What precisely would judges like to hear from recommenders about applicants? Forum
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Anonymous posting is only appropriate when you are sharing sensitive information about clerkship applications and clerkship hiring. You may anonymously respond on topic to these threads. Unacceptable uses include: harassing another user, joking around, testing the feature, or other things that are more appropriate in the lounge.
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crossexamination
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What precisely would judges like to hear from recommenders about applicants?
A question for current / former clerks involved in hiring… Recommenders who know applicants well have a lot of good things to say about the applicant. But everyone’s time and attention is limited. What precisely would judges like to hear about a candidate? What information from a recommender (say, a prof, a legal supervisor, a judge, etc) will give them the most assurance or peace of mind when considering an applicant? In other words, what would judges LOVE to hear from a recommender about a candidate?
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The Lsat Airbender
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Re: What precisely would judges like to hear from recommenders about applicants?
This obviously depends on the judge, but if we do our best to set aside "depends on the judge", the ideal is direct comparisons, especially to a reference point which is relevant to the judge:
"Candidate X is even better than Candidates Y and Z (whom I sent you in previous years)"
"Candidate A reminds me of my former student Candidate B, who graduated summa and is currently clerking for Justice Q on SCOTUS"
"I've taught 1000 students in my Evidence class over the past eight years, and Candidate stands out as the brightest"
If a recommender has a preexisting relationship with a judge, they could also put such credibility on the line:
"If you don't take Candidate then I'll never send you my best students again" (apocryphally a threat made on behalf of RBG)
"If you're not satisfied with Candidate, I'll come clerk for you"
"Candidate X is even better than Candidates Y and Z (whom I sent you in previous years)"
"Candidate A reminds me of my former student Candidate B, who graduated summa and is currently clerking for Justice Q on SCOTUS"
"I've taught 1000 students in my Evidence class over the past eight years, and Candidate stands out as the brightest"
If a recommender has a preexisting relationship with a judge, they could also put such credibility on the line:
"If you don't take Candidate then I'll never send you my best students again" (apocryphally a threat made on behalf of RBG)
"If you're not satisfied with Candidate, I'll come clerk for you"
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nixy
- Posts: 4478
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Re: What precisely would judges like to hear from recommenders about applicants?
Yeah, I think being able to give concrete comparisons like the above is best. “The best writer I’ve seen in 10 years,” “in the top 5% of analysis in my 25 years of teaching,” that kind of thing.
Specific examples of excellent work can be good too. Why was their exam one of the top? Did they write a really awesome paper - what was it about and what materials did they use and what made it awesome? Were they an RA who made your work measurably better in some way? Specific examples are easier to remember and they can be much more interesting than just “got a top grade in my class and I’m sure would be an excellent clerk.”
Specific examples of excellent work can be good too. Why was their exam one of the top? Did they write a really awesome paper - what was it about and what materials did they use and what made it awesome? Were they an RA who made your work measurably better in some way? Specific examples are easier to remember and they can be much more interesting than just “got a top grade in my class and I’m sure would be an excellent clerk.”
