Interviewing advice Forum
Forum rules
Anonymous Posting
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.
Failure to follow these rules will get you outed, warned, or banned."
Anonymous Posting
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.
Failure to follow these rules will get you outed, warned, or banned."
-
- Posts: 428136
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Interviewing advice
Anyone have any advice or common pitfalls to avoid when interviewing? Interviewed decently and performed as my numbers would suggest for OCI but I am 0/2 for district interviews and 0/2 for circuit interviews as it stands right now. One of these interviews was a clerk screener, but two of them were with judges you have a tendency to make offers at the end of the interview (which I assume means they don't interview many people). Clearly the issue lies with my inability to make it over the finish line during the interview right? I'm only a 3L so I still have time, but starting to feel like a major fuck up at this point.
-
- Posts: 428136
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Re: Interviewing advice
The best interview advice is to contact people from your school who clerked for the judge (not current clerks of the judge, but previous clerks), and ask them this question. Judges vary a lot with respect to what they expect from interviews. For instance, my circuit judge weirdly thought less of state court, so if your writing sample was in connection with a matter in state court or on a purely state-law issue, you were more likely to get dinged. My district judge was really sensitive to applicants thinking that she could help them get a job at her old government employer, and so if an interviewee said, "I really want to work for you because I love that you have this prior government experience and I'd like a job like that as well some day," it would actually hurt the applicant because the judge didn't want the applicant to think there would be quid pro quo with the judge helping the applicant get the job in exchange for completing the clerkship. So it's all very idiosyncratic.
But your rejections are par for the course. You aren't an especially bad interviewee. Clerkship hiring is just really unpredictable and competitive in both arbitrary and non-arbitrary ways.
But your rejections are par for the course. You aren't an especially bad interviewee. Clerkship hiring is just really unpredictable and competitive in both arbitrary and non-arbitrary ways.
-
- Posts: 277
- Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2022 3:34 pm
Re: Interviewing advice
The most common pitfall is to misunderstand what the interviewer is seeking. In the large firm context, the firms want bodies to throw at their clients' matters. They may care if you want lit v. transactional but they do not care if you have some burning desire for bankruptcy or debt or real estate. In fact, the more specialized and particular you are the worse from the firm's perspective. They are not recruiting specialists or future partners from 2L classes. When I interview potential associates for my firm (two partners, one associate now although we range from 2-3 most of the time), I am not only looking for someone capable of fulfilling support tasks. I have two paralegals to do much of that work and keep the office functioning so the attorneys can do their jobs without distraction. Rather, I seek law students and recent grads who can not only perform the legal work (basic legal research, draft and edit motions, appearing in court professionally) but also engage in business development. I expect my associates to get their own clients by year two or three and to leverage the firm name on their business card. The credibility I extend to them entitles me to a share of any settlement or awards they win. If they are not willing to network with hospitals/EMTs/firefighters/others with contact with potential clients to sustain a caseload pipeline, then they are not cutout for the role, and this will come out in interviews.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Mon Aug 08, 2022 9:18 pmAnyone have any advice or common pitfalls to avoid when interviewing? Interviewed decently and performed as my numbers would suggest for OCI but I am 0/2 for district interviews and 0/2 for circuit interviews as it stands right now. One of these interviews was a clerk screener, but two of them were with judges you have a tendency to make offers at the end of the interview (which I assume means they don't interview many people). Clearly the issue lies with my inability to make it over the finish line during the interview right? I'm only a 3L so I still have time, but starting to feel like a major fuck up at this point.
