Clerks Taking Questions Forum
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Anonymous Posting
Anonymous posting is only appropriate when you are sharing sensitive information about clerkship applications and clerkship hiring. You may anonymously respond on topic to these threads. Unacceptable uses include: harassing another user, joking around, testing the feature, or other things that are more appropriate in the lounge.
Failure to follow these rules will get you outed, warned, or banned."
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Re: Clerks Taking Questions
Thank you both for your responses. While all of the former clerks I spoke to mentioned that they learned a lot, some mentioned that the judge wasn't very organized in giving feedback on their written product.
I'm just worried that I may be boxing myself into an opportunity that I may later come to regret. This was my first COA interview. I already have a district court clerkship lined up. I would like to see what other interviews I can get, but, at the same time, I don't want to throw away any opportunity that might come my way.
I'm just worried that I may be boxing myself into an opportunity that I may later come to regret. This was my first COA interview. I already have a district court clerkship lined up. I would like to see what other interviews I can get, but, at the same time, I don't want to throw away any opportunity that might come my way.
- rpupkin
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Re: Clerks Taking Questions
Many judges—probably most judges—provide no feedback on your written work, aside from instructions for you to fix or revise something. It's the rare judge who gives organized feedback about a clerk's writing.Anonymous User wrote:Thank you both for your responses. While all of the former clerks I spoke to mentioned that they learned a lot, some mentioned that the judge wasn't very organized in giving feedback on their written product.
- mjb447
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Re: Clerks Taking Questions
+1. I've almost never received feedback on my writing that wasn't directed at fixing specific issues with a specific draft. This wouldn't cause me any hesitation. (It's fine if that kind of mentoring is really important to you - there just aren't as many judges who do it as you might think based on all the clerking hype.)rpupkin wrote:Many judges—probably most judges—provide no feedback on your written work, aside from instructions for you to fix or revise something. It's the rare judge who gives organized feedback about a clerk's writing.Anonymous User wrote:Thank you both for your responses. While all of the former clerks I spoke to mentioned that they learned a lot, some mentioned that the judge wasn't very organized in giving feedback on their written product.
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Re: Clerks Taking Questions
Oh. If that's what you mean by organized no one gives "feedback" in that way at any level. Hyperbole but the chance of you stumbling into one is pretty small.Anonymous User wrote:Thank you both for your responses. While all of the former clerks I spoke to mentioned that they learned a lot, some mentioned that the judge wasn't very organized in giving feedback on their written product.
I'm just worried that I may be boxing myself into an opportunity that I may later come to regret. This was my first COA interview. I already have a district court clerkship lined up. I would like to see what other interviews I can get, but, at the same time, I don't want to throw away any opportunity that might come my way.
Your feedback is what they tell you to cut and add.
- grand inquisitor
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Re: Clerks Taking Questions
the only non-editing advice my judge gave me was telling me to brief cases exactly as the curmudgeon's guide dictates
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- A. Nony Mouse
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Re: Clerks Taking Questions
I had one judge who teaches appellate writing and taught me a TON about writing and one who...not so much. (I learned plenty from the second one, just not about writing.)
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Re: Clerks Taking Questions
Bit of a strange question, but the people in this thread have been super helpful in the past: does anyone have any information about post-clerking firm positions overseas? I'll be clerking starting in 2 months and hope to have another clerkship for 2018 (both D. Ct. flyover). My grades were good, law journal + moot court, 2L biglaw SA, but my school was T3. I also would know the language of where I would want to go and have some connection there (Asia).
I did see on NALP that a few firms like MOFO hire post-clerkship directly for their foreign offices, but they haven't hired anyone from a clerkship in the past few years. From my understanding, it's much more common to work a few years in a US office before transferring over.
I did see on NALP that a few firms like MOFO hire post-clerkship directly for their foreign offices, but they haven't hired anyone from a clerkship in the past few years. From my understanding, it's much more common to work a few years in a US office before transferring over.
