Let's Talk 9th Circuit! Forum

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Re: Let's Talk 9th Circuit!

Post by Anonymous User » Wed May 11, 2022 12:50 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 12:13 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 11:30 am
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 8:57 am
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 7:18 am
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 1:15 am
Is it too early to discern trends in VanDyke's hiring practices yet? Will he take people who aren't FedSoc if they have otherwise strong resumes, or would he prefer less strong grades / lack of LR but FedSoc?
I don’t think he’s hired a single non-Fedsoc clerk. A lot of splits with district court judges, and some preference for students with ties to the West, but he seems to have weakened on that.
Also please do not clerk for VanDyke.
what makes you say this
Before another thread gets sidetracked, there are about 6 pages of "the best and worst judges to clerk for" thread dedicated to this topic, which basically culminated in "he's really conservative and tells dad jokes."

For the record, I probably would not clerk for VanDyke unless I was conservative and dedicated to the conservative legal movement.
As a recent CA9 clerk: VanDyke has burned/is burning a lot of bridges with his caustic rhetoric and repeated accusations that other judges are acting in bad faith. This includes bridges between him and other ideologically comparable judges on CA9. I'd think very carefully before clerking for him.

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Re: Let's Talk 9th Circuit!

Post by Anonymous User » Wed May 11, 2022 1:02 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 12:49 pm

The discussion did NOT boil down to him being conservative and telling dad jokes. A candidate should think very seriously about what is publicly known about him before applying. I would commend anyone who wants to clerk for Van Dyke to several of his recent opinions that have garnered mainstream press attention, and encourage them to decide if they want to spend their career flinching every time their former boss has released a new zinger. It isn't unreasonable to think his reputation, with time and the emboldening nature of life tenure, could become an albatross around your neck. This is a very distinct situation from your average hyper-conservative, but cautious and lower-case 'c' conservative, judge.

For what it's worth, I say this as a conservative clerk for a conservative judge who is supportive of people who want to apply to clerk for same. Van Dyke is simply not the usual case.
As someone quite familiar with basically all of his clerks and his chambers, I can assure you that you'll probably be fine assuming you weren't planning on applying for an EJW fellowship afterward.

But overall, it's a pretty pointless discussion because the people he's hiring in any case usually know him or their district court judges know him.

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Re: Let's Talk 9th Circuit!

Post by Anonymous User » Wed May 11, 2022 3:48 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 1:15 am
Is it too early to discern trends in VanDyke's hiring practices yet? Will he take people who aren't FedSoc if they have otherwise strong resumes, or would he prefer less strong grades / lack of LR but FedSoc?
To bring this back on topic, cut off yet another tangent on VanDyke, and answer the original question - my T14 clerkship's office has essentially said that he'll only hire FedSoc folks. His definition of a "strong" resume seems to be less about grades/traditional qualifications and more about commitment to the conservative legal movement, so it seems unlikely that a non-FedSoc person would get an offer (but I guess no harm in applying if you're not FedSoc but are still interested for whatever reason).

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Re: Let's Talk 9th Circuit!

Post by Anonymous User » Wed May 11, 2022 6:18 pm

I’ve met both Judge Van Dyke and various clerks. I get the sense they are all strongly vetted and personally recommended by people he trusts that can vouch for them. Even if it’s not completely intentional, the conservative legal world is tiny, so it’s fairly easy to learn the reputation and bona fides of potential clerks.

If you’re not in fed soc, it’s still worth sending in an app, but I wouldn’t get your hopes up. Many of his clerks are not simply affiliated with fed soc; they are deep in the conservative (Christian) legal circles.

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Re: Let's Talk 9th Circuit!

Post by Anonymous User » Wed May 11, 2022 8:55 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 12:50 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 12:13 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 11:30 am
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 8:57 am
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 7:18 am
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 1:15 am
Is it too early to discern trends in VanDyke's hiring practices yet? Will he take people who aren't FedSoc if they have otherwise strong resumes, or would he prefer less strong grades / lack of LR but FedSoc?
I don’t think he’s hired a single non-Fedsoc clerk. A lot of splits with district court judges, and some preference for students with ties to the West, but he seems to have weakened on that.
Also please do not clerk for VanDyke.
what makes you say this
Before another thread gets sidetracked, there are about 6 pages of "the best and worst judges to clerk for" thread dedicated to this topic, which basically culminated in "he's really conservative and tells dad jokes."