-
- Posts: 23
- Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2021 4:29 pm
Re: Interviewing advice
This is phenomenal advice — I was just perusing, but this really is good to know!johndooley wrote: ↑Tue Aug 09, 2022 5:23 pmThe most common pitfall is to misunderstand what the interviewer is seeking. In the large firm context, the firms want bodies to throw at their clients' matters. They may care if you want lit v. transactional but they do not care if you have some burning desire for bankruptcy or debt or real estate. In fact, the more specialized and particular you are the worse from the firm's perspective. They are not recruiting specialists or future partners from 2L classes. When I interview potential associates for my firm (two partners, one associate now although we range from 2-3 most of the time), I am not only looking for someone capable of fulfilling support tasks. I have two paralegals to do much of that work and keep the office functioning so the attorneys can do their jobs without distraction. Rather, I seek law students and recent grads who can not only perform the legal work (basic legal research, draft and edit motions, appearing in court professionally) but also engage in business development. I expect my associates to get their own clients by year two or three and to leverage the firm name on their business card. The credibility I extend to them entitles me to a share of any settlement or awards they win. If they are not willing to network with hospitals/EMTs/firefighters/others with contact with potential clients to sustain a caseload pipeline, then they are not cutout for the role, and this will come out in interviews.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Mon Aug 08, 2022 9:18 pmAnyone have any advice or common pitfalls to avoid when interviewing? Interviewed decently and performed as my numbers would suggest for OCI but I am 0/2 for district interviews and 0/2 for circuit interviews as it stands right now. One of these interviews was a clerk screener, but two of them were with judges you have a tendency to make offers at the end of the interview (which I assume means they don't interview many people). Clearly the issue lies with my inability to make it over the finish line during the interview right? I'm only a 3L so I still have time, but starting to feel like a major fuck up at this point.
-
- Posts: 4446
- Joined: Fri Feb 16, 2018 8:58 am
Re: Interviewing advice
Except it’s not really relevant to the OP, who was asking about clerkship interviews.
Want to continue reading?
Register now to search topics and post comments!
Absolutely FREE!
Already a member? Login
-
- Posts: 277
- Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2022 3:34 pm
Re: Interviewing advice
Transfer the ethos over. Judges want highly responsible and reliable assistance who can write well. They don’t care about your moot court or ability to find a book of business.
-
- Posts: 428136
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Re: Interviewing advice
I don’t think you can just “transfer” that advice over. That’s just giving blasé advice that applies to any job. Who wouldn’t want a responsible or reliable person? Plus there are lots of judges who value moot court experience.johndooley wrote: ↑Wed Aug 10, 2022 9:03 amTransfer the ethos over. Judges want highly responsible and reliable assistance who can write well. They don’t care about your moot court or ability to find a book of business.
The best advice is what was said earlier: judges are idiosyncratic. For instance, the judge that I clerked for liked to hire former high school/collegiate athletes. I knew that oddly specific thing going into the interview and it got me the job.
Did you clerk? What did your judge look for in candidates?
-
- Posts: 4446
- Joined: Fri Feb 16, 2018 8:58 am
Re: Interviewing advice
The point about understanding what the employer is seeking is perfectly fine, but it is hard to translate to judges since hiring is so idiosyncratic. Along the lines of understanding what the employer wants, I do think sometimes applicants focus too much on why they want the job rather than what they can bring to the employer. But that's about it.
But none of this is especially helpful to the OP. OP, there are lots of people who have to go on multiple interviews before they land a clerkship. Sure, it's possible that you fucked something up. But it's just as likely that it just wasn't a good fit for reasons outside of your control. The judge simply liked another candidate better, or has one of those quirks like wanting to hire former collegiate athletes and you're not one, or just didn't think you'd work well together for whatever reason. Those aren't necessarily things you can change to make yourself more attractive in a future interview because future judges will care about different things.
The fact that you're getting multiple interviews is a good sign. You can go back over your interviews and make sure there isn't anything you regret saying and would handle differently; you can also maybe try mock interviewing with someone from your school's clerkship committee or the like, to make sure there are no glaring issues, but there probably aren't. This is just how clerkship interviews go sometimes.
The first advice, about talking to a judge's former clerks, is going to be the most helpful.
But none of this is especially helpful to the OP. OP, there are lots of people who have to go on multiple interviews before they land a clerkship. Sure, it's possible that you fucked something up. But it's just as likely that it just wasn't a good fit for reasons outside of your control. The judge simply liked another candidate better, or has one of those quirks like wanting to hire former collegiate athletes and you're not one, or just didn't think you'd work well together for whatever reason. Those aren't necessarily things you can change to make yourself more attractive in a future interview because future judges will care about different things.
