circuit clerkship - any chance? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Sorry - posted this in the wrong forum before...

currently a junior associate at V15 doing ip lit. magna, coif, lr etc. at law school usually ranked 18-20ish. not really interested in fed. cir. because would like to do something different for a bit. any chances, or would it be a stretch?

[bruinfan10]

Sounds like you would have had viable credentials as a student applicant (if not quite shoo-in credentials), so with top-flight work experience (provided you're not bailing out after like 3 months), I'd say you're a great candidate.

The trick, as always, with clerkships is finding that elusive connection to chambers, whether it's having a reference call in, getting some inside info about a judge from a clerkship alum in your office, finding a judge you want to work for that loves your alma mater or firm, whatever. The good thing is, I think having work experience immediately moves you up in the stack of 1.5k apps above all the students, so I'd bet on you any day of the week.

[Anonymous User]

OP here. Thanks for the reply. Not bailing after 3 months, close to 3 years. I was concerned that having done IP only would hurt me for non-Fed Cir. circuits, and my school is not top 14. Also, rank is closer to the 10% (of top 10%) rather than 3 or 4%. EECS ugrad from top school though.

[Anonymous User]

OP again... is 2/9/DC out of question?

[ClerkAdvisor]

OP again... is 2/9/DC out of question?

Putting aside that relatively meaningless distinction, yes. Honestly, I think most circuit courts are going to be a substantial long shot. Top 10% at a t20 is district court range, not COA range.

Your best odds will be in district courts in the market in which you are currently working. It is generally district courts that have a stronger preference for experienced clerks.

[Anonymous User]

thanks. unfortunately i think the district im working is is, unsuprisingly, one of sdny/ddc. maybe fed. cir. is best shot huh.

[bruinfan10]

OP again... is 2/9/DC out of question?

Putting aside that relatively meaningless distinction, yes. Honestly, I think most circuit courts are going to be a substantial long shot. Top 10% at a t20 is district court range, not COA range.

Your best odds will be in district courts in the market in which you are currently working. It is generally district courts that have a stronger preference for experienced clerks.

The distinction is meaningful to an applicant in that 2/9/DC are usually more, sometimes much more, competitive than your average other CoA (leaving out Sutton/Gorsuch type feeders interspersed here and there, and maybe also leaving out the Chicago Seventh Circuit CoAs). And I'd say graduating coif as opposed to being top-10% during second year are slightly different things. Add work experience into the mix, and I think you've got a shot if you can find some kind of connection to a chambers. I do think 2/9/DC are a stretch - if you want circuit you should apply broadly and pray.

[Anonymous User]

Sure, why not. You had pretty good stats, and it'd be better to try than not. You should apply to all types of judges in all regions you'd like to work in, though. Not just COA.

I've known people at my school with worse stats than yours who could pull a COA. Granted, some of them had connections, lucky breaks, and whatnot, but you'll never know how you get the job.

[Anonymous User]

The distinction is meaningful to an applicant in that 2/9/DC are usually more, sometimes much more, competitive than your average other CoA (leaving out Sutton/Gorsuch type feeders interspersed here and there, and maybe also leaving out the Chicago Seventh Circuit CoAs). And I'd say graduating coif as opposed to being top-10% during second year are slightly different things. Add work experience into the mix, and I think you've got a shot if you can find some kind of connection to a chambers. I do think 2/9/DC are a stretch - if you want circuit you should apply broadly and pray.

Not really sure what you mean by that, or what is better. I was top 10% both 2L and also graduated coif... but I was closer to the 10% than the 1%.

[bruinfan10]

The distinction is meaningful to an applicant in that 2/9/DC are usually more, sometimes much more, competitive than your average other CoA (leaving out Sutton/Gorsuch type feeders interspersed here and there, and maybe also leaving out the Chicago Seventh Circuit CoAs). And I'd say graduating coif as opposed to being top-10% during second year are slightly different things. Add work experience into the mix, and I think you've got a shot if you can find some kind of connection to a chambers. I do think 2/9/DC are a stretch - if you want circuit you should apply broadly and pray.

Not really sure what you mean by that, or what is better. I was top 10% both 2L and also graduated coif... but I was closer to the 10% than the 1%.

Assuming you're OP, I'm saying that's a good thing. All things being equal, it's better to be in the top-10th percentile at graduation than at the end of second year when you might still blow it. Graduating order of the coif is a big deal.

[Anonymous User]

The distinction is meaningful to an applicant in that 2/9/DC are usually more, sometimes much more, competitive than your average other CoA (leaving out Sutton/Gorsuch type feeders interspersed here and there, and maybe also leaving out the Chicago Seventh Circuit CoAs). And I'd say graduating coif as opposed to being top-10% during second year are slightly different things. Add work experience into the mix, and I think you've got a shot if you can find some kind of connection to a chambers. I do think 2/9/DC are a stretch - if you want circuit you should apply broadly and pray.

Not really sure what you mean by that, or what is better. I was top 10% both 2L and also graduated coif... but I was closer to the 10% than the 1%.

Assuming you're OP, I'm saying that's a good thing. All things being equal, it's better to be in the top-10th percentile at graduation than at the end of second year when you might still blow it. Graduating order of the coif is a big deal.

Damnit all to hell. I finished .01 from Coif. While it seems close, I'm cum laude, not magna cum laude. I think missing or making an arbitration distinction is huge.

[Anonymous User]

The distinction is meaningful to an applicant in that 2/9/DC are usually more, sometimes much more, competitive than your average other CoA (leaving out Sutton/Gorsuch type feeders interspersed here and there, and maybe also leaving out the Chicago Seventh Circuit CoAs). And I'd say graduating coif as opposed to being top-10% during second year are slightly different things. Add work experience into the mix, and I think you've got a shot if you can find some kind of connection to a chambers. I do think 2/9/DC are a stretch - if you want circuit you should apply broadly and pray.

Not really sure what you mean by that, or what is better. I was top 10% both 2L and also graduated coif... but I was closer to the 10% than the 1%.

Assuming you're OP, I'm saying that's a good thing. All things being equal, it's better to be in the top-10th percentile at graduation than at the end of second year when you might still blow it. Graduating order of the coif is a big deal.

OP. Got it, that makes sense. Thanks.

[Anonymous User]

similar boat. OP or someone with similar stats, did things work out for you?