For the record, I probably would not clerk for VanDyke unless I was conservative and dedicated to the conservative legal movement.
As a recent CA9 clerk: VanDyke has burned/is burning a lot of bridges with his caustic rhetoric and repeated accusations that other judges are acting in bad faith. This includes bridges between him and other ideologically comparable judges on CA9. I'd think very carefully before clerking for him.
Different poster. I know at least a couple of other Trump CA9 judges strongly disapprove of VanDyke. I clerked for two prominent Trump appointees on other circuits who likewise thought he was embarrassing, though neither personally knew him afaik. I realize this has been covered over and over, but even in the conservative legal movement, his reputation is mixed at best, and I would make sure you’ve thought through a decision to go for him carefully and talked to your recommenders and mentors about it.

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Re: Let's Talk 9th Circuit!

Post by Anonymous User » Thu May 12, 2022 4:13 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 8:55 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 12:50 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 12:13 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 11:30 am
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 8:57 am
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 7:18 am
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 1:15 am
Is it too early to discern trends in VanDyke's hiring practices yet? Will he take people who aren't FedSoc if they have otherwise strong resumes, or would he prefer less strong grades / lack of LR but FedSoc?
I don’t think he’s hired a single non-Fedsoc clerk. A lot of splits with district court judges, and some preference for students with ties to the West, but he seems to have weakened on that.
Also please do not clerk for VanDyke.
what makes you say this
Before another thread gets sidetracked, there are about 6 pages of "the best and worst judges to clerk for" thread dedicated to this topic, which basically culminated in "he's really conservative and tells dad jokes."

For the record, I probably would not clerk for VanDyke unless I was conservative and dedicated to the conservative legal movement.
As a recent CA9 clerk: VanDyke has burned/is burning a lot of bridges with his caustic rhetoric and repeated accusations that other judges are acting in bad faith. This includes bridges between him and other ideologically comparable judges on CA9. I'd think very carefully before clerking for him.
Different poster. I know at least a couple of other Trump CA9 judges strongly disapprove of VanDyke. I clerked for two prominent Trump appointees on other circuits who likewise thought he was embarrassing, though neither personally knew him afaik. I realize this has been covered over and over, but even in the conservative legal movement, his reputation is mixed at best, and I would make sure you’ve thought through a decision to go for him carefully and talked to your recommenders and mentors about it.
Exactly this. I just thought it was unreasonable to say concerns about Van Dyke boiled down to dad jokes. A person could reasonably decide to work for him, but he shouldn't automatically be on a mass mailing list for the average person.

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Re: Let's Talk 9th Circuit!

Post by Anonymous User » Thu May 12, 2022 4:13 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 8:55 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 12:50 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 12:13 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 11:30 am
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 8:57 am
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 7:18 am
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 1:15 am
Is it too early to discern trends in VanDyke's hiring practices yet? Will he take people who aren't FedSoc if they have otherwise strong resumes, or would he prefer less strong grades / lack of LR but FedSoc?
I don’t think he’s hired a single non-Fedsoc clerk. A lot of splits with district court judges, and some preference for students with ties to the West, but he seems to have weakened on that.
Also please do not clerk for VanDyke.
what makes you say this
Before another thread gets sidetracked, there are about 6 pages of "the best and worst judges to clerk for" thread dedicated to this topic, which basically culminated in "he's really conservative and tells dad jokes."

For the record, I probably would not clerk for VanDyke unless I was conservative and dedicated to the conservative legal movement.
As a recent CA9 clerk: VanDyke has burned/is burning a lot of bridges with his caustic rhetoric and repeated accusations that other judges are acting in bad faith. This includes bridges between him and other ideologically comparable judges on CA9. I'd think very carefully before clerking for him.
Different poster. I know at least a couple of other Trump CA9 judges strongly disapprove of VanDyke. I clerked for two prominent Trump appointees on other circuits who likewise thought he was embarrassing, though neither personally knew him afaik. I realize this has been covered over and over, but even in the conservative legal movement, his reputation is mixed at best, and I would make sure you’ve thought through a decision to go for him carefully and talked to your recommenders and mentors about it.
One more thing to consider is that the judge's reputation does not always translate to how his clerkship looks on your resume. As an extreme, Kozinski was a known asshole for many years, but Kozinski clerks have always had their choice of jobs. On a lesser scale, Bea is on many school's red-flag lists because he can be a difficult boss, but that's a very well-regarded clerkship, especially among conservatives.