The fact that you're getting multiple interviews is a good sign. You can go back over your interviews and make sure there isn't anything you regret saying and would handle differently; you can also maybe try mock interviewing with someone from your school's clerkship committee or the like, to make sure there are no glaring issues, but there probably aren't. This is just how clerkship interviews go sometimes.
The first advice, about talking to a judge's former clerks, is going to be the most helpful.
-
- Posts: 23
- Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2021 4:29 pm
Re: Interviewing advice
You figure out what the Judge wants from the interview by talking to former clerks or people who have interviewed with that judge before. There—I combined the ethos with the concrete advice. This is what helped me immensely in my CoA interviews, and I did fairly well on that score.nixy wrote: ↑Wed Aug 10, 2022 9:46 amThe point about understanding what the employer is seeking is perfectly fine, but it is hard to translate to judges since hiring is so idiosyncratic. Along the lines of understanding what the employer wants, I do think sometimes applicants focus too much on why they want the job rather than what they can bring to the employer. But that's about it.
But none of this is especially helpful to the OP. OP, there are lots of people who have to go on multiple interviews before they land a clerkship. Sure, it's possible that you fucked something up. But it's just as likely that it just wasn't a good fit for reasons outside of your control. The judge simply liked another candidate better, or has one of those quirks like wanting to hire former collegiate athletes and you're not one, or just didn't think you'd work well together for whatever reason. Those aren't necessarily things you can change to make yourself more attractive in a future interview because future judges will care about different things.
The fact that you're getting multiple interviews is a good sign. You can go back over your interviews and make sure there isn't anything you regret saying and would handle differently; you can also maybe try mock interviewing with someone from your school's clerkship committee or the like, to make sure there are no glaring issues, but there probably aren't. This is just how clerkship interviews go sometimes.
The first advice, about talking to a judge's former clerks, is going to be the most helpful.
-
- Posts: 277
- Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2022 3:34 pm
Re: Interviewing advice
Stock traders should be reliable and responsible but funds do not place a premium on that. They want masters of the universe and those with "brass balls."Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Aug 10, 2022 9:13 amI don’t think you can just “transfer” that advice over. That’s just giving blasé advice that applies to any job. Who wouldn’t want a responsible or reliable person? Plus there are lots of judges who value moot court experience.johndooley wrote: ↑Wed Aug 10, 2022 9:03 amTransfer the ethos over. Judges want highly responsible and reliable assistance who can write well. They don’t care about your moot court or ability to find a book of business.
The best advice is what was said earlier: judges are idiosyncratic. For instance, the judge that I clerked for liked to hire former high school/collegiate athletes. I knew that oddly specific thing going into the interview and it got me the job.
Did you clerk? What did your judge look for in candidates?
I clerked for several judges in law school but did not bother when I graduated, it would have slowed down my professional development. My judge wanted candidates with polished professionalism and good grades. Little more. He was not so idiosyncratic.
-
- Posts: 4446
- Joined: Fri Feb 16, 2018 8:58 am
Re: Interviewing advice
Interning isn’t the same as clerking.
-
- Posts: 428136
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Re: Interviewing advice
Nice troll. Interning is meaningless. Literally anyone can intern. Thanks for wasting everyone’s time.johndooley wrote: ↑Wed Aug 10, 2022 11:11 amStock traders should be reliable and responsible but funds do not place a premium on that. They want masters of the universe and those with "brass balls."Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Aug 10, 2022 9:13 amI don’t think you can just “transfer” that advice over. That’s just giving blasé advice that applies to any job. Who wouldn’t want a responsible or reliable person? Plus there are lots of judges who value moot court experience.johndooley wrote: ↑Wed Aug 10, 2022 9:03 amTransfer the ethos over. Judges want highly responsible and reliable assistance who can write well. They don’t care about your moot court or ability to find a book of business.
