How late is too late to start this process as a 2L Forum

[Anonymous User]

How late is too late to start this process as a 2L? 2L at a quarter system school feeling overwhelmed

[Anonymous User]

Too late for what? You can't change the past. If you want to clerk, get your materials together, make sure your writing sample is in top shape, line up your recommendation letters and start applying until you get a clerkship. That may mean you continue applying as positions open up during 3L (and even beyond if that's what it takes). I started applying as a 3L and by the end of the year, I had a COA clerkship.

[Anonymous User]

The most time-consuming part of the whole process is getting to know at least 3 professors who will be willing to write a letter for you. If you already have them, then you can email them and apply immediately 2L summer on Plan. If you don’t, then try to get to know them and maybe apply later. The other parts of the process, like writing sample, should not take too much time.

[Anonymous User]

I assume OP is asking if it's too late to get apps together in time for when the plan opens in June. It's a little late but doable - I decided around this time a couple years back to try applying, and despite meh grades at a lower T14, I had multiple interviews and offers the first week of the plan. The application itself isn't too complicated - you should already have your resume/transcript/writing sample, and cover letters are short. I would just ask recommenders for letters ASAP since most recommenders need some time to get around to it.

[Anonymous User]

Definitely doable. Assuming you’re at Chicago set up a meeting with Susan Staab and get your recs lined up ASAP but you’re definitely not too behind to apply this year. Btw most profs are willing to write for anyone who got an A and showed up in office hours once in a while; don’t overthink it.

[Anonymous User]

You're pushing it, buts it definitely not too late. Start now and reach to Professors. Because of the plan you need your apps the day of the plan opening. Literally the second it opens. You can get there if you start now. Also I understand you're feeling overwhelmed (I did too), but putting things in perspective its actually not that much work to apply. All you really need to do is a short cover letter and a few writing samples that you have probably already written. Then you put into OSCAR and hope for the best.

[Anonymous User]

I assume OP is asking if it's too late to get apps together in time for when the plan opens in June. It's a little late but doable - I decided around this time a couple years back to try applying, and despite meh grades at a lower T14, I had multiple interviews and offers the first week of the plan. The application itself isn't too complicated - you should already have your resume/transcript/writing sample, and cover letters are short. I would just ask recommenders for letters ASAP since most recommenders need some time to get around to it.

To what do you attribute your success if you had meh grades but multiple interviews and offers the first week of the plan? Just curious

[Anonymous User]

I assume OP is asking if it's too late to get apps together in time for when the plan opens in June. It's a little late but doable - I decided around this time a couple years back to try applying, and despite meh grades at a lower T14, I had multiple interviews and offers the first week of the plan. The application itself isn't too complicated - you should already have your resume/transcript/writing sample, and cover letters are short. I would just ask recommenders for letters ASAP since most recommenders need some time to get around to it.

To what do you attribute your success if you had meh grades but multiple interviews and offers the first week of the plan? Just curious

I still don't know how I got the job to be honest, but my guess is that professors calling chambers definitely helped (even though and none of my professors personally knew the judges). I was strategic about asking my recommenders to call judges in less competitive districts where I had ties (I ended up clerking in one of N.D. Ill./E.D. Pa./D. Mass) or judges that had done work I want to do (non-AUSA gov't/PI).

(This was also for district court and not COA, and my guess is that calls/connections make more of a difference for district court. But generally once you had the district court clerkship, getting COA interviews/offers is a lot easier - certainly was the case for me).