VanDyke is not a popular man with most conservative judges (including my boss), but if he's hiring high-achieving conservative clerks, they are going to pop up in future Republican White Houses, and at the big right-wing appellate shops and advocacy groups. So it may well be that 10 years from now the VanDyke alumni group has a much stronger reputation than the man himself.

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Re: Let's Talk 9th Circuit!

Post by Anonymous User » Thu May 12, 2022 4:34 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Thu May 12, 2022 4:13 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 8:55 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 12:50 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 12:13 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 11:30 am
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 8:57 am
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 7:18 am


I don’t think he’s hired a single non-Fedsoc clerk. A lot of splits with district court judges, and some preference for students with ties to the West, but he seems to have weakened on that.
Also please do not clerk for VanDyke.
what makes you say this
Before another thread gets sidetracked, there are about 6 pages of "the best and worst judges to clerk for" thread dedicated to this topic, which basically culminated in "he's really conservative and tells dad jokes."

For the record, I probably would not clerk for VanDyke unless I was conservative and dedicated to the conservative legal movement.
As a recent CA9 clerk: VanDyke has burned/is burning a lot of bridges with his caustic rhetoric and repeated accusations that other judges are acting in bad faith. This includes bridges between him and other ideologically comparable judges on CA9. I'd think very carefully before clerking for him.
Different poster. I know at least a couple of other Trump CA9 judges strongly disapprove of VanDyke. I clerked for two prominent Trump appointees on other circuits who likewise thought he was embarrassing, though neither personally knew him afaik. I realize this has been covered over and over, but even in the conservative legal movement, his reputation is mixed at best, and I would make sure you’ve thought through a decision to go for him carefully and talked to your recommenders and mentors about it.
One more thing to consider is that the judge's reputation does not always translate to how his clerkship looks on your resume. As an extreme, Kozinski was a known asshole for many years, but Kozinski clerks have always had their choice of jobs. On a lesser scale, Bea is on many school's red-flag lists because he can be a difficult boss, but that's a very well-regarded clerkship, especially among conservatives.

VanDyke is not a popular man with most conservative judges (including my boss), but if he's hiring high-achieving conservative clerks, they are going to pop up in future Republican White Houses, and at the big right-wing appellate shops and advocacy groups. So it may well be that 10 years from now the VanDyke alumni group has a much stronger reputation than the man himself.
Bea has always seemed like a weird one to me--he seems to attract really good clerks, and he has one of the coolest bios in the federal judiciary, but my clerkship office did have him on the "list" (though they didn't suggest he was Kozinski-level or anything). I didn't clerk on CA9 so I have no inside knowledge, good or bad, but it's interesting to hear that others have had this reaction too.

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Re: Let's Talk 9th Circuit!

Post by Anonymous User » Thu May 12, 2022 5:12 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Thu May 12, 2022 4:34 pm

Bea has always seemed like a weird one to me--he seems to attract really good clerks, and he has one of the coolest bios in the federal judiciary, but my clerkship office did have him on the "list" (though they didn't suggest he was Kozinski-level or anything). I didn't clerk on CA9 so I have no inside knowledge, good or bad, but it's interesting to hear that others have had this reaction too.
Bea is a good judge, in a desirable city (SF), and before the Trump appointees was one of the very few on CA9 who could be called a "conservative warrior." He's certainly not Kozinski-level, he's just an often difficult/demanding man to work for, although I've heard he can also be a lot of fun on occasion.

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Re: Let's Talk 9th Circuit!

Post by Anonymous User » Sun May 15, 2022 10:59 pm

Does anyone have intel on M. Smith? I don't see much discussion of him on here in comparison to the other CA9 judges. What is his reputation? What is the profile of the typical clerk in his chambers?

