DOJ Honors Program 2024-25 Forum

[Anonymous User]

Out of curiosity, did the election results change anyone's interest in accepting a potential offer? Maybe more relevant to the politically sensitive sections, but I wonder what the yield rate on offers will be this year.

[Anonymous User]

I was really hoping Deana would have posted an update by now confirming that all finalists are out. I'm still kind of hoping (irrationally, I know) that some components missed the deadline and that finalists might still be coming.

Deana's lack of updates this year, compared to her posting nearly daily in years past, strikes me as odd, especially because it seems that there are several components that have not yet posted finalists. Not sure if it has something to do with the upcoming administration change, I've heard some speculation about whether divisions such as CRT might cancel the Honors Program this year due to changes anticipated under Trump. I'm not even sure that a cancellation is allowed at this point, but Deana's silence is, nonetheless, cryptic.

Yeah it's kind of crazy that she hasn't posted in 10 days?? So much for the update "next week" that she promised us. I'm pretty frustrated at how different this year seems to be.

[LAwStUdent2389]

One little phone call right now would really help my exam week spirits

[Anonymous User]

I was really hoping Deana would have posted an update by now confirming that all finalists are out. I'm still kind of hoping (irrationally, I know) that some components missed the deadline and that finalists might still be coming.

Deana's lack of updates this year, compared to her posting nearly daily in years past, strikes me as odd, especially because it seems that there are several components that have not yet posted finalists. Not sure if it has something to do with the upcoming administration change, I've heard some speculation about whether divisions such as CRT might cancel the Honors Program this year due to changes anticipated under Trump. I'm not even sure that a cancellation is allowed at this point, but Deana's silence is, nonetheless, cryptic.

Yeah it's kind of crazy that she hasn't posted in 10 days?? So much for the update "next week" that she promised us. I'm pretty frustrated at how different this year seems to be.

Wheeeeeere is Deana?! I thought for sure she would be back to posting today. Mysterious...

[Anonymous User]

Anyone else waiting for non-components such as UST? If your references are called, I wonder if that's a good sign.

[Anonymous User]

Rejected from UST on Avue

[Anonymous User]

New update from Deana on the Community tab of Avue:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HP Update as of 12/5/2024
Hi, all:

Sorry to be MIA. Family stuff, Thanksgiving and a case of the plague (not really, but it feels that way), so I'm in catch-up mode.

Here we go:

1. I've posted all the finalists for all hiring offices. Without getting people too spun up, it is possible that one or two more will be identified. Very, extremely, limited possibility, but not zero.

2. As of this morning, I've sent non-finalist notices to folks who were not identified as a finalist and have really, really, tried to do it by hiring office. I'm missing a few and had to defer sending notices for those offices so if you are feeling uninformed, that's why. Still - if you had an offer in hand and were waiting to see if you might receive an offer elsewhere, this may help in your decision-making process.

3. If you receive a non-finalist notice and the hiring offices wishes to reconsider, we'll be in touch. That happens. Again, limited, restricted, very small number but not zero.

4. If you had multiple interviews, you might be a finalist for one office and get a non-finalist notice for another. Each hiring office makes independent hiring decisions, which is part of why it takes a while to coordinate the notices.

5. Typically, my office is asked to reach out to the pool in the spring on an ad hoc basis as other HP opportunities become available. I have no way to guess what might happen this year given ongoing budget uncertainties, but if something pops up, we'll let you know.

6. Offers have been going out since before Thanksgiving and we are tracking responses. A number of outstanding offers are still pending. As components/hiring offices meet their hiring goals, I'll notify remaining finalists and try to post updates.

[Anonymous User]

For finalists, if your component reaches its hiring goal, does your status change from "finalist" to something else?

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone else both not seen a finalist designation and not received a non-finalist notification for a particular office? My understanding from Deana's last post was that most non-finalists should have received a notice of that, but I've neither received that notice nor been marked a finalist for this office on Avue.

[Anonymous User]

I also haven't received a finalist notification or a non-finalist notification! I don't know what to do.

[Anonymous User]

I also haven't received a finalist notification or a non-finalist notification! I don't know what to do.

I was in a similar sitch and just emailed Deana to ask and she responded right away saying I will not be getting an offer!

[rk2396872]

Does anyone know if the D.C. USAO requires you to be barred in D.C. for you to detail there?

[lialadiva]

Does anyone know of people who have been extended offers later after rejections have been sent out?

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone know of people who have been extended offers later after rejections have been sent out?

