DOJ Honors Program 2018-2019 Forum

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone heard back from crm - trial atty? Been designated as a finalist but have not heard back otherwise. Just wanted to make sure that I'm an alternate.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone a finalist with Crim Tax? Anyone receive an offer from Civ Tax?

Crim Tax finalist as well (interviewed Oct. 31; at least 2 reference checks by Nov. 2). Anyone heard of any Tax offers yet? Based on last year's timing, I suspect I'm an alternate, but Deana hasn't posted yet so there seems to still be a chance.

Pretty much same boat minus the specific details. Pretty slim odds that there are three alternates checking in here but no offerees (especially since people are more inclined to share the good news of getting an offer than news of just waiting). Makes me wonder if they haven’t actually made first round offers yet. Perhaps the lack of an AAG and the upheaval in the front office has delayed things (here’s hoping).

Looks like from last year's thread that the offers went out/slots were filled the Monday after Thanksgiving for all the Tax positions.

Another Crim Tax finalist here. Found out I was a finalist 11/15, radio silence since. I'm assuming I'm an alternate at this point, but would love to hear if anyone has in fact received/accepted an offer.

[Anonymous User]

Received/Accepted offer for OCIJ in the Houston Immigration Court. Anyone aware of a Facebook group for OCIJ yet? Should we get a google doc going for the court offers?

Congratulations! Do you know if your references were checked and when??

Thank you! I'm actually a funnel from SLIP so I didn't interview/have references checked. Houston was my #1 choice.

Did you intern at Houston beforehand?

I was a SLIP on the West Coast, but was a VLI in Houston beforehand

[Anonymous User]

Anyone a finalist with Crim Tax? Anyone receive an offer from Civ Tax?

Crim Tax finalist as well (interviewed Oct. 31; at least 2 reference checks by Nov. 2). Anyone heard of any Tax offers yet? Based on last year's timing, I suspect I'm an alternate, but Deana hasn't posted yet so there seems to still be a chance.

Pretty much same boat minus the specific details. Pretty slim odds that there are three alternates checking in here but no offerees (especially since people are more inclined to share the good news of getting an offer than news of just waiting). Makes me wonder if they haven’t actually made first round offers yet. Perhaps the lack of an AAG and the upheaval in the front office has delayed things (here’s hoping).

Looks like from last year's thread that the offers went out/slots were filled the Monday after Thanksgiving for all the Tax positions.

Another Crim Tax finalist here. Found out I was a finalist 11/15, radio silence since. I'm assuming I'm an alternate at this point, but would love to hear if anyone has in fact received/accepted an offer.

Civ tax finalist and haven't received an offer. Interviewed with crim tax and I can't tell whether I'm a finalist but needless to say, no offer.

[Anonymous User]

Accepted Consumer last week. Good luck all!

[Anonymous User]

Just accepted with Civil Tax. Good luck everyone!

[Anonymous User]

Hi guys,

I received an OCIJ Offer for Varick St. in NYC. I can't remember if I ranked it #1 or #2 (I ranked both NYC courts as my Top 2). I interviewed on the second day, and had my references checked starting the following week. Good luck everyone else waiting, and don't panic. This week will be a slower rollout because of Thanksgiving . Try and enjoy tomorrow!

Just received/accepted an OCIJ Offer for Varick St in NYC as well! Interviewed on Nov 2 in NYC, references checked around Nov 8, and then offer came this afternoon. Varick St was my #1 (ranked main court as #2). Surprised they didn’t send me to Cleveland since it was my #3 and much less desirable. Good luck everyone else.

Also for those who will ask - non slip, currently in a state trial-level clerkship, top 30% at law school ranked in the 60s with journal experience.

[Anonymous User]

I interviewed before Halloween for OCIJ/had my references checked around then. Should I just give up hope on an offer?

[Anonymous User]

I interviewed before Halloween for OCIJ/had my references checked around then. Should I just give up hope on an offer?

No not at all. As you know from the news there's been a lot of upheaval in DOJ so I think things are moving slower this year. In the past, it looks like if they've checked your references you're a first round pick. I'd just be patient with them at this point but don't give up hope just yet.

[mr18]

Hi guys,

I received an OCIJ Offer for Varick St. in NYC. I can't remember if I ranked it #1 or #2 (I ranked both NYC courts as my Top 2). I interviewed on the second day, and had my references checked starting the following week. Good luck everyone else waiting, and don't panic. This week will be a slower rollout because of Thanksgiving . Try and enjoy tomorrow!

Just received/accepted an OCIJ Offer for Varick St in NYC as well! Interviewed on Nov 2 in NYC, references checked around Nov 8, and then offer came this afternoon. Varick St was my #1 (ranked main court as #2). Surprised they didn’t send me to Cleveland since it was my #3 and much less desirable. Good luck everyone else.