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Re: Let's Talk 9th Circuit!

Post by Anonymous User » Mon May 16, 2022 7:54 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Sun May 15, 2022 10:59 pm
Does anyone have intel on M. Smith? I don't see much discussion of him on here in comparison to the other CA9 judges. What is his reputation? What is the profile of the typical clerk in his chambers?
Moderate Republican. He’s one of the median votes in en banc calls on CA9 (though I believe Owens and Rawlinson are currently the tipping point judges). At my school (CCN), he hires people with work experience and/or a prior clerkship, but is less grade-selective than many CA9 judges.

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Re: Let's Talk 9th Circuit!

Post by Anonymous User » Sat May 28, 2022 2:09 pm

Any updates from the AZ judges?

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Re: Let's Talk 9th Circuit!

Post by Anonymous User » Sat May 28, 2022 6:02 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Sat May 28, 2022 2:09 pm
Any updates from the AZ judges?
I know Bade has extended interview offers for 2023

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Re: Let's Talk 9th Circuit!

Post by Anonymous User » Sun May 29, 2022 2:03 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Thu May 12, 2022 4:13 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 8:55 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 12:50 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 12:13 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 11:30 am
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 8:57 am
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 7:18 am


I don’t think he’s hired a single non-Fedsoc clerk. A lot of splits with district court judges, and some preference for students with ties to the West, but he seems to have weakened on that.
Also please do not clerk for VanDyke.
what makes you say this
Before another thread gets sidetracked, there are about 6 pages of "the best and worst judges to clerk for" thread dedicated to this topic, which basically culminated in "he's really conservative and tells dad jokes."

For the record, I probably would not clerk for VanDyke unless I was conservative and dedicated to the conservative legal movement.
As a recent CA9 clerk: VanDyke has burned/is burning a lot of bridges with his caustic rhetoric and repeated accusations that other judges are acting in bad faith. This includes bridges between him and other ideologically comparable judges on CA9. I'd think very carefully before clerking for him.
Different poster. I know at least a couple of other Trump CA9 judges strongly disapprove of VanDyke. I clerked for two prominent Trump appointees on other circuits who likewise thought he was embarrassing, though neither personally knew him afaik. I realize this has been covered over and over, but even in the conservative legal movement, his reputation is mixed at best, and I would make sure you’ve thought through a decision to go for him carefully and talked to your recommenders and mentors about it.
One more thing to consider is that the judge's reputation does not always translate to how his clerkship looks on your resume. As an extreme, Kozinski was a known asshole for many years, but Kozinski clerks have always had their choice of jobs. On a lesser scale, Bea is on many school's red-flag lists because he can be a difficult boss, but that's a very well-regarded clerkship, especially among conservatives.

VanDyke is not a popular man with most conservative judges (including my boss), but if he's hiring high-achieving conservative clerks, they are going to pop up in future Republican White Houses, and at the big right-wing appellate shops and advocacy groups. So it may well be that 10 years from now the VanDyke alumni group has a much stronger reputation than the man himself.
I hope people recognize that these are the thought processes of milquetoast big-C Conservative establishment pushovers. They are prioritizing conformity, blandness, and external image--the hallmarks of a Bush appointee. Eugghhckck...

VanDyke's opinions are GEMS. I'm giddy whenever I see a VanDyke dissent, especially given the meandering jurisprudential sludge that CA9 usually churns out. Conservatives love VanDyke, because he sticks to his judicial philosophy, pearl-clutching sycophants be damned. Yes, he's brazen and snarky, and maybe DGAF after his confirmation hearing outburst. But he says what a hundred pushover Republicans never had the spine/balls to say. Are people actually disagreeing with his legal takes, or does the spiciness make you tremble so hard you can't actually read what he says?

OooOOOOhhhmigod and he made a satirical intro video oh nooooo...!! Imagine having a sense of humor in the federal judiciary... how terrible that must have been for all the newbie clerks who weren't expecting to pretend to have a soul. Just imagine his nerve... trying to be original!!! You are OUTRAGED! Be warned everybody, if you clerk for VanDyke, the Bush appointees might be EXTRA IRRELEVANT at your next social function!

