2018-2019 Clerkship Application Thread Forum

[Anonymous User]

Anyone know if Harris Hartz in the 10th is interviewing?

He is and has hired.

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone know how competitive Judge Forrest's clerkship positions are? (SDNY)

[Anonymous User]

Is Sutton full?

Have any of the following hired yet? Smith (5th); Colloton (8th); Holmes (10th); Kelly (10th).

Any interviews with the following? Ikuta (2nd); Niemeyer (4th); Bybee (9th); Tymkovich (10th); Gorsuch (10th); Ginsburg (DC); Silberman (DC).

[Anonymous User]

Is Sutton full?

Have any of the following hired yet? Smith (5th); Colloton (8th); Holmes (10th); Kelly (10th).

Any interviews with the following? Ikuta (2nd); Niemeyer (4th); Bybee (9th); Tymkovich (10th); Gorsuch (10th); Ginsburg (DC); Silberman (DC).

Bybee, Gorsuch, and Tymkovich have all interviewed. Ikuta is on the 9th, not the 2nd; no idea about her (or the others, unfortunately, although Ginsburg just hired for 2017 last month so he seems like a late mover).

[Anonymous User]

Is Sutton full?

Have any of the following hired yet? Smith (5th); Colloton (8th); Holmes (10th); Kelly (10th).

Any interviews with the following? Ikuta (2nd); Niemeyer (4th); Bybee (9th); Tymkovich (10th); Gorsuch (10th); Ginsburg (DC); Silberman (DC).

Bybee, Gorsuch, Smith, and Tymkovich have interviewed. Ikuta has hired 3/4 spots.

[Anonymous User]

Is Sutton full?

Have any of the following hired yet? Smith (5th); Colloton (8th); Holmes (10th); Kelly (10th).

Any interviews with the following? Ikuta (2nd); Niemeyer (4th); Bybee (9th); Tymkovich (10th); Gorsuch (10th); Ginsburg (DC); Silberman (DC).

Bybee, Gorsuch, and Tymkovich have all interviewed. Ikuta is on the 9th, not the 2nd; no idea about her (or the others, unfortunately, although Ginsburg just hired for 2017 last month so he seems like a late mover).

This isn't quite correct--Ginsburg hired one for 2017 in Sept. 2015. But point is moot in some sense because he's moved to hiring a year out (at least) and requiring two full years of grades.

[Anonymous User]

Bybee, Gorsuch, and Tymkovich have all interviewed. Ikuta is on the 9th, not the 2nd; no idea about her (or the others, unfortunately, although Ginsburg just hired for 2017 last month so he seems like a late mover).

This is anon asking about judge hiring/interviewing: Thanks. Do you know if the three mentioned above are near the end of interviewing? I need more shit to stress over.

[Anonymous User]

According to OSCAR Gorsuch is done and Smith filled at least 2 spots.

[Anonymous User]

Holmes is done for 2018-19.

[Anonymous User]

Holmes is done for 2018-19.

What source, if you can discuss?

[Anonymous User]

Bybee, Gorsuch, and Tymkovich have all interviewed. Ikuta is on the 9th, not the 2nd; no idea about her (or the others, unfortunately, although Ginsburg just hired for 2017 last month so he seems like a late mover).

This is anon asking about judge hiring/interviewing: Thanks. Do you know if the three mentioned above are near the end of interviewing? I need more shit to stress over.

Not sure--I know Bybee and Tymkovich did some interviews in May and Gorsuch in early June. Not sure of the hiring status of any of the three.

[Anonymous User]

Gorsuch has finished hiring for 2018-2019 and has hired one clerk for 2019-2020.

[other786]

delete

[Anonymous User]

Greenaway has hired at least one for 18-19.

[Anonymous User]

Rising 2L transferring to hys after a good 1L, but sort of dropped the ball in terms of getting my clerkship stuff ready earlier this summer. In a weird position as well given the whole transfer status, though I made enough professor connections to get letters from profs at old school. It looks like any shot at a feeder though will have to wait until 2019. For 2018, do you all think it would be better to:

A. Line up a COA clerkship with a non-feeder
B. Line up a district clerkship--not sure if it's too late to get a feeder-type district clerkship; it seems like there are a few open on OSCAR, but I don't have any connections to them particularly
C. Work at a firm for a year

Any thoughts are appreciated.

[lavarman84]

Rising 2L transferring to hys after a good 1L, but sort of dropped the ball in terms of getting my clerkship stuff ready earlier this summer. In a weird position as well given the whole transfer status, though I made enough professor connections to get letters from profs at old school. It looks like any shot at a feeder though will have to wait until 2019. For 2018, do you all think it would be better to:

A. Line up a COA clerkship with a non-feeder
B. Line up a district clerkship--not sure if it's too late to get a feeder-type district clerkship; it seems like there are a few open on OSCAR, but I don't have any connections to them particularly
C. Work at a firm for a year

Any thoughts are appreciated.

