Let’s Talk DC Circuit!
Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2021 11:04 pm
Haven’t seen this one yet! Info on judges (esp. new appointees), general experience, etc
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https://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=309282
I don't have any current info about specific senior judges, but they are generally less competitive than the active judges, in part because they don't feed. I will say that even those that take on a full caseload will likely give you a pretty relaxed working year; the D.C. caseload is low as is, and judges generally finish hearing cases by the end of April. After that, it's all en banc cases, which the senior judges don't participate in. So unless you have some especially meaty panel opinion you're working on, your workload dissipates pretty drastically by April.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Mar 21, 2021 8:21 amI would be interested in hearing about some of the senior judges on the circuit. Do they all take full caseloads? Full clerk classes? Are they easier to get than the active judges?
As a former Ninth Circuit clerk, this is insane to me. Ninth Circuit judges sit something like 35 days a year, with each day having 5-6 cases. So that’s more than double the caseload.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Mar 21, 2021 11:52 amI don't have any current info about specific senior judges, but they are generally less competitive than the active judges, in part because they don't feed. I will say that even those that take on a full caseload will likely give you a pretty relaxed working year; the D.C. caseload is low as is, and judges generally finish hearing cases by the end of April. After that, it's all en banc cases, which the senior judges don't participate in. So unless you have some especially meaty panel opinion you're working on, your workload dissipates pretty drastically by April.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Mar 21, 2021 8:21 amI would be interested in hearing about some of the senior judges on the circuit. Do they all take full caseloads? Full clerk classes? Are they easier to get than the active judges?
You can get a sense of how active each senior judge is just by looking at the calendar for their sittings. Looks like active judges have about 20-25 sittings per term (with usually three cases per sitting). All of the senior judges (except the newly-seniored Tatel) have only 10 sittings, so they're probably at 50% caseloads. Which means they likely only have two clerks; I would think with that few of spots they rely heavily on professor/judge recommendations in their hiring.
I think Judge Tatel will be an exception to most of this, though. As a senior judge (and without Justice Ginsburg on the court) his feeding days are likely over, but I wouldn't be surprised if he still keeps a full caseload for the next couple of years and his clerkship remains intensely competitive.
Yeah D.C. Circuit caseload is very small and Ninth Circuit is huge. Granted, the D.C. Circuit doesn't have the screening process the Ninth does or nearly as many staff attorneys as the Ninth (though they probably resolve a third of cases without oral argument). There also isn't a bench memo pool. But yes, unless you're working for a couple of extra thorough judges (I know Millett and probably Srinivasan would fall into this category, unsure who else), you can usually work 9-5 (With an hour for lunch) pretty comfortably. I know a former Ninth Circuit clerk who then clerked on the D.C. Circuit who actually found themself kind of bored with the lighter caseload.GoneSouth wrote: ↑Sun Mar 21, 2021 9:17 pmAs a former Ninth Circuit clerk, this is insane to me. Ninth Circuit judges sit something like 35 days a year, with each day having 5-6 cases. So that’s more than double the caseload.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Mar 21, 2021 11:52 amI don't have any current info about specific senior judges, but they are generally less competitive than the active judges, in part because they don't feed. I will say that even those that take on a full caseload will likely give you a pretty relaxed working year; the D.C. caseload is low as is, and judges generally finish hearing cases by the end of April. After that, it's all en banc cases, which the senior judges don't participate in. So unless you have some especially meaty panel opinion you're working on, your workload dissipates pretty drastically by April.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Mar 21, 2021 8:21 amI would be interested in hearing about some of the senior judges on the circuit. Do they all take full caseloads? Full clerk classes? Are they easier to get than the active judges?
You can get a sense of how active each senior judge is just by looking at the calendar for their sittings. Looks like active judges have about 20-25 sittings per term (with usually three cases per sitting). All of the senior judges (except the newly-seniored Tatel) have only 10 sittings, so they're probably at 50% caseloads. Which means they likely only have two clerks; I would think with that few of spots they rely heavily on professor/judge recommendations in their hiring.
