Best and worst judges to clerk for Forum

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone have any intel on Buchwald, Vyskocil and/or Cote (all SDNY)?

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone have any intel on Buchwald, Vyskocil and/or Cote (all SDNY)?

Somewhat weird grouping. Here are some random thoughts:

- Buchwald is older, tough on litigants, not sure how active she still is and don't know much about her hiring practices.
- Vyskocil is new to SDNY, was a BK judge & before that a long-time commercial litigator well-liked in NY bar circles, conservative but not extremely ideological, don't have a sense that she's especially selective in hiring.
- Cote is liberal, very well-respected, tends to write longer and more detailed opinions than the average district court judge, quite selective in hiring.

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone have any intel on Buchwald, Vyskocil and/or Cote (all SDNY)?

I've only ever heard amazing things about Vyskocil as a boss and person, and she's very well respected in NY legal circles.

[Anonymous User]

Thoughts on Torruella?

[Anonymous User]

thoughts on the two active Clinton appointees on DDC, Sullivan and Kollar Kotelly?

[Anonymous User]

Any thoughts on Mike Fisher?

[Anonymous User]

Somewhat weird grouping. Here are some random thoughts:

- Buchwald is older, tough on litigants, not sure how active she still is and don't know much about her hiring practices.
- Vyskocil is new to SDNY, was a BK judge & before that a long-time commercial litigator well-liked in NY bar circles, conservative but not extremely ideological, don't have a sense that she's especially selective in hiring.
- Cote is liberal, very well-respected, tends to write longer and more detailed opinions than the average district court judge, quite selective in hiring.

I've only ever heard amazing things about Vyskocil as a boss and person, and she's very well respected in NY legal circles.

OP here. Thank you for weighing in!

[Anonymous User]

Any thoughts on Mike Fisher?

On the Third Circuit? I interviewed with him and his clerks. Prior to that, I talked to a handful of former clerks. The impression I got was that it was a good experience and he's a good boss. The relationship seemed to be more on the formal side of things. The hours sounded very reasonable. And he was personally very kind to me as an applicant.

[Anonymous User]

Any thoughts on EDVA judges? Particularly Jackson, M. Davis, Trenga?

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have thoughts on Frank Hull?

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have thoughts on Frank Hull?

I worked with someone who clerked for her. Apparently she's very nice and goes to bat for her clerks, but she has really taken her new senior status to heart, so you might not get as much substantive experience as you'd want from a COA clerkship (even compared to another senior-status COA judge).

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have thoughts on Frank Hull?

I worked with someone who clerked for her. Apparently she's very nice and goes to bat for her clerks, but she has really taken her new senior status to heart, so you might not get as much substantive experience as you'd want from a COA clerkship (even compared to another senior-status COA judge).

Could that be a positive if one was doing a district court clerkship before/after? There are worse things than a chill COA year right?

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have thoughts on Frank Hull?

I worked with someone who clerked for her. Apparently she's very nice and goes to bat for her clerks, but she has really taken her new senior status to heart, so you might not get as much substantive experience as you'd want from a COA clerkship (even compared to another senior-status COA judge).

Could that be a positive if one was doing a district court clerkship before/after? There are worse things than a chill COA year right?

Second anon here. Depending on how you look at it, yes. Personally I would want as much variety and exposure as possible.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have thoughts on Frank Hull?

I worked with someone who clerked for her. Apparently she's very nice and goes to bat for her clerks, but she has really taken her new senior status to heart, so you might not get as much substantive experience as you'd want from a COA clerkship (even compared to another senior-status COA judge).

Anyone have thoughts on Frank Hull?

I worked with someone who clerked for her. Apparently she's very nice and goes to bat for her clerks, but she has really taken her new senior status to heart, so you might not get as much substantive experience as you'd want from a COA clerkship (even compared to another senior-status COA judge).

Anon b/c I was a fellow 11th circuit clerk. I have nothing negative to say about her personally--she always seemed nice (if a bit formal), and her clerks seemed to enjoy the clerkship.

Not a positive or negative but important info, she is quite conservative. Maybe not Trump judge conservative (so more than half the circuit now) but still conservative. She was appointed by Clinton, but that's irrelevant because it was back in the era when blue slips mattered. Similarly, Julie Carnes is conservative even though she was appointed by Obama--she was a trade off to allow other, more liberal Obama appointees to get through the Georgia senators.

[Anonymous User]

Any thoughts on EDVA judges? Particularly Jackson, M. Davis, Trenga?

The only EDVA that I've heard negative things about is Thomas Ellis (senior but still taking clerks). He has a reputation for being pretty difficult.

[Anonymous User]

Any thoughts on EDVA judges? Particularly Jackson, M. Davis, Trenga?

The only EDVA that I've heard negative things about is Thomas Ellis (senior but still taking clerks). He has a reputation for being pretty difficult.

She just went senior so I'm not sure if she's still hiring, but Rebecca Beach Smith in Norfolk has by far the worst reputation of any judge on EDVA. My school had a red-flag advisory about her.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have thoughts on Frank Hull?

I worked with someone who clerked for her. Apparently she's very nice and goes to bat for her clerks, but she has really taken her new senior status to heart, so you might not get as much substantive experience as you'd want from a COA clerkship (even compared to another senior-status COA judge).

Anyone have thoughts on Frank Hull?

I worked with someone who clerked for her. Apparently she's very nice and goes to bat for her clerks, but she has really taken her new senior status to heart, so you might not get as much substantive experience as you'd want from a COA clerkship (even compared to another senior-status COA judge).

Anon b/c I was a fellow 11th circuit clerk. I have nothing negative to say about her personally--she always seemed nice (if a bit formal), and her clerks seemed to enjoy the clerkship.

