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Might be the only clerk… am I screwed?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2025 8:23 pm
by Anonymous User
Onboarding for a clerkship with a non-senior District Judge in a pretty busy urban district in the South, and a lot of what the judge has said has implied that he only has a single clerk for the year (only mentioning that I should meet with his one current clerk, no mention of co-clerks, etc). This seems very abnormal—anyone have experience with being the only clerk for a full-time judge?
Re: Might be the only clerk… am I screwed?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2025 8:54 pm
by Anonymous User
I think I might know who this judge is... does the city name start with J?
But yes, this is unusual af
Re: Might be the only clerk… am I screwed?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2025 9:59 pm
by Anonymous User
That’s strange. Does the judge handle a lot of stuff themselves? The upside is that you’re bound to end up quite close with that judge by the end of it.
Re: Might be the only clerk… am I screwed?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2025 10:01 pm
by lavarman84
Does the judge have two JAs? Or is it possible the other clerk for this year left a little early?
Re: Might be the only clerk… am I screwed?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2025 10:37 pm
by Anonymous User
Anonymous User wrote: ↑Tue Aug 05, 2025 8:54 pm
I think I might know who this judge is... does the city name start with J?
But yes, this is unusual af
Starts with a T, and he’s a late Biden appointee.
Anonymous User wrote: ↑Tue Aug 05, 2025 9:59 pm
That’s strange. Does the judge handle a lot of stuff themselves? The upside is that you’re bound to end up quite close with that judge by the end of it.
It’s a crim-heavy district and he’s an ex-AUSA, so maybe?
lavarman84 wrote: ↑Tue Aug 05, 2025 10:01 pm
Does the judge have two JAs? Or is it possible the other clerk for this year left a little early?
Possibly? Unsure—he definitely has at least one, but I’ve only seen one cc’d on email chains.
Re: Might be the only clerk… am I screwed?
Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2025 8:34 pm
by Anonymous User
Did he say anything to imply you're replacing his current clerk or are you assuming that? It's fairly common to have one career clerk and one term clerk. Or the current clerk could be there for a two year term and you're replacing either a one-year term clerk or one who's term ended early for various reasons.
Re: Might be the only clerk… am I screwed?
Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2025 6:36 pm
by Anonymous User
Is it possible that he has a career clerk and is only having you interact with the other term clerk, because that’s who you will be coordinating the hand-off with?
Re: Might be the only clerk… am I screwed?
Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2025 10:35 pm
by Anonymous User
I had totally forgotten about career clerks--it's definitely a handoff from the exiting clerk, and if he has a career clerk that would explain it. Thanks, makes me less nervous for September.