How to develop judge list? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Rising 2L at T6- top 1-2%, great recommenders

I want to maximize my chances at SCOTUS/Bristow/DOJ Honors. Which judges should I apply to?

DC and 2nd COA?
DDC and SDNY?

[Anonymous User]

Rising 2L at T6- top 1-2%, great recommenders

I want to maximize my chances at SCOTUS/Bristow/DOJ Honors. Which judges should I apply to?

DC and 2nd COA?
DDC and SDNY?

Ask the clerkship committee and your recommenders.

[Anonymous User]

You're pretty late for feeders for 2019-2020, as most are already interviewing and some have already extended offers to 1Ls. Some may interview you for 2020-2021. Still, given your grades, you should blanket most of the D.C. Circuit and feeders on other circuits (think Wilkinson, Reinhardt, Katzmann, W. Pryor, Kethledge, Sutton, Kozinski), as well as some of the younger judges who are starting to become bigger feeders (Barron, Watford, etc.). Given your timing, probably also makes sense to target some of the emerging District Court feeders (Rakoff, Boasberg, Sullivan, Moss, Brinkema, Oetken, K.B. Jackson, etc.).

Obviously, the biggest factor here is whom your recommenders have connections to. They should have already talked to you about this and indicated where they are best positioned to get you hired.

[Anonymous User]

You're pretty late for feeders for 2019-2020, as most are already interviewing and some have already extended offers to 1Ls. Some may interview you for 2020-2021. Still, given your grades, you should blanket most of the D.C. Circuit and feeders on other circuits (think Wilkinson, Reinhardt, Katzmann, W. Pryor, Kethledge, Sutton, Kozinski), as well as some of the younger judges who are starting to become bigger feeders (Barron, Watford, etc.). Given your timing, probably also makes sense to target some of the emerging District Court feeders (Rakoff, Boasberg, Sullivan, Moss, Brinkema, Oetken, K.B. Jackson, etc.).

Obviously, the biggest factor here is whom your recommenders have connections to. They should have already talked to you about this and indicated where they are best positioned to get you hired.

Work your recommenders and clerkship committee as hard as you can for connections and suggestions. It is in their best interest that you are placed with a great judge.

In your shoes I would apply to the entire DC circuit as well as all the feeders and rising feeders, with a special emphasis on those on your side of the political spectrum. I'd apply to those on the other side too as ideology is far from a be-all and end-all, but your chances are going to be better if the judge and you are of similar persuasions.

Conservative non-DC Cir feeders and near feeders: Wilkinson (although he's pretty moderate), W. Pryor, Sutton, Kethledge, E. Jones, Kosinski, O'Scannlain. It's also worth applying to people like Thapar, Larsen, Stras, and Eid if they're confirmed since all have a realistic chance of replacing people like O'Scannlain as leading conservative feeders.

Liberal non-DC feeders: Katzmann, Reinhardt, Fletcher, Watford, Barron. I wouldn't be surprised to see Friedland and Hurwitz join the list too.

There are also a bunch of judges on the 2nd and 9th who have sent a handful of clerks to SCOTUS but haven't done so regularly enough to be true "feeders" (e.g. Clifton, Ikuta, Cabranes, Sack, Jacobs, Livingston). If the DC Circuit and traditional feeders don't work out and your goal is to keep SCOTUS hopes alive I would blanket those circuits.

[sanzgo]

You're pretty late for feeders for 2019-2020, as most are already interviewing and some have already extended offers to 1Ls. Some may interview you for 2020-2021. Still, given your grades, you should blanket most of the D.C. Circuit and feeders on other circuits (think Wilkinson, Reinhardt, Katzmann, W. Pryor, Kethledge, Sutton, Kozinski), as well as some of the younger judges who are starting to become bigger feeders (Barron, Watford, etc.). Given your timing, probably also makes sense to target some of the emerging District Court feeders (Rakoff, Boasberg, Sullivan, Moss, Brinkema, Oetken, K.B. Jackson, etc.).

Obviously, the biggest factor here is whom your recommenders have connections to. They should have already talked to you about this and indicated where they are best positioned to get you hired.

if it's only june 11 and it's already late for 2019 feeders, then how the heck are students from chicago/stanford supposed to compete when they don't have final grades yet?

[rpupkin]

You're pretty late for feeders for 2019-2020, as most are already interviewing and some have already extended offers to 1Ls. Some may interview you for 2020-2021. Still, given your grades, you should blanket most of the D.C. Circuit and feeders on other circuits (think Wilkinson, Reinhardt, Katzmann, W. Pryor, Kethledge, Sutton, Kozinski), as well as some of the younger judges who are starting to become bigger feeders (Barron, Watford, etc.). Given your timing, probably also makes sense to target some of the emerging District Court feeders (Rakoff, Boasberg, Sullivan, Moss, Brinkema, Oetken, K.B. Jackson, etc.).

