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I just recently applied to a federal clerkship in my home market (it is not with a highly sought after judge, some may say it is a "flyover district"). In my view he is a very balanced, bright, fair and respected judge. The judge normally hires 2 clerks and each are normally from a law school in my home state. I graduated from a law school in my home state (the highest ranked school).

I just graduated and I will have worked for a year in my local market before the clerkship would begin. I graduated from a T25-35 in about the top 15-25% of the class. My 2l and 3l were drastically better than my 1l year. If my GPA were calculated purely off my 2L and 3L year I would have graduated in the top 2-3%. The classes I took during my 2L and 3L years were not fluff classes or easy classes. I aced a few that are generally considered quite difficult. They were classes which everybody typically takes. In many instances the classes were with professors known to be difficult graders. I was also on a secondary journal, but I was not published and I did not hold a board position. I have very strong recommenations and references, many of whom have strong personal and professional connections with the judge.

I am concerned my poor performance my first year (approx. top 35% to 50%) will over shadow my subsequent performance. I am also concerned about having been on a secondary journal rather than LR.

Any thoughts on my chances? Thanks!

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 4&t=211479

Nobody knows. The problem is that even flyover judges still get hundreds of applications so the judge you are applying to is highly sought after, just not as highly as others. If you're pinning your hopes on one judge, or even a few judges, your odds are likely pretty low.

If your school is the highest-ranked in the state, odds are at least decent that someone you know on the faculty knows the judge. Talk with anyone you can, at the school, especially profs who wrote for you, and see if they might have an idea.

That being said, while that might raise your chances with the specific judge, everything bk187 said is correct. Given that it's hard to know in advance about the chances with a single judge, widen your net if at all possible!

Op here. Thank you for your thoughts. I think I have probably done all that I can do to put myself in the best position possible to get the position. I guess it is a toss up and I will just have to hope for the best.