Top Law Schools

I plan to apply to a judge who recently started to accept applications via OSCAR. The judge's OSCAR posting indicates that the judge accepts applications via OSCAR. The judge's OSCAR posting does not expressly prohibit mail applications.

Is it safe to send a mail application?

Anonymous User wrote:I plan to apply to a judge who recently started to accept applications via OSCAR. The judge's OSCAR posting indicates that the judge accepts applications via OSCAR. The judge's OSCAR posting does not expressly prohibit mail applications.

Is it safe to send a mail application?

I wouldn't send a mail app unless it actually says they're taking mail as well.

That said, I'm not sure the judge is necessarily aware of the methods requested. I did apply to one judge through OSCAR who showed accepting both. I later (fortunately before he started selecting candidates for interview) learned that he only wanted mail and that he didn't even realize his assistant had checked the online option.

Anonymous User wrote:I plan to apply to a judge who recently started to accept applications via OSCAR. The judge's OSCAR posting indicates that the judge accepts applications via OSCAR. The judge's OSCAR posting does not expressly prohibit mail applications.

Is it safe to send a mail application?

I think as long as the OSCAR posting does not prohibit mail applications you are fine. If you have a paper app they have to actually look at your application to say NO to you. On OSCAR they can filter you out(i.e. grade cut off)...If this is the reason you prefer the paper route I would go with it...

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:I plan to apply to a judge who recently started to accept applications via OSCAR. The judge's OSCAR posting indicates that the judge accepts applications via OSCAR. The judge's OSCAR posting does not expressly prohibit mail applications.

Is it safe to send a mail application?

I think as long as the OSCAR posting does not prohibit mail applications you are fine. If you have a paper app they have to actually look at your application to say NO to you. On OSCAR they can filter you out(i.e. grade cut off)...If this is the reason you prefer the paper route I would go with it...

Would you do both (paper and OSCAR)?

I would not do both, no - I think if people realize you've done that it will look annoying/weird. I sent paper apps for the reason given above, but I also had chambers tell me they only took apps through OSCAR and to apply that way.

Oh ok. What if you applied via unsolicited mail application, and only a few weeks later, the judge puts up an OSCAR posting?

Anonymous User wrote:Oh ok. What if you applied via unsolicited mail application, and only a few weeks later, the judge puts up an OSCAR posting?

Same question here. anybody?

Anonymous User wrote:I plan to apply to a judge who recently started to accept applications via OSCAR. The judge's OSCAR posting indicates that the judge accepts applications via OSCAR. The judge's OSCAR posting does not expressly prohibit mail applications.

Is it safe to send a mail application?

If the judge has decided she wants applications in a particular format, it's safe to assume she did this because it's the format she and her staff find most convenient. Why would you second guess that decision (and show you can't follow directions)?

If it says OSCAR, do it on OSCAR.

It is highly likely the judge's clerk/JA is doing the initial application intake. I know that's what my chambers does. So anything that is mailed to the judge personally is much more likely to be looked over.

Emma. wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:I plan to apply to a judge who recently started to accept applications via OSCAR. The judge's OSCAR posting indicates that the judge accepts applications via OSCAR. The judge's OSCAR posting does not expressly prohibit mail applications.

Is it safe to send a mail application?

If the judge has decided she wants applications in a particular format, it's safe to assume she did this because it's the format she and her staff find most convenient. Why would you second guess that decision (and show you can't follow directions)?

I think that you are over-thinking this. If they ONLY wanted applications submitted via OSCAR, then I think they would flat out say it. I think judges in general understand the confusion/uncertainty that has occurred since OSCAR de-linked from the hiring plan.

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Oh ok. What if you applied via unsolicited mail application, and only a few weeks later, the judge puts up an OSCAR posting?

Same question here. anybody?

I had this same question and asked my counselor/adviser at school and they told me if it is only a few weeks after submitting my materials they would recommend that I not apply again on OSCAR. If it has been months, then I should probably "re-apply" via OSCAR and mention in my cover letter that I previously submitted a hard-copy application but are submitting again via OSCAR ____(for their convenience)/(to comply with their preferences or requirements listed on OSCAR)/(update application materials)/(etc.)____.

Anonymous User wrote:

Emma. wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:I plan to apply to a judge who recently started to accept applications via OSCAR. The judge's OSCAR posting indicates that the judge accepts applications via OSCAR. The judge's OSCAR posting does not expressly prohibit mail applications.

Is it safe to send a mail application?

If the judge has decided she wants applications in a particular format, it's safe to assume she did this because it's the format she and her staff find most convenient. Why would you second guess that decision (and show you can't follow directions)?

I think that you are over-thinking this. If they ONLY wanted applications submitted via OSCAR, then I think they would flat out say it. I think judges in general understand the confusion/uncertainty that has occurred since OSCAR de-linked from the hiring plan.

No. I'm speaking from experience. If the OSCAR posting said "submit paper applications" do you think it would be appropriate to ignore that and submit electronically just because the posting didn't expressly forbid electronic applications?

Look, you aren't wrong that some, maybe even most, judges won't care. But some will. In some chambers an app that doesn't come through the correct channel will never even reach the judge. OP has no way of knowing whether the judge s/he is applying to is one of those.

