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I would like to eventually clerk for the DC Circuit. Originally, my plan was to clerk in another COA Circuit and use that to make me more competitive with the DC Circuit. Kinda like a stepping stone. But someone just informed me that DC Circuit judges either formally or informally don't like that. According to him, a COA clerkship is an either/or type of deal and that if I did a COA clerkship in another circuit it would not help me, but may even hurt me, in getting a DC Circuit clerkship.

He recommended I do district then DC Circuit, or Fed Circuit (since its different subject matter) then DC Circuit.

Any insight on whether this is true or not? That using a, for example, 8th Cir clerkship to springboard into a DC Circuit clerkship is unlikely because there's some unspoken rule that circuits don't wanna hire another circuit's clerk?

Anonymous User wrote:I would like to eventually clerk for the DC Circuit. Originally, my plan was to clerk in another COA Circuit and use that to make me more competitive with the DC Circuit. Kinda like a stepping stone. But someone just informed me that DC Circuit judges either formally or informally don't like that. According to him, a COA clerkship is an either/or type of deal and that if I did a COA clerkship in another circuit it would not help me, but may even hurt me, in getting a DC Circuit clerkship.

He recommended I do district then DC Circuit, or Fed Circuit then DC Circuit.

Any insight on whether this is true or not? That using a, for example, 8th Cir clerkship to springboard into a DC Circuit clerkship is unlikely because there's some unspoken rule that circuits don't wanna hire another circuit's clerk?

It's not that uncommon. Not sure it's worth it though. I've been told that doing a second federal COA clerkship is not a great use of a year and it's better to develop your skills in another position. In my opinion, if you really want to clerk for the D.C. Circuit, do a district court first rather than a COA.

Edit: Tatel in particular seems to hire people coming off another COA clerkship pretty commonly.

Why do you want to clerk for the D.C. Circuit?

J.R. Brown also often hires people off prior COA.

I don't think it will hurt, but the utility of second COA clerkship is questionable.

OutCold wrote:I don't think it will hurt, but the utility of second COA clerkship is questionable.

Highly questionable.

I know Tatel, Randolph, Rogers, and Brown have hired former COA clerks in recent years.

But yeah, why D.C. Cir? If you have the credentials to be a DC Cir candidate, just go for it straight away or aim for DDC. I think it would be really weird to aim for Fed. Cir. in hopes that it could increase your chances of landing D.C. Cir.

For what it's worth, I, too, think the value of two COA gigs is questionable.