Obligatory "just wanted to put this out there before this thread gets sidetracked"

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Re: Let's Talk 9th Circuit!

Post by kolio6 » Sun May 29, 2022 2:13 pm

^so brave that he—definitely a dude—posted anonymously. Making points in a polite manner that doesn’t impugn the motivations of your colleagues isn’t “meandering jurisprudential sludge.” It’s called having basic respect. Your problem isn’t that you’re a conservative. Your problem is that you’re an asshole.

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Re: Let's Talk 9th Circuit!

Post by Anonymous User » Sun May 29, 2022 10:55 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Sun May 29, 2022 2:03 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Thu May 12, 2022 4:13 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 8:55 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 12:50 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 12:13 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 11:30 am
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 8:57 am


Also please do not clerk for VanDyke.
what makes you say this
Before another thread gets sidetracked, there are about 6 pages of "the best and worst judges to clerk for" thread dedicated to this topic, which basically culminated in "he's really conservative and tells dad jokes."

For the record, I probably would not clerk for VanDyke unless I was conservative and dedicated to the conservative legal movement.
As a recent CA9 clerk: VanDyke has burned/is burning a lot of bridges with his caustic rhetoric and repeated accusations that other judges are acting in bad faith. This includes bridges between him and other ideologically comparable judges on CA9. I'd think very carefully before clerking for him.
Different poster. I know at least a couple of other Trump CA9 judges strongly disapprove of VanDyke. I clerked for two prominent Trump appointees on other circuits who likewise thought he was embarrassing, though neither personally knew him afaik. I realize this has been covered over and over, but even in the conservative legal movement, his reputation is mixed at best, and I would make sure you’ve thought through a decision to go for him carefully and talked to your recommenders and mentors about it.
One more thing to consider is that the judge's reputation does not always translate to how his clerkship looks on your resume. As an extreme, Kozinski was a known asshole for many years, but Kozinski clerks have always had their choice of jobs. On a lesser scale, Bea is on many school's red-flag lists because he can be a difficult boss, but that's a very well-regarded clerkship, especially among conservatives.

VanDyke is not a popular man with most conservative judges (including my boss), but if he's hiring high-achieving conservative clerks, they are going to pop up in future Republican White Houses, and at the big right-wing appellate shops and advocacy groups. So it may well be that 10 years from now the VanDyke alumni group has a much stronger reputation than the man himself.
I hope people recognize that these are the thought processes of milquetoast big-C Conservative establishment pushovers. They are prioritizing conformity, blandness, and external image--the hallmarks of a Bush appointee. Eugghhckck...

VanDyke's opinions are GEMS. I'm giddy whenever I see a VanDyke dissent, especially given the meandering jurisprudential sludge that CA9 usually churns out. Conservatives love VanDyke, because he sticks to his judicial philosophy, pearl-clutching sycophants be damned. Yes, he's brazen and snarky, and maybe DGAF after his confirmation hearing outburst. But he says what a hundred pushover Republicans never had the spine/balls to say. Are people actually disagreeing with his legal takes, or does the spiciness make you tremble so hard you can't actually read what he says?

OooOOOOhhhmigod and he made a satirical intro video oh nooooo...!! Imagine having a sense of humor in the federal judiciary... how terrible that must have been for all the newbie clerks who weren't expecting to pretend to have a soul. Just imagine his nerve... trying to be original!!! You are OUTRAGED! Be warned everybody, if you clerk for VanDyke, the Bush appointees might be EXTRA IRRELEVANT at your next social function!

Obligatory "just wanted to put this out there before this thread gets sidetracked"
Lawrence VanDyke... is that you?

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Re: Let's Talk 9th Circuit!

Post by lavarman84 » Sun May 29, 2022 11:33 pm

kolio6 wrote:
Sun May 29, 2022 2:13 pm
^so brave that he—definitely a dude—posted anonymously. Making points in a polite manner that doesn’t impugn the motivations of your colleagues isn’t “meandering jurisprudential sludge.” It’s called having basic respect. Your problem isn’t that you’re a conservative. Your problem is that you’re an asshole.
Part of me thinks that maybe VanDyke is doing us all a favor. At least nobody can pretend he isn't a rabid partisan, unlike some of the collegial judges who are just as partisan. In an ideal world, we'd have judges who made an effort to put their biases aside and be fair minded (understanding that isn't completely possible). Instead, we have another branch that is filling up with partisans and becoming more and more polarized. It's really unfortunate.

