Top Law Schools

What's the conventional wisdom on optimal timing for 3L and alum apps? My thoughts were:

1) January / Feb after 3L fall grades come out in case judges are constantly reviewing, in order to hit the nice little interview space where 2L's can't go yet

2) March / April where apps will actually be read pre-plan, with potential hiring in March-May

3) March / April where apps will actually be read pre-plan, but with potential hiring not until the plan opens

4) Fully waiting a year, just competing on the next plan year

Which of these is closest to reality? Also, is there any ideological difference as to how libs / conservatives look at 3L's? Are libs more likely to, for example, only really hire once a year with all eligible candidates included versus conservatives more likely to be looking at apps year-round, or are they not as disparate in this regard?

I don't really think there is an optimal timing for 3Ls. Judges are going to be posting on OSCAR throughout the year. Applying sooner is better than later imo unless you think your application is going to be a lot different in a semester. Just keep checking and keep applying to judges that interest you. You're off-plan now so no purpose in waiting for some arbitrary point to launch all of your applications at once.

I guess my question is will chambers actually keep an eye out for OSCAR updates / new apps as they come in on postings that are already up and unfilled throughout the year, or will they tend to hold off and just go through the usual annual flurry *only* at the next Plan date?

In the chambers I work in, the judge just sort of accepts them on a rolling basis all year. I don’t really think there’s an optimal time to apply. (And for the record, the judge has hired several years out—mostly alums with work experience.)