That's awesome, congrats! We'll definitely have to stay in touch later into the Spring/Summer

[Anonymous User]

I received/accepted an offer from OCIJ this afternoon for the San Francisco court (1st Preference). Interviewed on 11/2 and at least one of my references was checked on 11/14. Good luck to everyone else!

I don't have anything particularly prestigious nor am I from a top school; no moot court or journal experience. I focused on externing/interning instead and did a full-time summer internship at one of the immigration courts this past summer. Also currently in a clinic.

[Anonymous User]

At least some crm trial offers have gone out

[Anonymous User]

Just accepted with Civil Tax. Good luck everyone!

Do you mind disclosing when in the cycle you had your interview?

[Anonymous User]

Just accepted with Civil Tax. Good luck everyone!

Did the offer come by phone or e-mail?

[Anonymous User]

For those waiting for OCIJ offers—Last year, I interviewed in October, my references were checked immediately, and I received an offer in March. I heard nothing from October-March. I ended up declining. I have no idea if I was a first round pick, but it definitely takes time.

[Anonymous User]

For those waiting for OCIJ offers—Last year, I interviewed in October, my references were checked immediately, and I received an offer in March. I heard nothing from October-March. I ended up declining. I have no idea if I was a first round pick, but it definitely takes time.

That's pretty ridiculous. Why do they interview so early?

[Anonymous User]

For those waiting for OCIJ offers—Last year, I interviewed in October, my references were checked immediately, and I received an offer in March. I heard nothing from October-March. I ended up declining. I have no idea if I was a first round pick, but it definitely takes time.

Did you decline because you had already accepted an offer elsewhere or because the offer wasn't at a location you were willing to move to?

Also, that's ridiculous that they would make an offer 5 months after interviewing you with no communications in between. I don't quite understand that strategy...

[Anonymous User]

For those waiting for OCIJ offers—Last year, I interviewed in October, my references were checked immediately, and I received an offer in March. I heard nothing from October-March. I ended up declining. I have no idea if I was a first round pick, but it definitely takes time.

That's pretty ridiculous. Why do they interview so early?

Because interviewing is run centrally by OARM and all components have to go through interviewing at the same time to take part in the program and get candidates approved for hiring. The relevant question is really why the offer was so late, and, no disrespect meant to the March offeree, they were clearly not a first round pick. OCIJ hires a ton of people (relatively speaking) and has to figure out where to place them. Someone gets made an offer for a particular location, they ponder, turn it down, it goes back to OCIJ, they pick someone else for that location, that person may turn it down, etc. I think people are also more likely to turn down OCIJ than other components because they can’t know where their placement will be until they get the offer, and they might decide some locations aren’t worth it. So each year OCIJ hiring consistently trickles on into the spring. It sucks for the candidates (and probably the hiring people as well), but there’s not much that can be done if offerees take their full time to decide before turning down the position and OCIJ goes on to alternates. (That and just that federal hiring is slow.)

Also when you interview has no real bearing on when offers go out. There’s a set interview period, no one gets an offer until that’s all concluded, so interviewing at the beginning of the interview period just guarantees you wait longer. Really the lack of communication is between being designated a finalist in November and March, not between when you interview and March. (Again, I get that it’s long, but it’s how the system works. Everything makes clear that if you’re designated a finalist you’re either getting an offer or you’re an alternate, and you don’t get a rejection until all the hiring is done. So it’s clear how it works. In the past people have contacted OCIJ based on other outstanding offers and it’s clear they can’t always say where you stand while the process is still underway bc they just don’t know who’s going to accept an outstanding offer until everything is done.)

[Anonymous User]

For those waiting for OCIJ offers—Last year, I interviewed in October, my references were checked immediately, and I received an offer in March. I heard nothing from October-March. I ended up declining. I have no idea if I was a first round pick, but it definitely takes time.

Curious to know if this person was really insistent on one court/area of the country or if they put lots of places, I feel like that probably could affect this.

[Anonymous User]

For those waiting for OCIJ offers—Last year, I interviewed in October, my references were checked immediately, and I received an offer in March. I heard nothing from October-March. I ended up declining. I have no idea if I was a first round pick, but it definitely takes time.

Curious to know if this person was really insistent on one court/area of the country or if they put lots of places, I feel like that probably could affect this.

You will never know. I know people who were placed at courts they didn’t even rank. They’re trying to place 120 people so I think we can all agree it just might take some time.

[Anonymous User]

For those waiting for OCIJ offers—Last year, I interviewed in October, my references were checked immediately, and I received an offer in March. I heard nothing from October-March. I ended up declining. I have no idea if I was a first round pick, but it definitely takes time.

That's pretty ridiculous. Why do they interview so early?