While in my chambers we likely won't ding someone automatically when they fail to follow instructions, it is almost always commented on. And no one is ever like "oh, the poor applicant, they couldn't follow our (very simple) instructions on how to apply but that's fine because there is so much confusion and uncertainty since OSCAR de-linked from the hiring plan."

Emma. wrote: While in my chambers we likely won't ding someone automatically when they fail to follow instructions, it is almost always commented on. And no one is ever like "oh, the poor applicant, they couldn't follow our (very simple) instructions on how to apply but that's fine because there is so much confusion and uncertainty since OSCAR de-linked from the hiring plan."

Just another anecdote: In our chambers we really do say, "Oh the poor applicant, there is so much confusion and uncertainty since OSCAR de-linked from the hiring plan." So even though we only check the OSCAR checkbox for applications, we still review all paper applications that come in. (And, truthfully, a mail application is at least likely to get a resume look while who knows if I'll ever open your OSCAR application.)

Citizen Genet wrote:

Emma. wrote: While in my chambers we likely won't ding someone automatically when they fail to follow instructions, it is almost always commented on. And no one is ever like "oh, the poor applicant, they couldn't follow our (very simple) instructions on how to apply but that's fine because there is so much confusion and uncertainty since OSCAR de-linked from the hiring plan."

Just another anecdote: In our chambers we really do say, "Oh the poor applicant, there is so much confusion and uncertainty since OSCAR de-linked from the hiring plan." So even though we only check the OSCAR checkbox for applications, we still review all paper applications that come in. (And, truthfully, a mail application is at least likely to get a resume look while who knows if I'll ever open your OSCAR application.)

Sure. I never suggested it would be a problem in every chambers. But the point still stands that, in some chambers, it WILL be a problem, and OP has no way of telling whether the judge s/he is applying to is one of those.

Emma. wrote:

Citizen Genet wrote:

Emma. wrote: While in my chambers we likely won't ding someone automatically when they fail to follow instructions, it is almost always commented on. And no one is ever like "oh, the poor applicant, they couldn't follow our (very simple) instructions on how to apply but that's fine because there is so much confusion and uncertainty since OSCAR de-linked from the hiring plan."

Just another anecdote: In our chambers we really do say, "Oh the poor applicant, there is so much confusion and uncertainty since OSCAR de-linked from the hiring plan." So even though we only check the OSCAR checkbox for applications, we still review all paper applications that come in. (And, truthfully, a mail application is at least likely to get a resume look while who knows if I'll ever open your OSCAR application.)

Sure. I never suggested it would be a problem in every chambers. But the point still stands that, in some chambers, it WILL be a problem, and OP has no way of telling whether the judge s/he is applying to is one of those.

So in you chambers if it WILL be a problem if they send in a paper app when you requested in online...do you feel the same way if the app was sent in before the posting for you chambers was listed on OSCAR. Would you prefer them to submit via OSCAR as well?

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Oh ok. What if you applied via unsolicited mail application, and only a few weeks later, the judge puts up an OSCAR posting?

Same question here. anybody?

A. Nony Mouse wrote:I would not do both, no - I think if people realize you've done that it will look annoying/weird. I sent paper apps for the reason given above, but I also had chambers tell me they only took apps through OSCAR and to apply that way.

Another anecdote: in my judge's chambers (one of the more desirable districts), we look at every paper app that comes in, whereas we only look at OSCAR apps that we can readily screen by school/rank. We "missed" one of the clerks we've hired for a future term from just reviewing online apps, and only called him/her into interview because he/she had also submitted a paper app that we wound up seeing.

Anonymous User wrote:

A. Nony Mouse wrote:I would not do both, no - I think if people realize you've done that it will look annoying/weird. I sent paper apps for the reason given above, but I also had chambers tell me they only took apps through OSCAR and to apply that way.

Another anecdote: in my judge's chambers (one of the more desirable districts), we look at every paper app that comes in, whereas we only look at OSCAR apps that we can readily screen by school/rank. We "missed" one of the clerks we've hired for a future term from just reviewing online apps, and only called him/her into interview because he/she had also submitted a paper app that we wound up seeing.

Yeah, clearly it varies a lot by judge.

(Of course my takeaway from your anecdote is not really to apply both ways, but to apply via paper, but YMMV. )

A. Nony Mouse wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

A. Nony Mouse wrote:I would not do both, no - I think if people realize you've done that it will look annoying/weird. I sent paper apps for the reason given above, but I also had chambers tell me they only took apps through OSCAR and to apply that way.

Another anecdote: in my judge's chambers (one of the more desirable districts), we look at every paper app that comes in, whereas we only look at OSCAR apps that we can readily screen by school/rank. We "missed" one of the clerks we've hired for a future term from just reviewing online apps, and only called him/her into interview because he/she had also submitted a paper app that we wound up seeing.

Yeah, clearly it varies a lot by judge.

(Of course my takeaway from your anecdote is not really to apply both ways, but to apply via paper, but YMMV. )

Quoted anon above. I totally agree. In applying for second clerkships, I've only sent paper applications, unless the judge explicitly notes on the OSCAR profile that they do not accept them.