how much does a flagship publication help for circuit court apps Forum

[Anonymous User]

just wondering how much a forthcoming publication in a top 100 flagship law review as a full article (not a note) would help for circuit court apps. i know that judges vary but generally speaking is there an answer to this question? is it comparable to law review for example?

thanks

[Anonymous User]

It helps at the margins and would be a good tie-breaker in your favor, but it won't make up for deficiencies in the traditional metrics (grades, recommendations, school pedigree, etc.)

[Anonymous User]

Relatedly, what about an article publication in the Harvard Law Review?

[Anonymous User]

Relatedly, what about an article publication in the Harvard Law Review?

That would certainly help get your application noticed and selected from the large pile of worthy applicants. If you managed to publish an article in the Harvard Law Review, you probably were already a strong applicant to begin with.

[Anonymous User]

The real answer is it's going to 100% depend on the judge. Ones who value academia and perhaps take pride in have historically sent some of their clerks off into law teaching positions may weigh a publication more heavily than your average judge.

[Anonymous User]

The real answer is it's going to 100% depend on the judge. Ones who value academia and perhaps take pride in have historically sent some of their clerks off into law teaching positions may weigh a publication more heavily than your average judge.

anyone happen to know any judges who particularly value publications?

[namefromplace]

The real answer is it's going to 100% depend on the judge. Ones who value academia and perhaps take pride in have historically sent some of their clerks off into law teaching positions may weigh a publication more heavily than your average judge.

anyone happen to know any judges who particularly value publications?

It's not a perfect proxy, but I would assume judges who themselves have been professors or at least have published articles of their own would give greater weight to an applicant having published. Some judges really love thinking and talking about the law; a published article is a good indicator that you feel the same.

[Anonymous User]

Relatedly, what about an article publication in the Harvard Law Review?

An article placement in HLR or a similar journal by a JD student who is not simultaneously doing a PhD would be basically unheard of. It just doesn’t happen.

[Anonymous User]

Relatedly, what about an article publication in the Harvard Law Review?

An article placement in HLR or a similar journal by a JD student who is not simultaneously doing a PhD would be basically unheard of. It just doesn’t happen.

So this person is probably not a student.

[Anonymous User]

Relatedly, what about an article publication in the Harvard Law Review?

An article placement in HLR or a similar journal by a JD student who is not simultaneously doing a PhD would be basically unheard of. It just doesn’t happen.

So this person is probably not a student.

OP here. I'm also not a student if that makes any difference. thank you for the suggestions so far too!

[Anonymous User]

Relatedly, what about an article publication in the Harvard Law Review?

An article placement in HLR or a similar journal by a JD student who is not simultaneously doing a PhD would be basically unheard of. It just doesn’t happen.

So this person is probably not a student.

I mean, I don’t think anyone but like a 1L would need to be told that an HLR *article* hit would be a plus on the clerkship market.

[Anonymous User]

if you *personally* published an article in HLR that's incredibly impressive (co-authoring with a judge or current professor or w/e is still impressive but sort of a 'was XYZ throwing a favorite a bone' thing; you see it occasionally)

not sure why you'd want to clerk though, vs doing a top-tier academic fellowship or associate professorship or w/e?

[Anonymous User]

Relatedly, what about an article publication in the Harvard Law Review?

An article placement in HLR or a similar journal by a JD student who is not simultaneously doing a PhD would be basically unheard of. It just doesn’t happen.

Indeed - such a publication is almost certainly precluded by the journal's authorship policy.