The best advice is what was said earlier: judges are idiosyncratic. For instance, the judge that I clerked for liked to hire former high school/collegiate athletes. I knew that oddly specific thing going into the interview and it got me the job.
Did you clerk? What did your judge look for in candidates?
I clerked for several judges in law school but did not bother when I graduated, it would have slowed down my professional development. My judge wanted candidates with polished professionalism and good grades. Little more. He was not so idiosyncratic.
-
- Posts: 277
- Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2022 3:34 pm
Re: Interviewing advice
Yes, interning is meaningless when it helps you get a job post-grad. Yes, anyone can intern for a judge, you don't even need to be a law student or undergrad.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Aug 10, 2022 11:19 amNice troll. Interning is meaningless. Literally anyone can intern. Thanks for wasting everyone’s time.johndooley wrote: ↑Wed Aug 10, 2022 11:11 amStock traders should be reliable and responsible but funds do not place a premium on that. They want masters of the universe and those with "brass balls."Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Aug 10, 2022 9:13 amI don’t think you can just “transfer” that advice over. That’s just giving blasé advice that applies to any job. Who wouldn’t want a responsible or reliable person? Plus there are lots of judges who value moot court experience.johndooley wrote: ↑Wed Aug 10, 2022 9:03 amTransfer the ethos over. Judges want highly responsible and reliable assistance who can write well. They don’t care about your moot court or ability to find a book of business.
The best advice is what was said earlier: judges are idiosyncratic. For instance, the judge that I clerked for liked to hire former high school/collegiate athletes. I knew that oddly specific thing going into the interview and it got me the job.
Did you clerk? What did your judge look for in candidates?
I clerked for several judges in law school but did not bother when I graduated, it would have slowed down my professional development. My judge wanted candidates with polished professionalism and good grades. Little more. He was not so idiosyncratic.
Yes, I wasted everyone's time. Go touch grass.
Register now!
Resources to assist law school applicants, students & graduates.
It's still FREE!
Already a member? Login
-
- Posts: 277
- Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2022 3:34 pm
-
- Posts: 4446
- Joined: Fri Feb 16, 2018 8:58 am
Re: Interviewing advice
It’s absolutely not. Interning could give you insight into how a particular judge hires clerks, if you’re there to observe any of that process, but the criteria and process for interns are very different than for clerks. I was hired as an intern without even meeting the judge - their clerks handled it all.johndooley wrote: ↑Wed Aug 10, 2022 11:34 amVery similar interviewing process. It is unhelpful to split hairs.
-
- Posts: 8502
- Joined: Thu May 28, 2015 5:01 pm
Re: Interviewing advice
It's not at all, as somebody who interviewed interns and clerked for multiple judges.johndooley wrote: ↑Wed Aug 10, 2022 11:34 amVery similar interviewing process. It is unhelpful to split hairs.
-
- Posts: 277
- Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2022 3:34 pm
Re: Interviewing advice
I was there for the clerk hiring and onboarding. The level of scrutiny and rounds of interview were the same, along with the criteria. This is pretty judge-dependent. I was also dealing with federal if that matters.nixy wrote: ↑Wed Aug 10, 2022 11:44 amIt’s absolutely not. Interning could give you insight into how a particular judge hires clerks, if you’re there to observe any of that process, but the criteria and process for interns are very different than for clerks. I was hired as an intern without even meeting the judge - their clerks handled it all.johndooley wrote: ↑Wed Aug 10, 2022 11:34 amVery similar interviewing process. It is unhelpful to split hairs.
Get unlimited access to all forums and topics
Register now!
I'm pretty sure I told you it's FREE...
Already a member? Login
-
- Posts: 277
- Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2022 3:34 pm
Re: Interviewing advice
Eh your employers may have been an outlier. Could also be a regional difference.lavarman84 wrote: ↑Wed Aug 10, 2022 11:52 amIt's not at all, as somebody who interviewed interns and clerked for multiple judges.johndooley wrote: ↑Wed Aug 10, 2022 11:34 amVery similar interviewing process. It is unhelpful to split hairs.
