SDNY odds Forum

[Anonymous User]

I'm dead-set on clerking in SDNY. I would like to become an AUSA. I go to a T6 in the Northeast and have mostly As (~3.9?) and am a member of Law Review and the Federalist Society.

What are the odds I get an SDNY clerkship on plan? Do any SDNY judges hire for someone's first year out of law school?

[Anonymous User]

Good odds, but the only real way to get it right out of law school is with a new Biden appointee. With Fed Soc the obvious fits would be Castel, Preska, Vyskocil, or Karas (Cronan would be perfect for you, but he’s very picky on grades). You should also definitely apply to EDNY, and probably D.Conn. and DNJ; e.g. for USAO connections, Farbiarz on DNJ is probably better than many actual SDNY judges.

[Anonymous User]

I'm dead-set on clerking in SDNY. I would like to become an AUSA. I go to a T6 in the Northeast and have mostly As (~3.9?) and am a member of Law Review and the Federalist Society.

What are the odds I get an SDNY clerkship on plan? Do any SDNY judges hire for someone's first year out of law school?

You have a good profile, but its still going to be a bit of a toss up just because pretty much every law student with your credentials applies to clerk SDNY. I'm at HLS and had friends who were magna + HLR strike out on the NYC courts (although got clerkships elsewhere).

Really gotta have professors calling for you to feel confident about getting pulled from the pile. FedSoc will def help at the judges listed above. Feel like Preska especially. Also Nardini/Menashi if open to CA2.

[Anonymous User]

Your “stats” would work for many SDNY judges. The problem is that you’ll be one of 300 applicants whose stats work for those judges. It’s a competitive district. My chambers got TONS of applicants like yours. Just shoot your shot. EDNY, DNJ, etc. are good to apply to and it’s also helpful if you can get a COA clerkship beforehand.

[Anonymous User]

I'm dead-set on clerking in SDNY. I would like to become an AUSA. I go to a T6 in the Northeast and have mostly As (~3.9?) and am a member of Law Review and the Federalist Society.

What are the odds I get an SDNY clerkship on plan? Do any SDNY judges hire for someone's first year out of law school?

Lol. Cast the net wider, as mentioned above.

[Anonymous User]

I'm assuming by T6 in the Northeast you mean NYU/CLS. If it is one of those, your odds are decent to clerk in SDNY. Cast a wider net though and apply to EDNY at the very least. You're not going to get someone first year out of law school, though.

[Anonymous User]

I'm dead-set on clerking in SDNY. I would like to become an AUSA. I go to a T6 in the Northeast and have mostly As (~3.9?) and am a member of Law Review and the Federalist Society.

What are the odds I get an SDNY clerkship on plan? Do any SDNY judges hire for someone's first year out of law school?

People are being overly pessimistic. You have a good chance of getting a clerkship in SDNY. But you will need to work first unless you get lucky with one of the brand new Biden appointees because the SDNY judges pretty much just don't hire people without work experience. Also, why literally only SDNY? It makes no sense to not at least apply to EDNY and probably 2d Cir. too. Fed Soc is a big boost for Menashi and Park and you have the grades.

[Anonymous User]

I'm dead-set on clerking in SDNY. I would like to become an AUSA. I go to a T6 in the Northeast and have mostly As (~3.9?) and am a member of Law Review and the Federalist Society.

What are the odds I get an SDNY clerkship on plan? Do any SDNY judges hire for someone's first year out of law school?

People are being overly pessimistic. You have a good chance of getting a clerkship in SDNY. But you will need to work first unless you get lucky with one of the brand new Biden appointees because the SDNY judges pretty much just don't hire people without work experience. Also, why literally only SDNY? It makes no sense to not at least apply to EDNY and probably 2d Cir. too. Fed Soc is a big boost for Menashi and Park and you have the grades.

I think people are being pessimistic because it seems to be that OP wants the SDNY clerkship on plan—that is going to be very hard to do. 3.9 from NYU or Columbia + Law Review on plan is not really that impressive.

