2021-2022 Clerkship Application Thread Forum

[Anonymous User]

Received one interview request for a judge in TX.

Dct or COA?

Dct. But otherwise radio silence.

[beepboopbeep]

As a former clerk who used threads like this in previous years and found them really valuable (and who watched threads like this during clerk hiring from the other side of the table to see whether my judge's interview requests were getting publicized), I encourage not shitting on people sharing info, even if it's vague or flex-y. Asking someone who has listed their stats who they're interviewing with can effectively out them -- especially for non-HYSCCN, a judge might only be bringing in one or two candidates that fit that profile.

[Anonymous User]

How do interview invites go out? Always call or do some do email?

I have had one call and one email.

[Anonymous User]

One interview request in W.D. Tex. as well, but nothing else for me either.

[Anonymous User]

Any non-T6 invites people are willing to share?

[Anonymous User]

Can those of you getting interviews clarify that you’re top 10% at HYS so that I feel better about myself

Top 10% at HYS. Only two interviews, both with district judges in relatively non-major cities

[Anonymous User]

For those of us lucky enough to snag one of these first wave interviews, how should we feel about taking an interview with a judge that isn't a top choice, knowing that it could be weeks before other judges reach out, if at all? While I feel really fortunate to have already heard something at this point I also know that rescinding an offer is a big no no; if a judge wants to move quickly do you have any leeway to bargain for more time if you don't even have any other interviews lined up yet?

I'm ice cream anon (HYS+LR with one DCt interview, but prefer ice cream anon) in this position. My thinking is, these are federal judges. None of us are above working for any of them. All of them (well maybe not some crazy outliers but that's beside the point) will provide invaluable mentorship experience and launchpads for our careers.

Would I be happier if Friedland had called me first? Yeah, duh. But I'm super happy to work for this judge and wouldn't have applied if I weren't.

End ted talk.

[Anonymous User]

Two interview invites for me, both circuit judges from circuits not 2/9/DC. Lower T14, top 15%.

[Wild Card]

I encourage not shitting on people sharing info, even if it's vague or flex-y. Asking someone who has listed their stats who they're interviewing with can effectively out them -- especially for non-HYSCCN, a judge might only be bringing in one or two candidates that fit that profile.

I agree. But it's entirely unhelpful to say, "I'm magna LR HLS and got OVER 9000 interviews."

It is very helpful to say "OVER 9000 interviews . . . in D. Conn., D. Mass., E.D.N.Y., 2d Cir., etc."

[Anonymous User]

Maybe it's because I'm only a marginal candidate everywhere so have low expectations, but I'm really put off by the tone of the posts in here. While we're technically competing against each other, the die has been cast so let's all chill out and accept that different folks are going to be comfortable divulging different amounts of info and ANY info >>>> no info

[Anonymous User]

Tbh, I'm just trying to get as much info as necessary to keep my heart rate at, like, a ~normal number, as opposed to plunging me into the deep depths of despair. So more info is always better, but I ain't begrudging anyone who doesn't feel comfortable sharing more than they've given.

[Anonymous User]

Presumably, the fact that interviews are remote is exacerbating the usual consolidation that happens for the tippy top students of HYS. And those students can't accept ALL of these offers, so hang in there, folks.

This is an interesting theory and potentially true. Could see the top 5-10 students at HYS accepting all these interviews (whereas in normal times it would be logistically impossible), and thus judges not going further down the pile to schedule interviews yet.

Or at least that's what I'm comforting myself with. I'm decently inside the top 10% at HYS but only received one interview request, even though I applied to non 2/9/DC judges.

[Anonymous User]

Deleted

[Anonymous User]

By what time (ET) should no longer expect to receive calls?

[Anonymous User]

Below T20 student with three D.Cts. One coastal and two Midwesterns.

Edited to preserve anonymity.

[Anonymous User]

How do interview invites go out? Always call or do some do email?

I've gotten two of each

Congrats! Mind sharing where?

Thought I responded but it doesn't seem to have gone through while other posts have. Mid-T14, LR exec board, above median, diverse. One interview in DDC/SDNY/NDCal, three more in districts with/surrounding large legal markets (so CDCal/NDIll/EDPa/EDNY/SDTX/NDTX/DMass or the like)

[Anonymous User]

T-25 (not T-14). Mediocre grade. Exec board for non-flagship journal. Published notes.

1 interview w/bankruptcy judge so far. Received prior to official start time.

[Anonymous User]

By what time (ET) should no longer expect to receive calls?

I got a call at around 9 ET last night. I imagine many chambers that really want to interview early are working late rn.

[Anonymous User]

Are all of the NDIL calls from Lee or Feinerman? I know both are super fast but I've heard radio silence otherwise.

[Anonymous User]

Also PSA: Check your spam. One of my interview invites went straight to spam and I was lucky enough to catch it.

[Anonymous User]

I applied to 1/2/9/DC judges and haven't heard anything despite seeing that a lot (including the ones I applied to, particularly all Boston judges I applied to) are moving today. If I don't hear by tomorrow should I assume I'm out of the running?

[Anonymous User]

Several N.D. Tex. judges have extended interview invites (Godbey, Lynn, Fitzwater, possibly more).

O'Connor has been interviewing. I believe Hendrix has hired one and Kacsmaryk is full. Can confirm that all the above are also interviewing (multiple sources).

Edit: Judges Kernodle and Barker have also been interviewing (E.D. Tex.), I believe. Same with Judge Brown (S.D. Tex.).

[Anonymous User]

[Double post. Please delete.]

[Anonymous User]

Several N.D. Tex. judges have extended interview invites (Godbey, Lynn, Fitzwater, possibly more).

O'Connor has been interviewing. I believe Hendrix has hired one and Kacsmaryk is full. Can confirm that all the above are also interviewing (multiple sources).

Edit: Judges Kernodle and Barker have also been interviewing (E.D. Tex.), I believe. Same with Judge Brown (S.D. Tex.).

Hendrix hired one from Chicago off-plan if that's not the one you're thinking of.

[Anonymous User]

Presumably, the fact that interviews are remote is exacerbating the usual consolidation that happens for the tippy top students of HYS. And those students can't accept ALL of these offers, so hang in there, folks.

This is an interesting theory and potentially true. Could see the top 5-10 students at HYS accepting all these interviews (whereas in normal times it would be logistically impossible), and thus judges not going further down the pile to schedule interviews yet.

Or at least that's what I'm comforting myself with. I'm decently inside the top 10% at HYS but only received one interview request, even though I applied to non 2/9/DC judges.

Hmm. It's possible, but I feel like a lot of my friends are within the tippy top students at HYS and very few circuit interviews.