-
- Posts: 428136
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Re: Interviewing advice
Alright, beyond the radical advice that judges may want "polished professionalism and good grades," here's some actual insight from someone who's been on both sides of the clerkship interviewing process many times in the last 5 years:
- Every judge is different--some interview a large number of candidates per seat, some interview exclusively to confirm you're a fit and you have to screw something up to not get an offer. Most are somewhere in the middle. Your stats are not bad or atypical.
- Some candidates strike the wrong tone with judges. You want to be a little more deferential to them in conversation than you would a private sector employer. For most judges, the ideal clerk personality is someone who is comfortable disagreeing with the judge and respectfully trying to persuade him or her on the law, but will have no qualms putting their own opinions aside and doing exactly what the judge wants once the judge has made a decision. This can be a tricky balance to strike. I've seen candidates come off as too cocky or intractable, even where that approach would probably work in a different position.
- Have interests--academic or otherwise--that you can discuss. Come off as human and rounded. Fit interviews aren't just about professionalism, they're about inviting someone into a very small and often isolated workplace for a year. Most judges are pretty intellectually curious people. If the judge doesn't think he or she will enjoy daily interaction with you, bouncing ideas off you, talking about whatever his or her interests are, that can absolutely be a factor.
- Know your resume well. Be prepared to discuss any line on it. Judges who interview current law students are used to candidates not knowing what they want to do long-term yet, but having a narrative ("I'm pursuing X because Y...") can help. Relatedly, know your writing sample well.
- Get very comfortable with your answers to the standard questions: why you want to clerk, why this judge in particular, what you hope to gain from the experience, what you think you can bring to chambers, (for students) your favorite class or professor and why, (for attorneys) what you've learned from your career so far. Some version of these questions will be asked in the vast majority of interviews, usually toward the beginning. Having solid, consistent, but not overly-rehearsed answers to them can set the tone for the rest of the interview very well.
- Last but not least, the advice to get to know the judge and his or her process as well as possible--especially by talking to any former clerk you can--is on point. Don't feel like this is crossing any lines. Many judges actually expect that clerkship applicants will do it. Judges are impressed by preparedness. (My judge was jokingly pissed at his former clerk for spoiling a big hypothetical he asks in every interview, but seemed happy that I had done so much legwork that I knew exactly how to respond to the hypo as soon as he started asking.)
- Every judge is different--some interview a large number of candidates per seat, some interview exclusively to confirm you're a fit and you have to screw something up to not get an offer. Most are somewhere in the middle. Your stats are not bad or atypical.
- Some candidates strike the wrong tone with judges. You want to be a little more deferential to them in conversation than you would a private sector employer. For most judges, the ideal clerk personality is someone who is comfortable disagreeing with the judge and respectfully trying to persuade him or her on the law, but will have no qualms putting their own opinions aside and doing exactly what the judge wants once the judge has made a decision. This can be a tricky balance to strike. I've seen candidates come off as too cocky or intractable, even where that approach would probably work in a different position.
- Have interests--academic or otherwise--that you can discuss. Come off as human and rounded. Fit interviews aren't just about professionalism, they're about inviting someone into a very small and often isolated workplace for a year. Most judges are pretty intellectually curious people. If the judge doesn't think he or she will enjoy daily interaction with you, bouncing ideas off you, talking about whatever his or her interests are, that can absolutely be a factor.
- Know your resume well. Be prepared to discuss any line on it. Judges who interview current law students are used to candidates not knowing what they want to do long-term yet, but having a narrative ("I'm pursuing X because Y...") can help. Relatedly, know your writing sample well.
- Get very comfortable with your answers to the standard questions: why you want to clerk, why this judge in particular, what you hope to gain from the experience, what you think you can bring to chambers, (for students) your favorite class or professor and why, (for attorneys) what you've learned from your career so far. Some version of these questions will be asked in the vast majority of interviews, usually toward the beginning. Having solid, consistent, but not overly-rehearsed answers to them can set the tone for the rest of the interview very well.
