief usually has a 3rd) and COA have 4).

Wait district judges have two? I feel like most (all not chiefs) I've interacted with have had three?

I guess it could depend on the district? In my district (“flyover”) and the ones I’m familiar with from law school (not flyover but not NYC/DC/LA) it was two, but I could see high volume districts having 3 (my district had a high criminal volume, which clerks historically do less with).

[Anonymous User]

Who should I ask to be a recommender
How do I know how long a clerkship is for
How many clerks does each judge have

Can’t help you with specific names, but generally you need someone who knows your work well enough that they can speak compellingly with detail about how great you are.

If you apply through OSCAR, it has information about the length of terms and how many openings there are (otherwise not sure why it matters how many clerks they have. As a general matter, DCt judges have 2 (the chief usually has a 3rd) and COA have 4).

Wait district judges have two? I feel like most (all not chiefs) I've interacted with have had three?

I guess it could depend on the district? In my district (“flyover”) and the ones I’m familiar with from law school (not flyover but not NYC/DC/LA) it was two, but I could see high volume districts having 3 (my district had a high criminal volume, which clerks historically do less with).

I've dealt with DDC/EDNY/SDNY and one S.D. Fla. and they all had three, but maybe yeah it depends on the district I guess.

[Anonymous User]

Who should I ask to be a recommender
How do I know how long a clerkship is for
How many clerks does each judge have

Can’t help you with specific names, but generally you need someone who knows your work well enough that they can speak compellingly with detail about how great you are.

If you apply through OSCAR, it has information about the length of terms and how many openings there are (otherwise not sure why it matters how many clerks they have. As a general matter, DCt judges have 2 (the chief usually has a 3rd) and COA have 4).

Wait district judges have two? I feel like most (all not chiefs) I've interacted with have had three?

I guess it could depend on the district? In my district (“flyover”) and the ones I’m familiar with from law school (not flyover but not NYC/DC/LA) it was two, but I could see high volume districts having 3 (my district had a high criminal volume, which clerks historically do less with).

I've dealt with DDC/EDNY/SDNY and one S.D. Fla. and they all had three, but maybe yeah it depends on the district I guess.

I’ll definitely retract my claim, it sounds like it’s less uniform than I thought. So it sounds like it’s 2-3 clerks (going back to the original question, I’m not sure why it actually matters to an applicant though).

[Anonymous User]

Who should I ask to be a recommender
How do I know how long a clerkship is for
How many clerks does each judge have

Can’t help you with specific names, but generally you need someone who knows your work well enough that they can speak compellingly with detail about how great you are.

If you apply through OSCAR, it has information about the length of terms and how many openings there are (otherwise not sure why it matters how many clerks they have. As a general matter, DCt judges have 2 (the chief usually has a 3rd) and COA have 4).

Wait district judges have two? I feel like most (all not chiefs) I've interacted with have had three?

I guess it could depend on the district? In my district (“flyover”) and the ones I’m familiar with from law school (not flyover but not NYC/DC/LA) it was two, but I could see high volume districts having 3 (my district had a high criminal volume, which clerks historically do less with).

I've dealt with DDC/EDNY/SDNY and one S.D. Fla. and they all had three, but maybe yeah it depends on the district I guess.

I’ll definitely retract my claim, it sounds like it’s less uniform than I thought. So it sounds like it’s 2-3 clerks (going back to the original question, I’m not sure why it actually matters to an applicant though).

The confusion here is bc a lot of judges have one career clerk or judicial assistant instead of the third clerk.

[Anonymous User]

Who should I ask to be a recommender
How do I know how long a clerkship is for
How many clerks does each judge have

Can’t help you with specific names, but generally you need someone who knows your work well enough that they can speak compellingly with detail about how great you are.

If you apply through OSCAR, it has information about the length of terms and how many openings there are (otherwise not sure why it matters how many clerks they have. As a general matter, DCt judges have 2 (the chief usually has a 3rd) and COA have 4).

Wait district judges have two? I feel like most (all not chiefs) I've interacted with have had three?

I guess it could depend on the district? In my district (“flyover”) and the ones I’m familiar with from law school (not flyover but not NYC/DC/LA) it was two, but I could see high volume districts having 3 (my district had a high criminal volume, which clerks historically do less with).

I've dealt with DDC/EDNY/SDNY and one S.D. Fla. and they all had three, but maybe yeah it depends on the district I guess.

I’ll definitely retract my claim, it sounds like it’s less uniform than I thought. So it sounds like it’s 2-3 clerks (going back to the original question, I’m not sure why it actually matters to an applicant though).

The confusion here is bc a lot of judges have one career clerk or judicial assistant instead of the third clerk.

Judges get four spots for staff. Virtually all use one for a non-clerk position (a JA or courtroom deputy), but there’s a lot of variance on two clerks and a second admin person vs. three clerks. Busy courts usually have three, and a few judges even use four and go without a JA or deputy (which seems nuts to me).

[Anonymous User]

Can’t help you with specific names, but generally you need someone who knows your work well enough that they can speak compellingly with detail about how great you are.

If you apply through OSCAR, it has information about the length of terms and how many openings there are (otherwise not sure why it matters how many clerks they have. As a general matter, DCt judges have 2 (the chief usually has a 3rd) and COA have 4).