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Re: Let's Talk 9th Circuit!

Post by Anonymous User » Mon May 30, 2022 6:41 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Sun May 29, 2022 2:03 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Thu May 12, 2022 4:13 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 8:55 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 12:50 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 12:13 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 11:30 am
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed May 11, 2022 8:57 am


Also please do not clerk for VanDyke.
what makes you say this
Before another thread gets sidetracked, there are about 6 pages of "the best and worst judges to clerk for" thread dedicated to this topic, which basically culminated in "he's really conservative and tells dad jokes."

For the record, I probably would not clerk for VanDyke unless I was conservative and dedicated to the conservative legal movement.
As a recent CA9 clerk: VanDyke has burned/is burning a lot of bridges with his caustic rhetoric and repeated accusations that other judges are acting in bad faith. This includes bridges between him and other ideologically comparable judges on CA9. I'd think very carefully before clerking for him.
Different poster. I know at least a couple of other Trump CA9 judges strongly disapprove of VanDyke. I clerked for two prominent Trump appointees on other circuits who likewise thought he was embarrassing, though neither personally knew him afaik. I realize this has been covered over and over, but even in the conservative legal movement, his reputation is mixed at best, and I would make sure you’ve thought through a decision to go for him carefully and talked to your recommenders and mentors about it.
One more thing to consider is that the judge's reputation does not always translate to how his clerkship looks on your resume. As an extreme, Kozinski was a known asshole for many years, but Kozinski clerks have always had their choice of jobs. On a lesser scale, Bea is on many school's red-flag lists because he can be a difficult boss, but that's a very well-regarded clerkship, especially among conservatives.

VanDyke is not a popular man with most conservative judges (including my boss), but if he's hiring high-achieving conservative clerks, they are going to pop up in future Republican White Houses, and at the big right-wing appellate shops and advocacy groups. So it may well be that 10 years from now the VanDyke alumni group has a much stronger reputation than the man himself.
I hope people recognize that these are the thought processes of milquetoast big-C Conservative establishment pushovers. They are prioritizing conformity, blandness, and external image--the hallmarks of a Bush appointee. Eugghhckck...

VanDyke's opinions are GEMS. I'm giddy whenever I see a VanDyke dissent, especially given the meandering jurisprudential sludge that CA9 usually churns out. Conservatives love VanDyke, because he sticks to his judicial philosophy, pearl-clutching sycophants be damned. Yes, he's brazen and snarky, and maybe DGAF after his confirmation hearing outburst. But he says what a hundred pushover Republicans never had the spine/balls to say. Are people actually disagreeing with his legal takes, or does the spiciness make you tremble so hard you can't actually read what he says?

OooOOOOhhhmigod and he made a satirical intro video oh nooooo...!! Imagine having a sense of humor in the federal judiciary... how terrible that must have been for all the newbie clerks who weren't expecting to pretend to have a soul. Just imagine his nerve... trying to be original!!! You are OUTRAGED! Be warned everybody, if you clerk for VanDyke, the Bush appointees might be EXTRA IRRELEVANT at your next social function!

Obligatory "just wanted to put this out there before this thread gets sidetracked"
It is so funny to me that this person basically wrote a VanDyke opinion to defend VanDyke's opinions.

In all seriousness, some people are perfect fits for a VanDyke clerkship. Just important that people are familiar with his work before applying blindly.

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Re: Let's Talk 9th Circuit!

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Jun 02, 2022 9:54 pm

Any movement for ‘23?

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Re: Let's Talk 9th Circuit!

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Jun 03, 2022 12:06 am

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Anonymous User
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Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

Re: Let's Talk 9th Circuit!

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Jun 03, 2022 2:49 am

Anyone know if there has been movement or rumblings around Berna Rhodes-Ford (the successor Judge Rawlinson has openly suggested?)

An update for people who thought she was bluffing before:

“I could do this job for another 20 years without hardship, God willing,” Rawlinson, 69, said in an interview. “I don't have any health issues, I don't have any impediments to doing this job. But I am cognizant of the fact that the torch needs to be passed at some point, and I think this is the opportune time.”