- Last but not least, the advice to get to know the judge and his or her process as well as possible--especially by talking to any former clerk you can--is on point. Don't feel like this is crossing any lines. Many judges actually expect that clerkship applicants will do it. Judges are impressed by preparedness. (My judge was jokingly pissed at his former clerk for spoiling a big hypothetical he asks in every interview, but seemed happy that I had done so much legwork that I knew exactly how to respond to the hypo as soon as he started asking.)
Last edited by Anonymous User on Wed Aug 10, 2022 4:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-
- Posts: 4446
- Joined: Fri Feb 16, 2018 8:58 am
Re: Interviewing advice
Please stop. It was a good post and much of it is specific to clerking. And some people who clerked don’t like to post under their accounts because they’re talking about stuff from inside chambers and it can be a little delicate to do so.johndooley wrote: ↑Wed Aug 10, 2022 12:41 pmDespite your condescension, everything you said was generic and could apply to almost any non-private sector job (and some private sector ones for that matter). Thanks for playing, maybe don't use the anonymous feature next time.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Aug 10, 2022 12:32 pmAlright, beyond the radical advice that judges may want "polished professionalism and good grades," here's some actual insight from someone who's been on both sides of the clerkship interviewing process many times in the last 5 years:
- Every judge is different--some interview a large number of candidates per seat, some interview exclusively to confirm you're a fit and you have to screw something up to not get an offer. Most are somewhere in the middle. Your stats are not bad or atypical.
- Some candidates strike the wrong tone with judges. You want to be a little more deferential to them in conversation than you would a private sector employer. For most judges, the ideal clerk personality is someone who is comfortable disagreeing with the judge and respectfully trying to persuade him or her on the law, but will have no qualms putting their own opinions aside and doing exactly what the judge wants once the judge has made a decision. This can be a tricky balance to strike. I've seen candidates come off as too cocky or intractable, even where that approach would probably work in a different position.
- Have interests--academic or otherwise--that you can discuss. Come off as human and rounded. Fit interviews aren't just about professionalism, they're about inviting someone into a very small and often isolated workplace for a year. Most judges are pretty intellectually curious people. If the judge doesn't think he or she will enjoy daily interaction with you, bouncing ideas off you, talking about whatever his or her interests are, that can absolutely be a factor.
- Know your resume well. Be prepared to discuss any line on it. Judges who interview current law students are used to candidates not knowing what they want to do long-term yet, but having a narrative ("I'm pursuing X because Y...") can help. Relatedly, know your writing sample well.
- Get very comfortable with your answers to the standard questions: why you want to clerk, why this judge in particular, what you hope to gain from the experience, what you think you can bring to chambers, (for students) your favorite class or professor and white, (for attorneys) what you've learned from your career so far. Some version of these questions will be asked in the vast majority of interviews, usually toward the beginning. Having solid, consistent, but not overly-rehearsed answers to them can set the tone for the rest of the interview very well.
- Last but not least, the advice to get to know the judge and his or her process as well as possible--especially by talking to any former clerk you can--is on point. Don't feel like this is crossing any lines. Many judges actually expect that clerkship applicants will do it. Judges are impressed by preparedness. (My judge was jokingly pissed at his former clerk for spoiling a big hypothetical he asks in every interview, but seemed happy that I had done so much legwork that I knew exactly how to respond to the hypo as soon as he started asking.)
(Also, why are lavarman’s judges the outliers and not yours?)
-
- Posts: 428136
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Re: Interviewing advice
Can we all please agree that we should stop feeding the troll at this point?
Communicate now with those who not only know what a legal education is, but can offer you worthy advice and commentary as you complete the three most educational, yet challenging years of your law related post graduate life.
Register now, it's still FREE!
Already a member? Login
-
- Posts: 67
- Joined: Tue Jan 07, 2020 10:38 am
Re: Interviewing advice
Agreed. I like this site specifically because there aren’t many trolls here anymore.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Aug 10, 2022 1:04 pmCan we all please agree that we should stop feeding the troll at this point?
