DOJ Honors Program 2019-2020 Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hello Everyone -

I figured I might as well start a new thread for the next term of the DOJ Honors Program. I hope everyone who just took a bar exam is relaxing somewhere warm with a pool! Best of luck to everyone!

[Anonymous User]

Thanks for starting this thread!

Does anyone have insight into whether our rankings of formal components have any monumental significance? Specifically, are there any components that won't consider you if you don't rank them first (or conversely, if you rank them third)? Much appreciated!

[Anonymous User]

Thanks for starting this thread!

Does anyone have insight into whether our rankings of formal components have any monumental significance? Specifically, are there any components that won't consider you if you don't rank them first (or conversely, if you rank them third)? Much appreciated!

Anon because I went through this in a past year. It’s my understanding that yes, some components will only consider you if you rank them first. I heard that this was true for Crim and Civil Rights (but in past years the latter has just been crazy selective generally. Not sure what state it’s in now). I can’t confirm for certain, though, I don’t hire for any components. FWIW, I got interviews with my first and third choices, and got hired by my third choice, so it’s not universal at all.

[Anonymous User]

Thanks for starting this thread!

Does anyone have insight into whether our rankings of formal components have any monumental significance? Specifically, are there any components that won't consider you if you don't rank them first (or conversely, if you rank them third)? Much appreciated!

Anon because I went through this in a past year. It’s my understanding that yes, some components will only consider you if you rank them first. I heard that this was true for Crim and Civil Rights (but in past years the latter has just been crazy selective generally. Not sure what state it’s in now). I can’t confirm for certain, though, I don’t hire for any components. FWIW, I got interviews with my first and third choices, and got hired by my third choice, so it’s not universal at all.

Awesome, thanks! Unfortunately I'm shooting for both Crim and Civil, so I'll have to really think about these rankings...

[Anonymous User]

Just submitted my application. Looking for trial work with the Department.

[Anonymous User]

Just submitted my application. Looking for trial work with the Department.

Which components did you rank?

[Anonymous User]

Just submitted my application. Looking for trial work with the Department.

Which components did you rank?

1. Crim - (1) Reg (2) AFML
2. CRT
3. Civ - (1) App (2) Comm (3) Oil-App (4) Tort (5) Oil-DC

you?

[Anonymous User]

Are there any components where clerking beforehand is more or less a prerequisite? I don't want to waste a choice if it is.

Also (and this is probably hard to answer), are there any components where having done a state government fellowship with lots of experience in administrative enforcement/litigation would be a big plus?

[Anonymous User]

Are there any components where clerking beforehand is more or less a prerequisite? I don't want to waste a choice if it is.

Also (and this is probably hard to answer), are there any components where having done a state government fellowship with lots of experience in administrative enforcement/litigation would be a big plus?

Anecdotal, but from my time interning at the department, pretty much every civ and crim honors attorney I've come across has clerked. The more competitive Civ sections it seems to be a necessity, with crim as a whole not far behind--FWIW the only Crim honors attorneys I've met w/o a clerkship had significant public service experience before law school

[Anonymous User]

I can't remember how I arranged the divisions within the components, but these are the components I chose:
1. Civil Rights
2. Civil
3. Crim

I'm gunning for appellate. I am also applying to some of the informal AUSA jobs.

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone know what DOJ expects for the “additional information” box at the end of the application? It’s 4,000 words, so I don’t want to pass up the opportunity to provide more information but also don’t want to write something redundant just for the sake of filling it out.

[Anonymous User]

At least when I applied, that was where you were supposed to list answers to some of the earlier questions that told you to list things in the additional info section (like EOIR wanted you to list any pertinent immigration background as part of the additional information), as well as all the resume-ish things that didn't fit into the boxes on the form. For ex. pertinent coursework, law school honors (law review/moot court etc) and activities, rank, grade scale your school uses, undergrad honors, scholarships, and anything else you've accomplished you want them to know about. Again, when I applied, you didn't get to submit a resume until you got an interview, so it was your place to include all resume info that wasn't literally the school you'd attended and job you'd held - there weren't any other spaces on the app to include the honors etc I just described. (I know interface for the app has changed somewhat since I applied and I can't look at the current app to see what the current description says, but when I applied it was a fairly important section.)