[Anonymous User]

I'm dead-set on clerking in SDNY. I would like to become an AUSA. I go to a T6 in the Northeast and have mostly As (~3.9?) and am a member of Law Review and the Federalist Society.

What are the odds I get an SDNY clerkship on plan? Do any SDNY judges hire for someone's first year out of law school?

People are being overly pessimistic. You have a good chance of getting a clerkship in SDNY. But you will need to work first unless you get lucky with one of the brand new Biden appointees because the SDNY judges pretty much just don't hire people without work experience. Also, why literally only SDNY? It makes no sense to not at least apply to EDNY and probably 2d Cir. too. Fed Soc is a big boost for Menashi and Park and you have the grades.

I think people are being pessimistic because it seems to be that OP wants the SDNY clerkship on plan—that is going to be very hard to do. 3.9 from NYU or Columbia + Law Review on plan is not really that impressive.

Am I missing something? At least at NYU, 3.9 is like top ten students in the whole class. I guess many of the top ten students from many of the top schools apply to SDNY clerkships but I don’t know that I’d say that’s “not really that impressive.”

[Anonymous User]

I'm dead-set on clerking in SDNY. I would like to become an AUSA. I go to a T6 in the Northeast and have mostly As (~3.9?) and am a member of Law Review and the Federalist Society.

What are the odds I get an SDNY clerkship on plan? Do any SDNY judges hire for someone's first year out of law school?

People are being overly pessimistic. You have a good chance of getting a clerkship in SDNY. But you will need to work first unless you get lucky with one of the brand new Biden appointees because the SDNY judges pretty much just don't hire people without work experience. Also, why literally only SDNY? It makes no sense to not at least apply to EDNY and probably 2d Cir. too. Fed Soc is a big boost for Menashi and Park and you have the grades.

I think people are being pessimistic because it seems to be that OP wants the SDNY clerkship on plan—that is going to be very hard to do. 3.9 from NYU or Columbia + Law Review on plan is not really that impressive.

I feel like the biggest issue here is OP’s desire to clerk on SDNY straight out of law school, not necessarily the credentials/plan stuff. Since most of the SDNY judges hire a few years out, OP will be trying for a subset of positions in an already super competitive district.

I also want to push back on 3.9 + LR being “not that impressive.” Coming out of 2L with a 3.9 at CLS means you’re on track for RBG, which puts you in the top 5% of the class in terms of grades. My year, only about half the RBG folks were on CLR, so we’re talking about one of the 10 best credentialed students in their year. Per the internal clerkships info, these people got competitive clerkships on plan with the first one starting a year after graduation.

[Anonymous User]

I'm dead-set on clerking in SDNY. I would like to become an AUSA. I go to a T6 in the Northeast and have mostly As (~3.9?) and am a member of Law Review and the Federalist Society.

What are the odds I get an SDNY clerkship on plan? Do any SDNY judges hire for someone's first year out of law school?

People are being overly pessimistic. You have a good chance of getting a clerkship in SDNY. But you will need to work first unless you get lucky with one of the brand new Biden appointees because the SDNY judges pretty much just don't hire people without work experience. Also, why literally only SDNY? It makes no sense to not at least apply to EDNY and probably 2d Cir. too. Fed Soc is a big boost for Menashi and Park and you have the grades.

I think people are being pessimistic because it seems to be that OP wants the SDNY clerkship on plan—that is going to be very hard to do. 3.9 from NYU or Columbia + Law Review on plan is not really that impressive.

I feel like the biggest issue here is OP’s desire to clerk on SDNY straight out of law school, not necessarily the credentials/plan stuff. Since most of the SDNY judges hire a few years out, OP will be trying for a subset of positions in an already super competitive district.