Obviously, the biggest factor here is whom your recommenders have connections to. They should have already talked to you about this and indicated where they are best positioned to get you hired.

if it's only june 11 and it's already late for 2019 feeders, then how the heck are students from chicago/stanford supposed to compete when they don't have final grades yet?

It's not late for 2019-20 feeders.

Hey OP: There are some things that TLS is good for. Your question isn't one of them. Talk to your clerkship advisors and recommenders.

[Anonymous User]

You're pretty late for feeders for 2019-2020, as most are already interviewing and some have already extended offers to 1Ls. Some may interview you for 2020-2021. Still, given your grades, you should blanket most of the D.C. Circuit and feeders on other circuits (think Wilkinson, Reinhardt, Katzmann, W. Pryor, Kethledge, Sutton, Kozinski), as well as some of the younger judges who are starting to become bigger feeders (Barron, Watford, etc.). Given your timing, probably also makes sense to target some of the emerging District Court feeders (Rakoff, Boasberg, Sullivan, Moss, Brinkema, Oetken, K.B. Jackson, etc.).

Obviously, the biggest factor here is whom your recommenders have connections to. They should have already talked to you about this and indicated where they are best positioned to get you hired.

if it's only june 11 and it's already late for 2019 feeders, then how the heck are students from chicago/stanford supposed to compete when they don't have final grades yet?

Stanford sends a letter explaining this situation to chambers. I assume Chicago does too, though I'm not sure. Keep in mind that there are YLS students getting clerkships right now with like three grades on their transcripts, maybe one of which is in a real lecture class. This system probably does disadvantage Chicago and Stanford students somewhat (though they also have an extra term of grades 1L year). Keep in mind, though, that it is Stanford that broke the Plan last time around, so it's not as though they could not have foreseen this issue.

It's not that the feeders are all full for 2019-20 - most are not - but if you have not even sent materials, you are behind. Most of them are at least starting to set up interviews/are interviewing students. All that said, a bunch of posts telling you to apply to big feeders isn't helpful. Your recommenders are what will determine whom you have a shot with, and you should talk to them.

[Anonymous User]

You're pretty late for feeders for 2019-2020, as most are already interviewing and some have already extended offers to 1Ls. Some may interview you for 2020-2021. Still, given your grades, you should blanket most of the D.C. Circuit and feeders on other circuits (think Wilkinson, Reinhardt, Katzmann, W. Pryor, Kethledge, Sutton, Kozinski), as well as some of the younger judges who are starting to become bigger feeders (Barron, Watford, etc.). Given your timing, probably also makes sense to target some of the emerging District Court feeders (Rakoff, Boasberg, Sullivan, Moss, Brinkema, Oetken, K.B. Jackson, etc.).

Obviously, the biggest factor here is whom your recommenders have connections to. They should have already talked to you about this and indicated where they are best positioned to get you hired.

if it's only june 11 and it's already late for 2019 feeders, then how the heck are students from chicago/stanford supposed to compete when they don't have final grades yet?

Stanford sends a letter explaining this situation to chambers. I assume Chicago does too, though I'm not sure. Keep in mind that there are YLS students getting clerkships right now with like three grades on their transcripts, maybe one of which is in a real lecture class. This system probably does disadvantage Chicago and Stanford students somewhat (though they also have an extra term of grades 1L year). Keep in mind, though, that it is Stanford that broke the Plan last time around, so it's not as though they could not have foreseen this issue.

It's not that the feeders are all full for 2019-20 - most are not - but if you have not even sent materials, you are behind. Most of them are at least starting to set up interviews/are interviewing students. All that said, a bunch of posts telling you to apply to big feeders isn't helpful. Your recommenders are what will determine whom you have a shot with, and you should talk to them.

Also, I personally know of 1 person who got a clerkship just on 1L fall grades. I've heard of at least one other case, but I haven't bothered to confirm. Highly competitive SLS and Chicago kids should have been sending apps with their first two quarters, and updating. But again, it's not too late for a bunch of the feeders.

[runinthefront]

Hey OP: There are some things that TLS is good for. Your question isn't one of them. Talk to your clerkship advisors and recommenders.

[WheninLaw]

How on earth has your schools clerkship committee not already reached out to you directly?

[Anonymous User]

OP here

Thanks all. I've reached out to my recommenders to see who they feel comfortable calling. I've supplemented those judges with people recommended above.

[rpupkin]

OP here

Thanks all. I've reached out to my recommenders to see who they feel comfortable calling. I've supplemented those judges with people recommended above.

Good job OP. You'll do great.