I think Judge Tatel will be an exception to most of this, though. As a senior judge (and without Justice Ginsburg on the court) his feeding days are likely over, but I wouldn't be surprised if he still keeps a full caseload for the next couple of years and his clerkship remains intensely competitive.
As someone alluded to earlier, Judge Millett's chambers work very long hours. They do mini moots for each case to drill down on all the arguments on both sides.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 12:19 pmAny info on particular judges and how they run chambers
Goodness, doing that for every case sounds like a waste of time, though probably good experienceAnonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 2:07 pmAs someone alluded to earlier, Judge Millett's chambers work very long hours. They do mini moots for each case to drill down on all the arguments on both sides.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 12:19 pmAny info on particular judges and how they run chambers
I have heard another DC Cir judge does this. Maybe it isn't as bad when you have so few oral arguments.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 2:50 pmGoodness, doing that for every case sounds like a waste of time, though probably good experienceAnonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 2:07 pmAs someone alluded to earlier, Judge Millett's chambers work very long hours. They do mini moots for each case to drill down on all the arguments on both sides.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 12:19 pmAny info on particular judges and how they run chambers
I know of a judge on the Ninth who does a simplified version of this. Not sure how they do it.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 11:17 amI have heard another DC Cir judge does this. Maybe it isn't as bad when you have so few oral arguments.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 2:50 pmGoodness, doing that for every case sounds like a waste of time, though probably good experienceAnonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 2:07 pmAs someone alluded to earlier, Judge Millett's chambers work very long hours. They do mini moots for each case to drill down on all the arguments on both sides.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 12:19 pmAny info on particular judges and how they run chambers
Which judge?Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 12:16 pmI know of a judge on the Ninth who does a simplified version of this. Not sure how they do it.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 11:17 amI have heard another DC Cir judge does this. Maybe it isn't as bad when you have so few oral arguments.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 2:50 pmGoodness, doing that for every case sounds like a waste of time, though probably good experienceAnonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 2:07 pmAs someone alluded to earlier, Judge Millett's chambers work very long hours. They do mini moots for each case to drill down on all the arguments on both sides.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 12:19 pmAny info on particular judges and how they run chambers
Bump, but also interested if anyone has a breakdown of all the Judges, like someone posted for the 6th CircuitAnonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 6:13 pmAny specific knowledge of Pillard, Wilkins, and Srinavasin?
Bump, this would be helpfulAnonymous User wrote: ↑Fri Apr 02, 2021 6:16 pmBump, but also interested if anyone has a breakdown of all the Judges, like someone posted for the 6th CircuitAnonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 6:13 pmAny specific knowledge of Pillard, Wilkins, and Srinavasin?
What do you actually want to know and why? Anyone who would be in a position to choose between multiple judges on the D.C. Circuit would also be at a school where they could speak with professors and alumni who know the judge personally, which would be much more helpful than an anonymous stranger telling you whether they like the judge.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Apr 04, 2021 11:08 pmBump, this would be helpfulAnonymous User wrote: ↑Fri Apr 02, 2021 6:16 pmBump, but also interested if anyone has a breakdown of all the Judges, like someone posted for the 6th CircuitAnonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 6:13 pmAny specific knowledge of Pillard, Wilkins, and Srinavasin?
Walker is hiring quite a few non-T14 clerks as well.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Tue Apr 06, 2021 12:11 amWhat do you actually want to know and why? Anyone who would be in a position to choose between multiple judges on the D.C. Circuit would also be at a school where they could speak with professors and alumni who know the judge personally, which would be much more helpful than an anonymous stranger telling you whether they like the judge.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Apr 04, 2021 11:08 pmBump, this would be helpfulAnonymous User wrote: ↑Fri Apr 02, 2021 6:16 pmBump, but also interested if anyone has a breakdown of all the Judges, like someone posted for the 6th CircuitAnonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 6:13 pmAny specific knowledge of Pillard, Wilkins, and Srinavasin?
Judges Wilkins, Henderson, and Rao are the ones most likely to hire grads who aren't from HSYC. Judge Henderson seems to not be super well-tempered in chambers (she sent out a couple passive aggressive emails while I was there), but overall a fine judge; Judge Rao requires FedSoc connections and ideology; and Judge Wilkins seems like a great boss (his clerks seemed quite happy, though he's also the least likely of the three to dip below the T14).
