Do I Need to Write a Note for a Circuit Clerkship? Forum

[Anonymous User]

3L who plans on applying for a Circuit clerkship throughout the year and once I am an alumni. Could write a Note, but I really don't want to and would rather focus on getting good grades and doing other stuff. Plan to apply broadly and don't plan on applying for/getting into feeders or semi-feeders and/or applying to SCOTUS. Obviously it depends on the judge, but generally does a lack of a student Note substantially hurt my chances? marginally hurt my chances? Not matter at all? If it matters, I have lots of other writing samples available although I probably won't be having any 30+ page ones.

[Anonymous User]

3L who plans on applying for a Circuit clerkship throughout the year and once I am an alumni. Could write a Note, but I really don't want to and would rather focus on getting good grades and doing other stuff. Plan to apply broadly and don't plan on applying for/getting into feeders or semi-feeders and/or applying to SCOTUS. Obviously it depends on the judge, but generally does a lack of a student Note substantially hurt my chances? marginally hurt my chances? Not matter at all? If it matters, I have lots of other writing samples available although I probably won't be having any 30+ page ones.

It probably won't hurt your chances. If the only reason you'd write a note is to strengthen your clerkship applications, then don't do it.

[Wild Card]

you can never tell which judge will care

it couldn't hurt

[Anonymous User]

you can never tell which judge will care

it couldn't hurt

I understand it won't hurt and will probably get around to doing it if I have the time, it's just that I'm kinda burnt out and idk if I really want to do the Note writing process for my law review. Maybe I could write one and just not publish it? Idk. I'm like around top 15% at a T14 (maybe could get it to top 10% by the time I graduate?—unsure) so not exactly a stellar candidate for circuit clerkship, but certainly competitive for the non-feeders I think.

[Anonymous User]

you can never tell which judge will care

it couldn't hurt

I understand it won't hurt and will probably get around to doing it if I have the time, it's just that I'm kinda burnt out and idk if I really want to do the Note writing process for my law review. Maybe I could write one and just not publish it? Idk. I'm like around top 15% at a T14 (maybe could get it to top 10% by the time I graduate?—unsure) so not exactly a stellar candidate for circuit clerkship, but certainly competitive for the non-feeders I think.

I've been on both ends of circuit hiring. Can guarantee you that a note has about as much value as running marathons or woodcarving-- that is, it's an interesting conversation starter. Don't sweat it-- work on graduating coif.

[jdoeman1234567]

you can never tell which judge will care

it couldn't hurt

I understand it won't hurt and will probably get around to doing it if I have the time, it's just that I'm kinda burnt out and idk if I really want to do the Note writing process for my law review. Maybe I could write one and just not publish it? Idk. I'm like around top 15% at a T14 (maybe could get it to top 10% by the time I graduate?—unsure) so not exactly a stellar candidate for circuit clerkship, but certainly competitive for the non-feeders I think.

You don't seem like you want to write a note at all so just don't write one. An unpublished note is almost certainly not going to make any difference.

[lavarman84]

you can never tell which judge will care

it couldn't hurt

I understand it won't hurt and will probably get around to doing it if I have the time, it's just that I'm kinda burnt out and idk if I really want to do the Note writing process for my law review. Maybe I could write one and just not publish it? Idk. I'm like around top 15% at a T14 (maybe could get it to top 10% by the time I graduate?—unsure) so not exactly a stellar candidate for circuit clerkship, but certainly competitive for the non-feeders I think.

It's not worth it.

[Anonymous User]

Original OP. Thanks for all the responses, probably won't end up writing one.

[Wild Card]

It couldn't hurt unless writing one actually would hurt!

I interviewed with 6+ judges, and only one made a big deal about her own note, as if it were the crowning achievement of her young life, and was pretty sarcastic about me not having written one.

But maybe she was just making a list of reasons not to hire me .... Every other judge who interviewed me didn't care.

[Anonymous User]

It couldn't hurt unless writing one actually would hurt!

I interviewed with 6+ judges, and only one made a big deal about her own note, as if it were the crowning achievement of her young life, and was pretty sarcastic about me not having written one.

But maybe she was just making a list of reasons not to hire me .... Every other judge who interviewed me didn't care.

OP here. Yeah I've been scouring potential topics and honestly nothing really excited me that much—would honestly prefer to just stack up on black letter classes during my 3L year, which I actually really enjoy taking. Thinking of doing 3 a semester and that on top of a Note would just be too much. Sure if something comes up an inspires me I'll go for it, but as w/r/t my current situation it would probably "hurt."

[Anonymous User]

It will give you another conversation topic. But it may hamper your grades. My circuit judge didn't ask about my note (written, but not published).