Because interviewing is run centrally by OARM and all components have to go through interviewing at the same time to take part in the program and get candidates approved for hiring. The relevant question is really why the offer was so late, and, no disrespect meant to the March offeree, they were clearly not a first round pick. OCIJ hires a ton of people (relatively speaking) and has to figure out where to place them. Someone gets made an offer for a particular location, they ponder, turn it down, it goes back to OCIJ, they pick someone else for that location, that person may turn it down, etc. I think people are also more likely to turn down OCIJ than other components because they can’t know where their placement will be until they get the offer, and they might decide some locations aren’t worth it. So each year OCIJ hiring consistently trickles on into the spring. It sucks for the candidates (and probably the hiring people as well), but there’s not much that can be done if offerees take their full time to decide before turning down the position and OCIJ goes on to alternates. (That and just that federal hiring is slow.)

Also when you interview has no real bearing on when offers go out. There’s a set interview period, no one gets an offer until that’s all concluded, so interviewing at the beginning of the interview period just guarantees you wait longer. Really the lack of communication is between being designated a finalist in November and March, not between when you interview and March. (Again, I get that it’s long, but it’s how the system works. Everything makes clear that if you’re designated a finalist you’re either getting an offer or you’re an alternate, and you don’t get a rejection until all the hiring is done. So it’s clear how it works. In the past people have contacted OCIJ based on other outstanding offers and it’s clear they can’t always say where you stand while the process is still underway bc they just don’t know who’s going to accept an outstanding offer until everything is done.)

Thanks for sharing all of this information -- it makes sense that getting an offer as an alternate may take some time, but do you know when all of the first round offers are given out? Are they already all out or are there still more to come? Asking specifically about OCIJ. TIA.

[Anonymous User]

Just accepted with Civil Tax. Good luck everyone!

Do you mind disclosing when in the cycle you had your interview?

I had my interview early in the cycle. The offer came by phone from a contact at DOJ Tax.

[amandaknotts]

Received/Accepted offer for OCIJ in the Houston Immigration Court. Anyone aware of a Facebook group for OCIJ yet? Should we get a google doc going for the court offers?

Yes! We should!

[Anonymous User]

For those waiting for OCIJ offers—Last year, I interviewed in October, my references were checked immediately, and I received an offer in March. I heard nothing from October-March. I ended up declining. I have no idea if I was a first round pick, but it definitely takes time.

That's pretty ridiculous. Why do they interview so early?

Because interviewing is run centrally by OARM and all components have to go through interviewing at the same time to take part in the program and get candidates approved for hiring. The relevant question is really why the offer was so late, and, no disrespect meant to the March offeree, they were clearly not a first round pick. OCIJ hires a ton of people (relatively speaking) and has to figure out where to place them. Someone gets made an offer for a particular location, they ponder, turn it down, it goes back to OCIJ, they pick someone else for that location, that person may turn it down, etc. I think people are also more likely to turn down OCIJ than other components because they can’t know where their placement will be until they get the offer, and they might decide some locations aren’t worth it. So each year OCIJ hiring consistently trickles on into the spring. It sucks for the candidates (and probably the hiring people as well), but there’s not much that can be done if offerees take their full time to decide before turning down the position and OCIJ goes on to alternates. (That and just that federal hiring is slow.)

Also when you interview has no real bearing on when offers go out. There’s a set interview period, no one gets an offer until that’s all concluded, so interviewing at the beginning of the interview period just guarantees you wait longer. Really the lack of communication is between being designated a finalist in November and March, not between when you interview and March. (Again, I get that it’s long, but it’s how the system works. Everything makes clear that if you’re designated a finalist you’re either getting an offer or you’re an alternate, and you don’t get a rejection until all the hiring is done. So it’s clear how it works. In the past people have contacted OCIJ based on other outstanding offers and it’s clear they can’t always say where you stand while the process is still underway bc they just don’t know who’s going to accept an outstanding offer until everything is done.)

Thanks for sharing all of this information -- it makes sense that getting an offer as an alternate may take some time, but do you know when all of the first round offers are given out? Are they already all out or are there still more to come? Asking specifically about OCIJ. TIA.

Ya, I think this is the most fair response. It is true this is a unique hiring process, but perhaps it would be more palatable to applicants if it were more transparent. It would be nice to know, for example, if and when all first round offers have been made, and what exactly a first round offer means. If all first round offers are made and hypothetically everyone accepts does that mean all positions are filled?

[amandaknotts]

Hi, Friends,

EOIR OCIJ finalist here. References were checked before designated as a finalist, but haven't received an offer.

For geographic preferences I put (1) Seattle or (2) anywhere. Anyone else put Seattle on their location preference sheet? Any other "anywheres" get offers?