If you want a feeder for 2019, A or B are better choices. But I don't know about your financials. As for whether A or B is better for getting a feeder in 2019, I don't know. I think B would be more attractive on your resume after clerking because of the varied experiences. But I can't answer how a feeder weighs a D. Ct. clerkship vs. a COA clerkship.

[quiver]

Rising 2L transferring to hys after a good 1L, but sort of dropped the ball in terms of getting my clerkship stuff ready earlier this summer. In a weird position as well given the whole transfer status, though I made enough professor connections to get letters from profs at old school. It looks like any shot at a feeder though will have to wait until 2019. For 2018, do you all think it would be better to:

A. Line up a COA clerkship with a non-feeder
B. Line up a district clerkship--not sure if it's too late to get a feeder-type district clerkship; it seems like there are a few open on OSCAR, but I don't have any connections to them particularly
C. Work at a firm for a year

Any thoughts are appreciated.

If you want a feeder for 2019, A or B are better choices. But I don't know about your financials. As for whether A or B is better for getting a feeder in 2019, I don't know. I think B would be more attractive on your resume after clerking because of the varied experiences. But I can't answer how a feeder weighs a D. Ct. clerkship vs. a COA clerkship.

Are you SCOTUS or bust? I'm not sure your sole focus (especially as a transfer) should be feeder judges. I'm certainly not saying it's impossible to get a feeder clerkship as a transfer. I'm just saying that everyone's chances at SCOTUS are infinitesimally small and you could be setting yourself up nicely for D.Ct.-->COA-->practice (or COA-->practice, or D.Ct.-->practice) with some great judges if you discount SCOTUS.

[Anonymous User]

Fisher (9th) is done for 2018-2019.

[Anonymous User]

Rising 2L transferring to hys after a good 1L, but sort of dropped the ball in terms of getting my clerkship stuff ready earlier this summer. In a weird position as well given the whole transfer status, though I made enough professor connections to get letters from profs at old school. It looks like any shot at a feeder though will have to wait until 2019. For 2018, do you all think it would be better to:

A. Line up a COA clerkship with a non-feeder
B. Line up a district clerkship--not sure if it's too late to get a feeder-type district clerkship; it seems like there are a few open on OSCAR, but I don't have any connections to them particularly
C. Work at a firm for a year

Any thoughts are appreciated.

If you want a feeder for 2019, A or B are better choices. But I don't know about your financials. As for whether A or B is better for getting a feeder in 2019, I don't know. I think B would be more attractive on your resume after clerking because of the varied experiences. But I can't answer how a feeder weighs a D. Ct. clerkship vs. a COA clerkship.

Are you SCOTUS or bust? I'm not sure your sole focus (especially as a transfer) should be feeder judges. I'm certainly not saying it's impossible to get a feeder clerkship as a transfer. I'm just saying that everyone's chances at SCOTUS are infinitesimally small and you could be setting yourself up nicely for D.Ct.-->COA-->practice (or COA-->practice, or D.Ct.-->practice) with some great judges if you discount SCOTUS.

I wouldn't say SCOTUS or bust in the sense that I'll be despondent if it doesn't work out, but I think I have enough flexibility to spend a few years pursuing interesting opportunities if it's a possibility. Thanks for the input!

[Anonymous User]

Rising 2L transferring to hys after a good 1L, but sort of dropped the ball in terms of getting my clerkship stuff ready earlier this summer. In a weird position as well given the whole transfer status, though I made enough professor connections to get letters from profs at old school. It looks like any shot at a feeder though will have to wait until 2019. For 2018, do you all think it would be better to:

A. Line up a COA clerkship with a non-feeder
B. Line up a district clerkship--not sure if it's too late to get a feeder-type district clerkship; it seems like there are a few open on OSCAR, but I don't have any connections to them particularly
C. Work at a firm for a year

Any thoughts are appreciated.

If you want a feeder for 2019, A or B are better choices. But I don't know about your financials. As for whether A or B is better for getting a feeder in 2019, I don't know. I think B would be more attractive on your resume after clerking because of the varied experiences. But I can't answer how a feeder weighs a D. Ct. clerkship vs. a COA clerkship.

Are you SCOTUS or bust? I'm not sure your sole focus (especially as a transfer) should be feeder judges. I'm certainly not saying it's impossible to get a feeder clerkship as a transfer. I'm just saying that everyone's chances at SCOTUS are infinitesimally small and you could be setting yourself up nicely for D.Ct.-->COA-->practice (or COA-->practice, or D.Ct.-->practice) with some great judges if you discount SCOTUS.