I also want to push back on 3.9 + LR being “not that impressive.” Coming out of 2L with a 3.9 at CLS means you’re on track for RBG, which puts you in the top 5% of the class in terms of grades. My year, only about half the RBG folks were on CLR, so we’re talking about one of the 10 best credentialed students in their year. Per the internal clerkships info, these people got competitive clerkships on plan with the first one starting a year after graduation.

During the rush of the plan a lot of these judges will have 2 or 3 spots and will be getting calls from heavy hitting Professors reccomending their favorite student. This is not to mention the other 3.9 + LR people who are 3Ls or current associates or those with a COA lined up. If I was a 2L and wanted a clerkship on plan I would not be applying to just SDNY with just LR + 3.9, because it will not be enough. I do think OP will be a solid candidate off-plan and will get interviews though. Since, he is Fed Soc, he should consider that. In a nutshell, I'm confident that OP could eventually get SDNY, I'm not confident that he would get it within the narrow confines of the plan.

[Anonymous User]

I'm dead-set on clerking in SDNY. I would like to become an AUSA. I go to a T6 in the Northeast and have mostly As (~3.9?) and am a member of Law Review and the Federalist Society.

What are the odds I get an SDNY clerkship on plan? Do any SDNY judges hire for someone's first year out of law school?

People are being overly pessimistic. You have a good chance of getting a clerkship in SDNY. But you will need to work first unless you get lucky with one of the brand new Biden appointees because the SDNY judges pretty much just don't hire people without work experience. Also, why literally only SDNY? It makes no sense to not at least apply to EDNY and probably 2d Cir. too. Fed Soc is a big boost for Menashi and Park and you have the grades.

A small correction: many SDNY judges hire people without work experience, but hire so far out that you’ll have experience by the time you actually clerk.

Park also isn’t very ideological in clerk hiring and is very grade-sensitive. But worth applying. Park is close with Richman and (obviously) Seo at CLS. Menashi is significantly less grade-sensitive and more ideology-sensitive; OP definitely has the grades for him. You should apply to both off-plan (and to any other off-plan COA judge you’re interested in). Ignore your clerkship office if they make it difficult. A COA in hand makes SDNY significantly more likely.

[Anonymous User]

I'm dead-set on clerking in SDNY. I would like to become an AUSA. I go to a T6 in the Northeast and have mostly As (~3.9?) and am a member of Law Review and the Federalist Society.

What are the odds I get an SDNY clerkship on plan? Do any SDNY judges hire for someone's first year out of law school?

People are being overly pessimistic. You have a good chance of getting a clerkship in SDNY. But you will need to work first unless you get lucky with one of the brand new Biden appointees because the SDNY judges pretty much just don't hire people without work experience. Also, why literally only SDNY? It makes no sense to not at least apply to EDNY and probably 2d Cir. too. Fed Soc is a big boost for Menashi and Park and you have the grades.

I think people are being pessimistic because it seems to be that OP wants the SDNY clerkship on plan—that is going to be very hard to do. 3.9 from NYU or Columbia + Law Review on plan is not really that impressive.

I also want to push back on 3.9 + LR being “not that impressive.” Coming out of 2L with a 3.9 at CLS means you’re on track for RBG, which puts you in the top 5% of the class in terms of grades. My year, only about half the RBG folks were on CLR, so we’re talking about one of the 10 best credentialed students in their year. Per the internal clerkships info, these people got competitive clerkships on plan with the first one starting a year after graduation.

Echoing this. 3.9 at NYU is top ten students (top 2%). SDNY isn’t a sure thing but OP would be very competitive.

[Anonymous User]

I'm dead-set on clerking in SDNY. I would like to become an AUSA. I go to a T6 in the Northeast and have mostly As (~3.9?) and am a member of Law Review and the Federalist Society.

What are the odds I get an SDNY clerkship on plan? Do any SDNY judges hire for someone's first year out of law school?

