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There are a number of Oscar positions listed for judges who've listed "Online" as their application method in the "Judge Details" tab but who haven't provided an email address. Yet they explicitly say they're taking 2L apps now. How are we supposed to apply--especially for the ones that say not to contact chambers??

Anonymous User wrote:There are a number of Oscar positions listed for judges who've listed "Online" as their application method in the "Judge Details" tab but who haven't provided an email address. Yet they explicitly say they're taking 2L apps now. How are we supposed to apply--especially for the ones that say not to contact chambers??

No. Apply Online means through OSCAR. There is a separate indication for judges who want you to apply by email.

Also, and there may be some who disagree with me here, do not apply online, whether though OSCAR or e-mail. Pony up for paper applications for every judge you are interested in. This may seem counter-intuitive for judges that specifically ask for applications via OSCAR but based on my own experience and conversations I have had with a number of career clerks who actually sift through applications paper is the way to go. It is too easy to just click the "delete" button on OSCAR without even opening the application based on the statistics your provide while sending a paper application forces the clerk/judge to open the envelop and look at the application materials (or at least the resume) and you may catch their eye. I did all paper applications in my second round of clerkship applications.

It is too easy to just click the "delete" button on OSCAR without even opening the application based on the statistics your provide while sending a paper application forces the clerk/judge to open the envelop and look at the application materials (or at least the resume) and you may catch their eye.

What statistics are readily apparent without reading through the packet, much less opening it? (I'm not the one in chambers who collects the applications -- they just magically appear in a pile in the chambers common room -- so I really don't know.)

EDIT: On second thought, I had something in here that may be (slightly) TMI about how chambers works. The point, though, was that I'm not sure the "send paper" advice applies to applications from the top 5-10 schools, which mostly (all?) don't rank.

theaccidentalclerk wrote:

It is too easy to just click the "delete" button on OSCAR without even opening the application based on the statistics your provide while sending a paper application forces the clerk/judge to open the envelop and look at the application materials (or at least the resume) and you may catch their eye.

What statistics are readily apparent without reading through the packet, much less opening it? (I'm not the one in chambers who collects the applications -- they just magically appear in a pile in the chambers common room -- so I really don't know.)

EDIT: On second thought, I had something in here that may be (slightly) TMI about how chambers works. The point, though, was that I'm not sure the "send paper" advice applies to applications from the top 5-10 schools, which mostly (all?) don't rank.

Just thinking about what information you enter into OSCAR vs. what shows up in the cover letter etc., I would assume school and GPA, and if so, your comment re: top schools makes sense (I'm not the one who goes on OSCAR either so I'm not certain). But I've heard the paper applications advice before, too, and it's what I did. In my case, I'm quite sure it helped that the application was there in front of the judge off-plan (he normally hires a rising 3L on plan), in physical form to be looked at. But I'm quite sure at least a couple of judges wrote me back to say, I ONLY take OSCAR applications, so... (I was NOT at a top school nor did I have a top GPA so keep that in mind.)

Haymarket wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:There are a number of Oscar positions listed for judges who've listed "Online" as their application method in the "Judge Details" tab but who haven't provided an email address. Yet they explicitly say they're taking 2L apps now. How are we supposed to apply--especially for the ones that say not to contact chambers??

No. Apply Online means through OSCAR. There is a separate indication for judges who want you to apply by email.

So if they say to apply online and that they're taking 2L applications...they're just kidding?

Guess I'll just follow the other advice and just mail in paper apps...

Anonymous User wrote:

Haymarket wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:There are a number of Oscar positions listed for judges who've listed "Online" as their application method in the "Judge Details" tab but who haven't provided an email address. Yet they explicitly say they're taking 2L apps now. How are we supposed to apply--especially for the ones that say not to contact chambers??

No. Apply Online means through OSCAR. There is a separate indication for judges who want you to apply by email.

So if they say to apply online and that they're taking 2L applications...they're just kidding?

Guess I'll just follow the other advice and just mail in paper apps...

It means apply by paper, assuming there is not some indication that they follow the plan or that they don't want paper applications.

If they do not accept email applications but you know they are accepting now, the only remaining option is paper. Do that.