Source:
https://thenevadaindependent.com/articl ... eplacement

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Re: Let's Talk 9th Circuit!

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Jun 03, 2022 12:00 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Fri Jun 03, 2022 2:49 am
Anyone know if there has been movement or rumblings around Berna Rhodes-Ford (the successor Judge Rawlinson has openly suggested?)

An update for people who thought she was bluffing before:

“I could do this job for another 20 years without hardship, God willing,” Rawlinson, 69, said in an interview. “I don't have any health issues, I don't have any impediments to doing this job. But I am cognizant of the fact that the torch needs to be passed at some point, and I think this is the opportune time.”

Source:
https://thenevadaindependent.com/articl ... eplacement
It's getting late. With so many circuit seats already open and nominees awaiting hearings and votes, there may not be time before the end of the year for Rhodes-Ford to be nominated and confirmed even if the White House and the two NV Senators approve of her. If Democrats hold the Senate, the odds of her being confirmed in 2023 would be very high, but if Republicans control it, judicial confirmations will likely grind to a halt outside of a handful of package deals with GOP Senators.

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Re: Let's Talk 9th Circuit!

Post by Anonymous User » Sun Jun 26, 2022 1:51 am

blackjake200 wrote:
Mon Nov 08, 2021 2:04 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Fri Nov 05, 2021 3:00 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Fri Nov 05, 2021 11:40 am
Are there any republican appointed judges on the Ninth that aren't too conservative? Any judges a very liberal applicant may want to avoid?
YMMV, but I would avoid Bea, Smith, Ikuta, Bumatay, VanDyke, Collins, Miller, Nelson. However, most will not interview you if you're obviously a liberal anyway, so I wouldn't worry.
I wouldn't put Bea, Collins, and Miller on this list. They are all conservative but all hire liberal clerks. Collins might be too conservative for some applicants but he definitely hires clerks that are to the left of him.
I completely agree that Collins should not be on this list. I know he hires a mix of clerks and everyone I've heard from (left and right) who has clerked for him has rave reviews of his kindness and thoughtfulness as a boss. While I don't know enough to speak to everyone on the list, I am confident that Ikuta, Bumatay, and Miller should also not be on it.

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Re: Let's Talk 9th Circuit!

Post by Anonymous User » Sun Jun 26, 2022 6:29 pm

Any knowledge on how the Biden appointees/nominees are as bosses/people? Old posts say that Koh was tough to work for as a DJ, so I would assume it's still true now? Mostly curious if anyone's heard about Sung, Sanchez, and H. Thomas, but also interested in current nominees Mendoza & Desai. Anyone here clerked on E.D. Wash. and can speak to Mendoza's reputation?

Anonymous User
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Re: Let's Talk 9th Circuit!

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Jun 27, 2022 5:08 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Sun Jun 26, 2022 1:51 am
blackjake200 wrote:
Mon Nov 08, 2021 2:04 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Fri Nov 05, 2021 3:00 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Fri Nov 05, 2021 11:40 am
Are there any republican appointed judges on the Ninth that aren't too conservative? Any judges a very liberal applicant may want to avoid?
YMMV, but I would avoid Bea, Smith, Ikuta, Bumatay, VanDyke, Collins, Miller, Nelson. However, most will not interview you if you're obviously a liberal anyway, so I wouldn't worry.
I wouldn't put Bea, Collins, and Miller on this list. They are all conservative but all hire liberal clerks. Collins might be too conservative for some applicants but he definitely hires clerks that are to the left of him.
I completely agree that Collins should not be on this list. I know he hires a mix of clerks and everyone I've heard from (left and right) who has clerked for him has rave reviews of his kindness and thoughtfulness as a boss. While I don't know enough to speak to everyone on the list, I am confident that Ikuta, Bumatay, and Miller should also not be on it.
I am personally aware of Bumatay clerks that are liberal enough to be considered counter-clerks. Idk if he intentionally hires them, but he seems to primarily care about originalism and not really care about where originalism leads you, if that makes sense. While liberals could happily work for him, he probably would clash with someone who thinks original meaning was useless.

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