Does Walker screen for ideology?Anonymous User wrote: ↑Mon Apr 19, 2021 10:20 amWalker is hiring quite a few non-T14 clerks as well.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Tue Apr 06, 2021 12:11 amWhat do you actually want to know and why? Anyone who would be in a position to choose between multiple judges on the D.C. Circuit would also be at a school where they could speak with professors and alumni who know the judge personally, which would be much more helpful than an anonymous stranger telling you whether they like the judge.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Apr 04, 2021 11:08 pmBump, this would be helpfulAnonymous User wrote: ↑Fri Apr 02, 2021 6:16 pmBump, but also interested if anyone has a breakdown of all the Judges, like someone posted for the 6th CircuitAnonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 6:13 pmAny specific knowledge of Pillard, Wilkins, and Srinavasin?
Judges Wilkins, Henderson, and Rao are the ones most likely to hire grads who aren't from HSYC. Judge Henderson seems to not be super well-tempered in chambers (she sent out a couple passive aggressive emails while I was there), but overall a fine judge; Judge Rao requires FedSoc connections and ideology; and Judge Wilkins seems like a great boss (his clerks seemed quite happy, though he's also the least likely of the three to dip below the T14).
Cannot imagine that he doesn’t. I also think he used a writing test last year too.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Mon Apr 19, 2021 10:28 amDoes Walker screen for ideology?Anonymous User wrote: ↑Mon Apr 19, 2021 10:20 amWalker is hiring quite a few non-T14 clerks as well.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Tue Apr 06, 2021 12:11 amWhat do you actually want to know and why? Anyone who would be in a position to choose between multiple judges on the D.C. Circuit would also be at a school where they could speak with professors and alumni who know the judge personally, which would be much more helpful than an anonymous stranger telling you whether they like the judge.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Apr 04, 2021 11:08 pmBump, this would be helpfulAnonymous User wrote: ↑Fri Apr 02, 2021 6:16 pmBump, but also interested if anyone has a breakdown of all the Judges, like someone posted for the 6th CircuitAnonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 6:13 pmAny specific knowledge of Pillard, Wilkins, and Srinavasin?
Judges Wilkins, Henderson, and Rao are the ones most likely to hire grads who aren't from HSYC. Judge Henderson seems to not be super well-tempered in chambers (she sent out a couple passive aggressive emails while I was there), but overall a fine judge; Judge Rao requires FedSoc connections and ideology; and Judge Wilkins seems like a great boss (his clerks seemed quite happy, though he's also the least likely of the three to dip below the T14).
Given how shitty of a writer he is you should pile on the cliches and flourishesAnonymous User wrote: ↑Mon Apr 19, 2021 10:36 amCannot imagine that he doesn’t. I also think he used a writing test last year too.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Mon Apr 19, 2021 10:28 amDoes Walker screen for ideology?Anonymous User wrote: ↑Mon Apr 19, 2021 10:20 amWalker is hiring quite a few non-T14 clerks as well.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Tue Apr 06, 2021 12:11 amWhat do you actually want to know and why? Anyone who would be in a position to choose between multiple judges on the D.C. Circuit would also be at a school where they could speak with professors and alumni who know the judge personally, which would be much more helpful than an anonymous stranger telling you whether they like the judge.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Apr 04, 2021 11:08 pmBump, this would be helpfulAnonymous User wrote: ↑Fri Apr 02, 2021 6:16 pmBump, but also interested if anyone has a breakdown of all the Judges, like someone posted for the 6th CircuitAnonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 6:13 pmAny specific knowledge of Pillard, Wilkins, and Srinavasin?
Judges Wilkins, Henderson, and Rao are the ones most likely to hire grads who aren't from HSYC. Judge Henderson seems to not be super well-tempered in chambers (she sent out a couple passive aggressive emails while I was there), but overall a fine judge; Judge Rao requires FedSoc connections and ideology; and Judge Wilkins seems like a great boss (his clerks seemed quite happy, though he's also the least likely of the three to dip below the T14).
Yes he has