3.86 GPA/Top 1% at a Tier 3 School-->Federal Clerkship? Forum

[Manali]

I am a transfer student at a Tier 3 school and I just received fall semester grades, which put me at a 3.86/Top 1%. Are federal clerkships a possibility despite my "modest" school? Should I be applying for them now? This has come as a HUGE surprise, very unexpected. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

[cheaptilts]

probably not assuming you transferred from a T4. Your best bet would be hitting up the DEAN of your law school + professors you had last semester + searching the web to see if any of the alumni are now federal judges

[cheaptilts]

basically hit up any faculty member who clerked or has a connection to a federal judge. this includes the dean. Then, hit up any alum who may be currently clerking right now from your t3

[jimmythecatdied6]

Are you URM?

[Manali]

Are you URM?

No, ORM (Asian).

[xael]

I know I sure believe it

[Manali]

probably not assuming you transferred from a T4. Your best bet would be hitting up the DEAN of your law school + professors you had last semester + searching the web to see if any of the alumni are now federal judges

I did not transfer from a Tier 4 school.

Will judges ask for official transcripts from the old school even though those grades are not calculated into the GPA?

[JusticeJackson]

Will judges ask for official transcripts from the old school even though those grades are not calculated into the GPA?

Yes. In fact, I think that's part of your application on Oscar.

[Manali]

Will judges ask for official transcripts from the old school even though those grades are not calculated into the GPA?

Yes. In fact, I think that's part of your application on Oscar.

Well damn it. I was a poor student at my old school (bottom half of the class). Will state court clerkships ask for transcripts from the old school? How about DoJ Honors Program?

[JusticeJackson]

I am a transfer student at a Tier 3 school and I just received fall semester grades, which put me at a 3.86/Top 1%. Are federal clerkships a possibility despite my "modest" school? Should I be applying for them now? This has come as a HUGE surprise, very unexpected. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

It's a possibility, and you should certainly apply, but don't get your hopes up. I clerked for a fed coa and I met someone that graduated #1 from a tier 3 school. She told me she was the first fed coa clerk the school had ever had, and that the school hadn't had any fed clerks in several years.

You should immediately sign up for oscar, make a long (100+) list of judges you'd consider applying to, talk to your professors and dean and anyone else you've made a connection with to see if they have any advice/can help, make sure to keep your grades up this semester, and hope for the best. Oscar and your school will be a better source of information regarding timing than I can be. I applied to clerkships the July before my 3L year, but that was when the hiring plan was still in place, and all my target judges adhered to it.

[JusticeJackson]

Will judges ask for official transcripts from the old school even though those grades are not calculated into the GPA?

Yes. In fact, I think that's part of your application on Oscar.

Well damn it. I was a poor student at my old school (bottom half of the class). Will state court clerkships ask for transcripts from the old school? How about DoJ Honors Program?

You should just sign up for Oscar and see what they request. This is all based on my memory from several years ago. I think most people want to see the grades you got at your previous school, including DOJ and state judges. It's difficult to evaluate transfer students, so an employer will often want more data points. I helped the judge I clerked for hire his next round of clerks, and I was an OCI interviewer for a bit a at a biglaw firm. In both roles, I wanted previous school transcripts. So did my employer.

[06102016]

..

[Manali]

I can post a screenshot of my grades with my name redacted if you don't believe me. (I actually have a 3.85 because my school doesn't round up, but whatever).

[cheaptilts]

now that I realize it, with mediocre 1L grades, top 1% at your T3 for the semester probably doesn't make you competitive even at the state court level. That's not trying to discourage you, OP, but that's the reality of the situation (absent some type of connection to a federal judge via faculty)

[Anonymous User]

Will judges ask for official transcripts from the old school even though those grades are not calculated into the GPA?

Yes. In fact, I think that's part of your application on Oscar.

Well damn it. I was a poor student at my old school (bottom half of the class). Will state court clerkships ask for transcripts from the old school? How about DoJ Honors Program?

every single person you apply to will want to see your old transcripts.

[robotrick]

Wait... so you transferred down (or laterally?) after a bad year and now you have one good semester of grades from a T3 and want a federal clerkship?

[Manali]

Will public defender, legal aid, and local government positions ask for transcripts from the old school?

[JusticeJackson]

Will public defender, legal aid, and local government positions ask for transcripts from the old school?

I mean, you might get lucky and some may not, but almost every single legal employer on earth will want to see all of your law school grades. There have been a lot of hints in this thread that everyone will want all of your grades, so I really don't get why you keep asking again and again. You should go study so you can get good grades again next semester and prove that your one semester wasn't an aberration.

[A. Nony Mouse]

There are actually a number of employers who don't ask for transcripts. But any employer who does ask for transcripts will want all of them. Which you should realize by now.

[Manali]

How should I explain away why I did so poorly at my old school and so well at my new school? I was shocked that I was accepted as a transfer in the first place; I guess they were desperate.

[Manali]

I withdrew from law school for medical reasons twice (December 2011 and October 2014), and this is reflected as a string of W's on my transcript. After the second withdrawal, I transferred to a different school. If a judge asks for transcripts from the original school, will this sink my chances for a judicial clerkship? Otherwise, I am in a very strong position for a clerkship (3.85 GPA, top 1%, professors willing to go to bat for me).

[cheaptilts]

how are you allowed to post so many threads all the time. Does your school not have a clerkship counselor? If they do, they're probably a great resource. Your new law school has a vested interest in you securing a clerkship, so you should probably get in contact with them re: all of your various clerkship ambitions (Delaware Judiciary; Federal; Supreme Court of India, etc).

[wwwcol]

how are you allowed to post so many threads all the time. Does your school not have a clerkship counselor? If they do, they're probably a great resource. Your new law school has a vested interest in you securing a clerkship, so you should probably get in contact with them re: all of your various clerkship ambitions (Delaware Judiciary; Federal; Supreme Court of India, etc).

For sure. Based on their posts, OP should be more worried about coming across as scatterbrained or even unhinged in any interviews s/he gets than the effect of two withdrawals

[grand inquisitor]

if you really want to clerk, you should just apply. yes, your past is going to raise questions, and you should talk with your career services about how to honestly navigate these potential hurdles.

[cron1834]

Were you asked to withdraw because of outlandish behavior, or did you simply take a break of your own accord because you were sick? Rhetorical question.