1L Clerkship strategy/preparation Forum

[Anonymous User]

1L here. Fall grades put me at or near the top of my class at my T20. I realize it maybe be early to start thinking about clerkships, but with the formal end of the federal hiring plan, I'm wondering if anyone knows what 1L's are supposed to be doing now? Since we can use OSCAR to apply early this fall, I gather that most people will be applying before fall grades ever come out,. This means that right now we should probably be thinking about getting an idea of possible recommenders and such, right? Getting in as early as possible seems like it is especially important for those of us who don't go to a T14, let alone HYS, where most of the best clerkships will go to. Thoughts?

[Danger Zone]

1L here. Fall grades put me at or near the top of my class at my T20. I realize it maybe be early to start thinking about clerkships, but with the formal end of the federal hiring plan, I'm wondering if anyone knows what 1L's are supposed to be doing now? Since we can use OSCAR to apply early this fall, I gather that most people will be applying before fall grades ever come out,. This means that right now we should probably be thinking about getting an idea of possible recommenders and such, right? Getting in as early as possible seems like it is especially important for those of us who don't go to a T14, let alone HYS, where most of the best clerkships will go to. Thoughts?

It is VERY early to think about clerkships, even with the end of the hiring plan. At the earliest, wait til second semester grades, and then start talking to possible recommenders. Are you considering transferring at all? That should certainly enter into the equation.

[A. Nony Mouse]

I also don't know that I'd recommend applying before you get fall 2L grades - I'm not sure killing the hiring plan has moved hiring back THAT early. But I'll admit these are uncharted waters, so I'm not certain. But I agree with Danger Zone that now is too early and don't worry about it before summer. (For one thing, you'll at the very least want to know about journals.)

[ndirish2010]

1L here. Fall grades put me at or near the top of my class at my T20. I realize it maybe be early to start thinking about clerkships, but with the formal end of the federal hiring plan, I'm wondering if anyone knows what 1L's are supposed to be doing now? Since we can use OSCAR to apply early this fall, I gather that most people will be applying before fall grades ever come out,. This means that right now we should probably be thinking about getting an idea of possible recommenders and such, right? Getting in as early as possible seems like it is especially important for those of us who don't go to a T14, let alone HYS, where most of the best clerkships will go to. Thoughts?

It is VERY early to think about clerkships, even with the end of the hiring plan. At the earliest, wait til second semester grades, and then start talking to possible recommenders. Are you considering transferring at all? That should certainly enter into the equation.

Depending on what T20 OP is at, transferring could be a poor idea.

Otherwise, I agree...think about recommenders. Being a RA might be a smart idea if you're sure you want to clerk, as you're sure to get a great recommendation out of it and you'll get to know a professor well.

[Danger Zone]

Full disclosure, I'm in the middle of applying for clerkships right now. Some judges seem to allow apps that have no 2L grades, but it looks like a majority of them require fall grades. Applying to judges in the Northeast, so YMMV if applying elsewhere.

[bk1]

A few things:

1. Even though you can use OSCAR, paper apps are generally better (but YMMV).
2. Most judges don't hire till 2L spring/summer. That gives you most of 2L fall to figure out recommenders.
3. Judges will hire when they hire. If a judge doesn't look at apps until April then it won't have mattered whether you applied in November or in March. That said, applying early is generally a good idea since you often won't exactly know when a judge is looking at apps.

The most important thing you can focus on is keeping up your grades and making sure you get on LR. Just because you did well first semester doesn't mean you can't slip up next semester.

[Doorkeeper]

Full disclosure, I'm in the middle of applying for clerkships right now. Some judges seem to allow apps that have no 2L grades, but it looks like a majority of them require fall grades. Applying to judges in the Northeast, so YMMV if applying elsewhere.

I only know of feeders moving in the early fall this year. Even many lower feeders are waiting until fall 2L grades come out. Generally speaking, I think the movement on the extreme early end are feeders trying to grab the very top of HYS. Most circuit judges seem to still want at least 3 semesters of grades.

[daleearnhardt123]

There's absolutely no reason to NOT be thinking about recommenders right now. if you liked any of your Fall 1L professors, continue to try to build a relationship with them (volunteering to do research is one such way). Try to figure out how you are going to be able to get to 3 recommenders. You want to be able to have the recommendations in the bag, written and everything, by the time you begin applying for clerkships. And you will probably want to be applying for clerkships BY the time Fall 2L grades come out, if not much earlier for the few idiosyncratic non-feeder judges who move early (you probably aren't competitive for feeders at a T20).

It can take faculty a significant chunk of time to write a rec. You don't want to be waiting until December 2014 to ask them to start writing.

[Anonymous User]

Prep for you right now is getting good spring grades and developing relationships with three professors. That's really the whole game anyhow.

Agree that most judges seem to be waiting for 2L fall grades, but at least a couple of judges not typically thought of as feeders (though all people who have sent folks upstairs in the past, just not on an annual basis) moved in the fall.