People are being overly pessimistic. You have a good chance of getting a clerkship in SDNY. But you will need to work first unless you get lucky with one of the brand new Biden appointees because the SDNY judges pretty much just don't hire people without work experience. Also, why literally only SDNY? It makes no sense to not at least apply to EDNY and probably 2d Cir. too. Fed Soc is a big boost for Menashi and Park and you have the grades.

I think people are being pessimistic because it seems to be that OP wants the SDNY clerkship on plan—that is going to be very hard to do. 3.9 from NYU or Columbia + Law Review on plan is not really that impressive.

I also want to push back on 3.9 + LR being “not that impressive.” Coming out of 2L with a 3.9 at CLS means you’re on track for RBG, which puts you in the top 5% of the class in terms of grades. My year, only about half the RBG folks were on CLR, so we’re talking about one of the 10 best credentialed students in their year. Per the internal clerkships info, these people got competitive clerkships on plan with the first one starting a year after graduation.

Echoing this. 3.9 at NYU is top ten students (top 2%). SDNY isn’t a sure thing but OP would be very competitive.

Again, I want to clarify this is on plan. 3.9 + LRs will probably get put in the resume pile to send to the judge, but judges hire only two to three clerks and SDNY especially likes work experience. A 3.8 + LR NYU first-year associate of which SDNY judges get many apps is way better than a 3.9 + LR NYU associate with no calls. There are barely any spots in SDNY relative to the amount of apps coming in and many judges are hiring the reccomended students from NYU/CLS of the top Professors. It really should not be that controversail to say a 3.9 + LR 2L is not destined for SDNY on-plan.

[Anonymous User]

I'm dead-set on clerking in SDNY. I would like to become an AUSA. I go to a T6 in the Northeast and have mostly As (~3.9?) and am a member of Law Review and the Federalist Society.

What are the odds I get an SDNY clerkship on plan? Do any SDNY judges hire for someone's first year out of law school?

People are being overly pessimistic. You have a good chance of getting a clerkship in SDNY. But you will need to work first unless you get lucky with one of the brand new Biden appointees because the SDNY judges pretty much just don't hire people without work experience. Also, why literally only SDNY? It makes no sense to not at least apply to EDNY and probably 2d Cir. too. Fed Soc is a big boost for Menashi and Park and you have the grades.

I think people are being pessimistic because it seems to be that OP wants the SDNY clerkship on plan—that is going to be very hard to do. 3.9 from NYU or Columbia + Law Review on plan is not really that impressive.

I also want to push back on 3.9 + LR being “not that impressive.” Coming out of 2L with a 3.9 at CLS means you’re on track for RBG, which puts you in the top 5% of the class in terms of grades. My year, only about half the RBG folks were on CLR, so we’re talking about one of the 10 best credentialed students in their year. Per the internal clerkships info, these people got competitive clerkships on plan with the first one starting a year after graduation.

Echoing this. 3.9 at NYU is top ten students (top 2%). SDNY isn’t a sure thing but OP would be very competitive.

Again, I want to clarify this is on plan. 3.9 + LRs will probably get put in the resume pile to send to the judge, but judges hire only two to three clerks and SDNY especially likes work experience. A 3.8 + LR NYU first-year associate of which SDNY judges get many apps is way better than a 3.9 + LR NYU associate with no calls. There are barely any spots in SDNY relative to the amount of apps coming in and many judges are hiring the reccomended students from NYU/CLS of the top Professors. It really should not be that controversail to say a 3.9 + LR 2L is not destined for SDNY on-plan.

Former SDNY clerk. It’s worth noting that judges differ in their preferences. Some judges are like you describe, but there are judges on SDNY who don’t care about work experience but care a ton about grades. (I.e. the ones who want SCOTUS-caliber resumes.) My judge certainly didn’t prefer first-years to 3Ls, especially since they hired 3-4 years in advance anyway. I don’t think 3.9 at NYU is safe (I know a 4.0 at CLS who struck out) but it’s certainly much more likely than not, especially with LR and Fed Soc. As others have noted the big limiter is class year.