Wait district judges have two? I feel like most (all not chiefs) I've interacted with have had three?

I guess it could depend on the district? In my district (“flyover”) and the ones I’m familiar with from law school (not flyover but not NYC/DC/LA) it was two, but I could see high volume districts having 3 (my district had a high criminal volume, which clerks historically do less with).

I've dealt with DDC/EDNY/SDNY and one S.D. Fla. and they all had three, but maybe yeah it depends on the district I guess.

I’ll definitely retract my claim, it sounds like it’s less uniform than I thought. So it sounds like it’s 2-3 clerks (going back to the original question, I’m not sure why it actually matters to an applicant though).

The confusion here is bc a lot of judges have one career clerk or judicial assistant instead of the third clerk.

Judges get four spots for staff. Virtually all use one for a non-clerk position (a JA or courtroom deputy), but there’s a lot of variance on two clerks and a second admin person vs. three clerks. Busy courts usually have three, and a few judges even use four and go without a JA or deputy (which seems nuts to me).

And then chief gets five spots where they could conceivably take five if they wanted or does it cap out at four?

[Anonymous User]

I'm just beginning to learn what a hot mess the clerkships component of Penn "Carey" Law is ... wow ...

[Anonymous User]

Usually:

For active district judges - 3 staff (4 for chief)
For active circuit judges - 5 staff (6 for chief)

[Anonymous User]

I'm just beginning to learn what a hot mess the clerkships component of Penn "Carey" Law is ... wow ...

No interest in clerking on a state trial court in Alaska?

[Anonymous User]

I'm just beginning to learn what a hot mess the clerkships component of Penn "Carey" Law is ... wow ...

No interest in clerking on a state trial court in Alaska?

Chris really made sure we all got on that list serv!

[Anonymous User]

I hope the new dean does something

[Anonymous User]

I have a 3.8 GPA and am on Law Review. How competitive am I for EDPA and Third Circuit clerkships this summer??

[Anonymous User]

I have a 3.8 GPA and am on Law Review. How competitive am I for EDPA and Third Circuit clerkships this summer??

2L or 3L?

[Anonymous User]

2L

[Anonymous User]

How much does law review matter. I was bad at bluebooking last year

[Anonymous User]

I have a 3.8 GPA and am on Law Review. How competitive am I for EDPA and Third Circuit clerkships this summer??

You are sufficiently qualified to realistically apply for any clerkship. But there just is no way to predict clerkship success purely by GPA and Law Review. It's very competitive and judges look for a variety of different things, many of which are entirely random and quirky. If you have strong recommendations and literally apply to all judges in EDPA and 3d Cir. I'd say you have a solid chance. If you are also from Philly or NJ and can demonstrate that you are committed to practicing in the area, you will likely get one but it might take more than one cycle of applications.

[Anonymous User]

I have a 3.8 GPA and am on Law Review. How competitive am I for EDPA and Third Circuit clerkships this summer??

You are sufficiently qualified to realistically apply for any clerkship. But there just is no way to predict clerkship success purely by GPA and Law Review. It's very competitive and judges look for a variety of different things, many of which are entirely random and quirky. If you have strong recommendations and literally apply to all judges in EDPA and 3d Cir. I'd say you have a solid chance. If you are also from Philly or NJ and can demonstrate that you are committed to practicing in the area, you will likely get one but it might take more than one cycle of applications.

Don't get stuck on "this summer." Keeping going into the fall and even potentially the spring. People get way too hung up thinking it's all going to happen in June right after the plan opens. It most likely won't, especially with only a 3.8 (saying this as someone who also had a 3.8+ on Law Review who didn't get my clerkship until the fall).

[Anonymous User]

Don't get stuck on "this summer." Keeping going into the fall and even potentially the spring. People get way too hung up thinking it's all going to happen in June right after the plan opens. It most likely won't, especially with only a 3.8 (saying this as someone who also had a 3.8+ on Law Review who didn't get my clerkship until the fall).

As a data point, I know someone who recently received COA interview invitations based on materials sent over a year ago. Get your materials out there sooner rather than later, and be patient.

[Anonymous User]

I hope the new dean does something

FYI Chris plans on retiring within 2-3 years. Anon because she let it slip to me in a clerkship info call this week.

[Anonymous User]

Ok, so first off what does applying early mean, don't we all apply on the same day? And how do you get a clerkship in the fall? Do you need professors to keep calling for you or they just pull your summer application in the fall??

[Anonymous User]

Ok, so first off what does applying early mean, don't we all apply on the same day? And how do you get a clerkship in the fall? Do you need professors to keep calling for you or they just pull your summer application in the fall??

You just keep applying. Tends to be easier because 1) they are typically for later terms so now you will have assumed work experience and 2) less of a rush. You can have profs call for you during the fall and spring, but you don't have to. Anecdotally the best time for 3Ls is spring of their 3L year where they snag clerkships in March or April prior to the plan rush.

[Anonymous User]

I hope the new dean does something

FYI Chris plans on retiring within 2-3 years. Anon because she let it slip to me in a clerkship info call this week.

Can't wait to see how checked out she gets over the next few years then, since she's already ridiculously checked out. Hope Penn actually invests in someone who knows what they're doing.

[Anonymous User]

What GPA do you need to clerk in a random part of the country, vs. EDPA or more competitive districts?