Leveraging D.Ct. clerkship for COA clerkship? Forum

[LawBurner1]

I'm a rising 3L at HLS with grades right at the cum laude/magna cum laude border (3P, 3DS, remainder H). I've got a 2024-25 clerkship with a district court judge in a district a notch less competitive than SDNY/DDC (think EDNY/EDVA). The judge has been around for a while and he's well-respected, but talking to his current and former clerks, I don't get the sense that he's the sort of judge who will actively make calls/open doors for someone who hasn't clerked from him yet. Fair enough.

I'd really like a COA clerkship in either the 2023-24 or 2025-26 term - no strong preference one way or another, though I suppose it would be nice to get all the clerking done in one block before I start 'real' legal practice. I had one interview with a COA judge right after the plan opened, but it was for the same term as my D. Ct. judge so I withdrew before she made a decision. Crickets ever since; I've applied pretty broadly, with the only limits being that I'm not applying to super conservative judges and judges who are older than, like, 65 - my D. Ct. judge is on the older end and I'd like to have a mentor who's planning to stay around for a long time.

Any advice on how best to maximize the value of already having secured one clerkship, given that my judge probably isn't going to do much but say vaguely nice things about me if another judge calls him about me? I've added the clerkship to my resume and mention it in my cover letters, but not sure what I can do beyond that, if anything.

[Anonymous User]

IME the first district clerkship will make you much more attractive to COA judges, especially if you perform well enough to have the district judge speak highly about you when (inevitably) the COA judge calls for a reference. I moved too late in my own clerkship to get COA interest this cycle but have had interviews for 24/25 based (almost solely) on the strength of my current district judge’s recommendation. I do plan on taking a year at a firm to strengthen my app and reapply to COA

Piggybacking onto this question -

does anyone know if it is possible to “double dip” clerkship bonuses?

For example, Dist. Ct. clerkship > go to firm for 1-2 years while bonus vests > COA clerkship > second firm and second bonus?

[Anonymous User]

Do you realize how not broad only applying to circuit judges who are both a) under 65 years old and b) not super conservative is. Not super conservative is a reasonable restriction, but I would up your age cap to at least 75 if your goal is to apply broadly.

[Anonymous User]

It's July 2022. Do you seriously think there are 2023 COA clerkships (with those restrictions, no less) to be had?

[Anonymous User]

I'm a rising 3L at HLS with grades right at the cum laude/magna cum laude border (3P, 3DS, remainder H). I've got a 2024-25 clerkship with a district court judge in a district a notch less competitive than SDNY/DDC (think EDNY/EDVA). The judge has been around for a while and he's well-respected, but talking to his current and former clerks, I don't get the sense that he's the sort of judge who will actively make calls/open doors for someone who hasn't clerked from him yet. Fair enough.

I'd really like a COA clerkship in either the 2023-24 or 2025-26 term - no strong preference one way or another, though I suppose it would be nice to get all the clerking done in one block before I start 'real' legal practice. I had one interview with a COA judge right after the plan opened, but it was for the same term as my D. Ct. judge so I withdrew before she made a decision. Crickets ever since; I've applied pretty broadly, with the only limits being that I'm not applying to super conservative judges and judges who are older than, like, 65 - my D. Ct. judge is on the older end and I'd like to have a mentor who's planning to stay around for a long time.

Any advice on how best to maximize the value of already having secured one clerkship, given that my judge probably isn't going to do much but say vaguely nice things about me if another judge calls him about me? I've added the clerkship to my resume and mention it in my cover letters, but not sure what I can do beyond that, if anything.

Even having the district court clerkship on your resume will help you immensely next summer. But realistically, unless you'd like to clerk for Rawlinson on the 9th, you will not be getting a COA clerkship in 2023. So I think your best bet is really to just try and kill it this upcoming year to secure magna and then apply for 2025.

[Anonymous User]

why the mention of Rawlinson? (also she is over 65 so according to OP will be dead within the year).

[Anonymous User]

why the mention of Rawlinson? (also she is over 65 so according to OP will be dead within the year).

Rawlinson is known for hiring extremely late compared to everyone else. OP, I'd recommend you look into some of Biden's pending COA nominees (especially the few who aren't sitting judges - Mathis, Freeman, Montecalvo, Abudu, Bloomekatz, Garcia, Desai). I'd check with your school on the proper protocol for how/when to reach out though.

[Anonymous User]

why the mention of Rawlinson? (also she is over 65 so according to OP will be dead within the year).

Rawlinson is known for hiring extremely late compared to everyone else. OP, I'd recommend you look into some of Biden's pending COA nominees (especially the few who aren't sitting judges - Mathis, Freeman, Montecalvo, Abudu, Bloomekatz, Garcia, Desai). I'd check with your school on the proper protocol for how/when to reach out though.

I will caution, however, that new judges want people with prior clerkship experience to help organize chambers and establish procedure for the years to come — I wouldn't bank on new judges.