-
- Posts: 277
- Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2022 3:34 pm
Re: Interviewing advice
That is a great idea. Ban 90% of users and scare off 5% when only a handful were trolls. Now TLS is a ghost town compared to 2018. #winningChokenhauer wrote: ↑Wed Aug 10, 2022 2:38 pmAgreed. I like this site specifically because there aren’t many trolls here anymore.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Aug 10, 2022 1:04 pmCan we all please agree that we should stop feeding the troll at this point?
-
- Posts: 277
- Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2022 3:34 pm
Re: Interviewing advice
Unless you are at the SC/COA level it just is not that delicate.nixy wrote: ↑Wed Aug 10, 2022 1:00 pmPlease stop. It was a good post and much of it is specific to clerking. And some people who clerked don’t like to post under their accounts because they’re talking about stuff from inside chambers and it can be a little delicate to do so.johndooley wrote: ↑Wed Aug 10, 2022 12:41 pmDespite your condescension, everything you said was generic and could apply to almost any non-private sector job (and some private sector ones for that matter). Thanks for playing, maybe don't use the anonymous feature next time.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Aug 10, 2022 12:32 pmAlright, beyond the radical advice that judges may want "polished professionalism and good grades," here's some actual insight from someone who's been on both sides of the clerkship interviewing process many times in the last 5 years:
- Every judge is different--some interview a large number of candidates per seat, some interview exclusively to confirm you're a fit and you have to screw something up to not get an offer. Most are somewhere in the middle. Your stats are not bad or atypical.
- Some candidates strike the wrong tone with judges. You want to be a little more deferential to them in conversation than you would a private sector employer. For most judges, the ideal clerk personality is someone who is comfortable disagreeing with the judge and respectfully trying to persuade him or her on the law, but will have no qualms putting their own opinions aside and doing exactly what the judge wants once the judge has made a decision. This can be a tricky balance to strike. I've seen candidates come off as too cocky or intractable, even where that approach would probably work in a different position.
- Have interests--academic or otherwise--that you can discuss. Come off as human and rounded. Fit interviews aren't just about professionalism, they're about inviting someone into a very small and often isolated workplace for a year. Most judges are pretty intellectually curious people. If the judge doesn't think he or she will enjoy daily interaction with you, bouncing ideas off you, talking about whatever his or her interests are, that can absolutely be a factor.
- Know your resume well. Be prepared to discuss any line on it. Judges who interview current law students are used to candidates not knowing what they want to do long-term yet, but having a narrative ("I'm pursuing X because Y...") can help. Relatedly, know your writing sample well.
- Get very comfortable with your answers to the standard questions: why you want to clerk, why this judge in particular, what you hope to gain from the experience, what you think you can bring to chambers, (for students) your favorite class or professor and white, (for attorneys) what you've learned from your career so far. Some version of these questions will be asked in the vast majority of interviews, usually toward the beginning. Having solid, consistent, but not overly-rehearsed answers to them can set the tone for the rest of the interview very well.
- Last but not least, the advice to get to know the judge and his or her process as well as possible--especially by talking to any former clerk you can--is on point. Don't feel like this is crossing any lines. Many judges actually expect that clerkship applicants will do it. Judges are impressed by preparedness. (My judge was jokingly pissed at his former clerk for spoiling a big hypothetical he asks in every interview, but seemed happy that I had done so much legwork that I knew exactly how to respond to the hypo as soon as he started asking.)
(Also, why are lavarman’s judges the outliers and not yours?)
-
- Posts: 277
- Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2022 3:34 pm
Re: Interviewing advice
I am not a troll. I have been here since 2012 and took a multiyear break during which I lost my username and password. Unlike you, an anonymous account itching for an argument, I bring first hand experience and advice to this forum.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Aug 10, 2022 1:04 pmCan we all please agree that we should stop feeding the troll at this point?
Seriously? What are you waiting for?
Now there's a charge.
Just kidding ... it's still FREE!
Already a member? Login