I've never seen it done at my office but can't say it never happens. Usually if we have someone fail background or loses their offer late in the process we just forgo the slot instead of looking to rehire.

That said, I don't think there's anything that stops us from hiring someone we previously rejected. If you were a finalist/had references checked, I would recommend trying to clerk for a year and reapply. That clerkship may be enough to push you through the next time. When I was hired through the program, my office had around ~250 applicants per slot and only selected 3-4 interviews per slot and designated 1-2 finalists.

[Anonymous User]

Just posting a quick recap of my application process for posterity. When I was trying to read tea leaves I was wishing someone had laid it out in totality.

* Only one interview: ATR civil (one office).
* 2/3 references checked 1 week after interview
* 2 weeks after reference checks, component drops off status checker. Finalist designation later that afternoon.
* 4 weeks after finalist designation, rejection email.

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone know of people who have been extended offers later after rejections have been sent out?

I think this is most likely to happen with the EOIR immigration court clerkships. There are a lot of them, some of them are in places that not all law grads want to go (no shade to Florence, AZ or Lumpkin, GA), and I think some people apply because they want a federal job but decide to go in a different direction b/c they get concerned about being buttonholed into immigration. So historically, people here have reported offers I think as late as January, as those offers are made and people turn them down.

I think it’s pretty unlikely with most other components, I’m afraid. Though I can’t say it never happens.

[ibanez04]

Has anyone who accepted an offer a few weeks ago still not received a formal offer letter from OARM? A friend of mine who accepted a position in a different division a week or so after me already received hers, as well as her login information for e-QIP. My avue portal reflects that I accepted my offer, but that's it.

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone who accepted an offer a few weeks ago still not received a formal offer letter from OARM? A friend of mine who accepted a position in a different division a week or so after me already received hers, as well as her login information for e-QIP. My avue portal reflects that I accepted my offer, but that's it.

Depends on how fast your component processes your paperwork. For the feds, you don't have a formal offer until you have your start date. I didn't get mine until May.

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone who accepted an offer a few weeks ago still not received a formal offer letter from OARM? A friend of mine who accepted a position in a different division a week or so after me already received hers, as well as her login information for e-QIP. My avue portal reflects that I accepted my offer, but that's it.

Yeah I haven't heard anything after accepting, my portal also changed.

When I did SLIP last year I got my offer around mid-December but didn't get my e-QIP until mid-January. I think each Division/Section's HR office kicks off the e-QIP process, which is why there's variance between offices. If the government shuts down (lol, lmao even,) that'll delay things even more.

[Anonymous User]

I was really hoping Deana would have posted an update by now confirming that all finalists are out. I'm still kind of hoping (irrationally, I know) that some components missed the deadline and that finalists might still be coming.

Deana's lack of updates this year, compared to her posting nearly daily in years past, strikes me as odd, especially because it seems that there are several components that have not yet posted finalists. Not sure if it has something to do with the upcoming administration change, I've heard some speculation about whether divisions such as CRT might cancel the Honors Program this year due to changes anticipated under Trump. I'm not even sure that a cancellation is allowed at this point, but Deana's silence is, nonetheless, cryptic.

Yeah it's kind of crazy that she hasn't posted in 10 days?? So much for the update "next week" that she promised us. I'm pretty frustrated at how different this year seems to be.

Wheeeeeere is Deana?! I thought for sure she would be back to posting today. Mysterious...

I was designated as a finalist about a week after my interview (this is for SLIP, EOIR OCIJ). Then about 2 or 3 weeks after that, she said SLIP EOIR finalists were up. I'm like......I've been a finalist since the first week of November. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? It almost makes me think that I'm an alternative. Meh. Hate this waiting game and then no updates from her. I'm trying so hard to stay positive, but it's rough!

[zmaz]

Does anybody know if Federal Programs ended up making any offers? I’ve heard of various things happening with different components, likely as a result of the election, so I’m curious to know if anybody can confirm whether FEDP did in fact make offers this cycle.

[Anonymous User]

Just got offer rescinded due to Trump hiring freeze

[Anonymous User]

Out of curiosity, did the election results change anyone's interest in accepting a potential offer? Maybe more relevant to the politically sensitive sections, but I wonder what the yield rate on offers will be this year.

Well, if anyone declined an offer due to the election, it turns out that those people made the smart move.

[Anonymous User]

Just had my offer revoked through a form OARM email

ATR, Washington Criminal Section

This sucks.

[Anonymous User]

Offer also revoked… fuck.