[lavarman84]

At least when I applied, that was where you were supposed to list answers to some of the earlier questions that told you to list things in the additional info section (like EOIR wanted you to list any pertinent immigration background as part of the additional information), as well as all the resume-ish things that didn't fit into the boxes on the form. For ex. pertinent coursework, law school honors (law review/moot court etc) and activities, rank, grade scale your school uses, undergrad honors, scholarships, and anything else you've accomplished you want them to know about. Again, when I applied, you didn't get to submit a resume until you got an interview, so it was your place to include all resume info that wasn't literally the school you'd attended and job you'd held - there weren't any other spaces on the app to include the honors etc I just described. (I know interface for the app has changed somewhat since I applied and I can't look at the current app to see what the current description says, but when I applied it was a fairly important section.)

I think that's still fairly accurate now. There opportunities to list some of that stuff, but I listed activities, publications, and awards that didn't fit neatly into other sections and were on my resume. I also listed my class ranking.

[Anonymous User]

In for Crim, Antitrust, and ALJ clerk under EOIR.

[Anonymous User]

Is it possible that applying to only one formal component would be held against an applicant (doj may infer a lack of true interest)?

[Anonymous User]

Just submitted my application. Looking for trial work with the Department.

Which components did you rank?

1. Crim - (1) Reg (2) AFML
2. CRT
3. Civ - (1) App (2) Comm (3) Oil-App (4) Tort (5) Oil-DC

you?

1. CRIM (reg)
2. CRT
3. EOIR-BIA

Now the anxiety begins!

[Anonymous User]

Just submitted my application. Looking for trial work with the Department.

Which components did you rank?

1. Crim - (1) Reg (2) AFML
2. CRT
3. Civ - (1) App (2) Comm (3) Oil-App (4) Tort (5) Oil-DC

you?

1. CRIM (reg)
2. CRT
3. EOIR-BIA

Now the anxiety begins!

I applied for AF JAG too. Application due Aug 10, board was last week, but I received an email that we would not be notified of results until October. Gotta love the government waiting game

[Anonymous User]

Is it possible that applying to only one formal component would be held against an applicant (doj may infer a lack of true interest)?

Not that I’m aware of. Components are really different and if you only want one I doubt that component will care. And other components will never know.

[Anonymous User]

anon b/c current applicant.

Checking in:
1) Civil
2) US Trustee
3) Crim

[Anonymous User]

Any bets on when interview selectees are released? Im guessing the 25th or 26th.

[Anonymous User]

Any bets on when interview selectees are released? Im guessing the 25th or 26th.

HP interviews go out the afternoon of October 1.

[Anonymous User]

Any bets on when interview selectees are released? Im guessing the 25th or 26th.

HP interviews go out the afternoon of October 1.

Ahh, just saw the message on Avue. Thanks.

[philthy]

Any bets on when interview selectees are released? Im guessing the 25th or 26th.

HP interviews go out the afternoon of October 1.

Ahh, just saw the message on Avue. Thanks.

I haven't seen any messages in avue. Was it in your inbox or was there a general posting somewhere?

[Anonymous User]

Any bets on when interview selectees are released? Im guessing the 25th or 26th.

HP interviews go out the afternoon of October 1.

Ahh, just saw the message on Avue. Thanks.

Where did you see this on Avue? I checked my inbox, and the last message I have is from when I submitted my application. #sos

[Anonymous User]

Any bets on when interview selectees are released? Im guessing the 25th or 26th.

HP interviews go out the afternoon of October 1.

Ahh, just saw the message on Avue. Thanks.

Where did you see this on Avue? I checked my inbox, and the last message I have is from when I submitted my application. #sos

The community tab on Avue, right next to your inbox.