Not a positive or negative but important info, she is quite conservative. Maybe not Trump judge conservative (so more than half the circuit now) but still conservative. She was appointed by Clinton, but that's irrelevant because it was back in the era when blue slips mattered. Similarly, Julie Carnes is conservative even though she was appointed by Obama--she was a trade off to allow other, more liberal Obama appointees to get through the Georgia senators.

How conservative is "quite conservative"? Are we talking run of the mill W appointee because I can live with that (and thanks for the heads up).

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have thoughts on Frank Hull?

I worked with someone who clerked for her. Apparently she's very nice and goes to bat for her clerks, but she has really taken her new senior status to heart, so you might not get as much substantive experience as you'd want from a COA clerkship (even compared to another senior-status COA judge).

Anyone have thoughts on Frank Hull?

I worked with someone who clerked for her. Apparently she's very nice and goes to bat for her clerks, but she has really taken her new senior status to heart, so you might not get as much substantive experience as you'd want from a COA clerkship (even compared to another senior-status COA judge).

Anon b/c I was a fellow 11th circuit clerk. I have nothing negative to say about her personally--she always seemed nice (if a bit formal), and her clerks seemed to enjoy the clerkship.

Not a positive or negative but important info, she is quite conservative. Maybe not Trump judge conservative (so more than half the circuit now) but still conservative. She was appointed by Clinton, but that's irrelevant because it was back in the era when blue slips mattered. Similarly, Julie Carnes is conservative even though she was appointed by Obama--she was a trade off to allow other, more liberal Obama appointees to get through the Georgia senators.

How conservative is "quite conservative"? Are we talking run of the mill W appointee because I can live with that (and thanks for the heads up).

This is the previous poster. On criminal issues (which are always big on the 11th), she at least used to be among the most conservative on the circuit. It wouldn't surprise me if that was still true, given the libertarian tendencies among some of the Trump appointees. And that's really how I formed my impression. On other issues I don't know, and it wouldn't surprise me if she was more middle of the road, standard W appointee (or even standard southern democrat from the '90s).

[Anonymous User]

It's not hiring right now, but I have some decent info on the Iowa Supreme Court that might be useful to future applicants. I think it's attractive for Iowans both because it has a lot of good judges, most of whom wouldn't look out of place on the Eighth Circuit, and because a lot of the federal clerkships in the state are unattractive (Colloton is both highly selective and a difficult personality, Kelly doesn't hire law students, most of the district court judges do partly or exclusively two-year commitments).

McDermott and Waterman were both leading litigators in Iowa in private practice. Both are center-right, good bosses, and well-connected. Mansfield is maybe the best-known justice on the court out of state and is quite conservative (he was on the Trump list). A bit grouchy maybe but seems harmless. McDonald is really smart, really conservative, and reportedly a great boss. Christensen is a delightful woman and had a really interesting and unique path to the court. I believe her clerk lives in Harlan, which is pretty small. Appel is the court's lone liberal at the moment and writes a bunch of incredibly long dissents, but he won't be around for much longer. I don't know anything about Oxley.

Waterman doesn’t use the normal app process and doesn’t do OCI at Iowa, apply early (2L fall ish)

[Anonymous User]

Anyone know the best and worst judges on the District of Massachusetts? Very interested in that court/the Boston market (have ties).

[Anonymous User]

Anyone heard about what it's like to clerk for Justin Walker? I probably won't apply because I assume he doesn't hire libs like me (and might have a reputation as kind of a hack), but I'm curious. He just posted for 2021.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone know the best and worst judges on the District of Massachusetts? Very interested in that court/the Boston market (have ties).

Judge Wolf is the worst, full stop. I don't think I've heard bad things about anyone else, and I've heard good reviews for Zobel, Stearns, Casper, and Talwani. Additionally Gorton and Woodlock are both known to put on a "cranky old man" show in the courtroom but are considered very good bosses/mentors in chambers.

[lavarman84]

Anyone heard about what it's like to clerk for Justin Walker? I probably won't apply because I assume he doesn't hire libs like me (and might have a reputation as kind of a hack), but I'm curious. He just posted for 2021.

I haven't heard bad things about him as a boss or person. The only thing I might note is to read some of his opinions to see if you could accept writing in the style he prefers. I can't speak to ideology in his hiring.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone heard about what it's like to clerk for Justin Walker? I probably won't apply because I assume he doesn't hire libs like me (and might have a reputation as kind of a hack), but I'm curious. He just posted for 2021.

I haven't heard bad things about him as a boss or person. The only thing I might note is to read some of his opinions to see if you could accept writing in the style he prefers. I can't speak to ideology in his hiring.

Interesting. Yeah, his opinions have, um... panache, to say the least. I do wonder if his reputation as a hardline ideologue is so significant that he'd be a toxic name to have on my resume. I'm just trying to figure that out before I apply because if he does hire libs, I'd probably be a reasonably competitive applicant.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone heard about what it's like to clerk for Justin Walker? I probably won't apply because I assume he doesn't hire libs like me (and might have a reputation as kind of a hack), but I'm curious. He just posted for 2021.

I haven't heard bad things about him as a boss or person. The only thing I might note is to read some of his opinions to see if you could accept writing in the style he prefers. I can't speak to ideology in his hiring.

Interesting. Yeah, his opinions have, um... panache, to say the least. I do wonder if his reputation as a hardline ideologue is so significant that he'd be a toxic name to have on my resume. I'm just trying to figure that out before I apply because if he does hire libs, I'd probably be a reasonably competitive applicant.

He's definitely the epitome of the controversial judge, but I don't know whether any negatives from his name would outweigh the fact that you have a D.C. Circuit clerkship on your resume.