I wouldn't say SCOTUS or bust in the sense that I'll be despondent if it doesn't work out, but I think I have enough flexibility to spend a few years pursuing interesting opportunities if it's a possibility. Thanks for the input!

I was you a year ago. I ended up applying to non-feeder COA judges around the end of 2L fall and lined up a COA clerkship for the year I graduate. I then applied to feeder COA judges as soon as I had 2L spring grades, with no luck (this cycle anyhow.) I may apply again, or I may not. Time will tell.

It's hard to say what your best bet is. I know people going to clerk for feeder judges 1 yr after graduation, and they find either firm work or some other work to fill in the gap year. So C is definitely an option. But I don't know whether any of those options are any better than the others to maximize your chances with a feeder judge. (And keep in mind - some of the top feeder judges are already mostly full for 2019 already.)

[wwwcol]

Rising 2L transferring to hys after a good 1L, but sort of dropped the ball in terms of getting my clerkship stuff ready earlier this summer. In a weird position as well given the whole transfer status, though I made enough professor connections to get letters from profs at old school. It looks like any shot at a feeder though will have to wait until 2019. For 2018, do you all think it would be better to:

A. Line up a COA clerkship with a non-feeder
B. Line up a district clerkship--not sure if it's too late to get a feeder-type district clerkship; it seems like there are a few open on OSCAR, but I don't have any connections to them particularly
C. Work at a firm for a year

Any thoughts are appreciated.

In addition to what others have said, a couple more thoughts: I get the distinct impression that people who apply to feeders without the support of big name faculty at an HYS are at a serious disadvantage. There's still time for you to develop those connections, but assuming it takes a semester or two, you're looking at clerking for a feeder in 2020 as '19 is already starting to fill up (another implicit assumption is that you keep your grades up between now and the time you apply).

If I were in your shoes, I would base my plans off the assumption of not getting a feeder clerkship. Whether you want to do a D. Ct. or work at a firm depends on your interests and financial situation.

[Anonymous User]

Rising 2L transferring to hys after a good 1L, but sort of dropped the ball in terms of getting my clerkship stuff ready earlier this summer. In a weird position as well given the whole transfer status, though I made enough professor connections to get letters from profs at old school. It looks like any shot at a feeder though will have to wait until 2019. For 2018, do you all think it would be better to:

A. Line up a COA clerkship with a non-feeder
B. Line up a district clerkship--not sure if it's too late to get a feeder-type district clerkship; it seems like there are a few open on OSCAR, but I don't have any connections to them particularly
C. Work at a firm for a year

Any thoughts are appreciated.

If you want a feeder for 2019, A or B are better choices. But I don't know about your financials. As for whether A or B is better for getting a feeder in 2019, I don't know. I think B would be more attractive on your resume after clerking because of the varied experiences. But I can't answer how a feeder weighs a D. Ct. clerkship vs. a COA clerkship.

Are you SCOTUS or bust? I'm not sure your sole focus (especially as a transfer) should be feeder judges. I'm certainly not saying it's impossible to get a feeder clerkship as a transfer. I'm just saying that everyone's chances at SCOTUS are infinitesimally small and you could be setting yourself up nicely for D.Ct.-->COA-->practice (or COA-->practice, or D.Ct.-->practice) with some great judges if you discount SCOTUS.

I wouldn't say SCOTUS or bust in the sense that I'll be despondent if it doesn't work out, but I think I have enough flexibility to spend a few years pursuing interesting opportunities if it's a possibility. Thanks for the input!

The stigma against working at a firm before clerking being expressed here is out of place. Several of OT 2016 have had firm -> feeder COA -> SCOTUS, d. ct. -> firm -> feeder COA -> SCOTUS or firm -> d. ct. -> feeder COA -> SCOTUS.

It's also a great way to lessen the financial burden of clerking, since after just one year at a firm and bar passage, you'll enter your first clerkship at JSP 12 and your second year at JSP 13, adding $20-25k to your income over two years.

[lavarman84]

The stigma against working at a firm before clerking being expressed here is out of place. Several of OT 2016 have had firm -> feeder COA -> SCOTUS, d. ct. -> firm -> feeder COA -> SCOTUS or firm -> d. ct. -> feeder COA -> SCOTUS.

It's also a great way to lessen the financial burden of clerking, since after just one year at a firm and bar passage, you'll enter your first clerkship at JSP 12 and your second year at JSP 13, adding $20-25k to your income over two years.

There is no stigma being expressed here. OP laid out his options. I opined that I felt a feeder judge would consider a prior clerkship to be better experience than a year at a firm.

[Anonymous User]

Semi-relevant to the discussion going on, what is the actual process for doing an SA 2L and then doing a post-grad clerkship? Do you have to commit to the firm or do most people feel out other options during clerkship?

[Anonymous User]

Anyone know Judge Raggi's status for 2018? Has she interviewed yet? Hired?