- rpupkin
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Re: Clerks Taking Questions
Most overseas positions are transactional, where your clerkship is of little value. There are also some international arbitration groups in overseas firms but, again, a clerkship isn't going to help much for any open positions in those groups.Anonymous User wrote:Bit of a strange question, but the people in this thread have been super helpful in the past: does anyone have any information about post-clerking firm positions overseas?
I had a friend who—for various personal reasons—wanted a job in Asia after his clerkship, and he found that his clerkship was actually a detriment. He had more than one interviewer ask why he wasn't working at a firm instead of clerking.
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Re: Clerks Taking Questions
Yeah, I would be specifically targeting firms with litigation groups abroad, like MOFO, and I know those positions aren't very numerous compared to all the transactional positions available. I figured that a clerkship going into a litigation position would be seen as positive even if it was overseasrpupkin wrote:Most overseas positions are transactional, where your clerkship is of little value. There are also some international arbitration groups in overseas firms but, again, a clerkship isn't going to help much for any open positions in those groups.Anonymous User wrote:Bit of a strange question, but the people in this thread have been super helpful in the past: does anyone have any information about post-clerking firm positions overseas?
I had a friend who—for various personal reasons—wanted a job in Asia after his clerkship, and he found that his clerkship was actually a detriment. He had more than one interviewer ask why he wasn't working at a firm instead of clerking.
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Re: Clerks Taking Questions
Curious about the process for updating through OSCAR.
We just got LR results / I landed a good externship and I want to include both on an update resume.
On OSCAR you can just go in to a finalized application, click edit, and change any attached document, then save, and it tells you that you've updated your application.
But, for example, in Judge Pillard's position instructions, it includes the line: "If you wish to update any part of your existing application, send an email with the word "update" in the subject line and your first and last name in the body of the email to [EMAIL]. After we receive your email, we will modify your access so that you can update other portions of your application."
I'm able to update my application for her just like every other application. What does this mean?
Also do chambers get emails/notifications when an app is updated through OSCAR?
We just got LR results / I landed a good externship and I want to include both on an update resume.
On OSCAR you can just go in to a finalized application, click edit, and change any attached document, then save, and it tells you that you've updated your application.
But, for example, in Judge Pillard's position instructions, it includes the line: "If you wish to update any part of your existing application, send an email with the word "update" in the subject line and your first and last name in the body of the email to [EMAIL]. After we receive your email, we will modify your access so that you can update other portions of your application."
I'm able to update my application for her just like every other application. What does this mean?
Also do chambers get emails/notifications when an app is updated through OSCAR?
- Lavitz
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Re: Clerks Taking Questions
It's probably just an outdated part of her instructions they didn't bother to change after OSCAR started allowing people to update finalized apps.Anonymous User wrote:Curious about the process for updating through OSCAR.
We just got LR results / I landed a good externship and I want to include both on an update resume.
On OSCAR you can just go in to a finalized application, click edit, and change any attached document, then save, and it tells you that you've updated your application.
But, for example, in Judge Pillard's position instructions, it includes the line: "If you wish to update any part of your existing application, send an email with the word "update" in the subject line and your first and last name in the body of the email to [EMAIL]. After we receive your email, we will modify your access so that you can update other portions of your application."
I'm able to update my application for her just like every other application. What does this mean?
Also do chambers get emails/notifications when an app is updated through OSCAR?
I know they can choose to receive daily or weekly e-mails about new and withdrawn applications, but I'm not sure whether the e-mails include updates. If they look at your name on the applicants list, they'll see that it's been updated though.
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Re: Clerks Taking Questions
When do my ethical obligations as a clerk terminate? LIke is it 5:00 p.m. on my last day? With my last paycheck? When my benefits terminate?
- mjb447
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Re: Clerks Taking Questions
Which obligations?Anonymous User wrote:When do my ethical obligations as a clerk terminate? LIke is it 5:00 p.m. on my last day? With my last paycheck? When my benefits terminate?
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- rpupkin
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Re: Clerks Taking Questions
These are excellent questions to ask a judge during an interview.Anonymous User wrote:When do my ethical obligations as a clerk terminate? LIke is it 5:00 p.m. on my last day? With my last paycheck? When my benefits terminate?
- Mr. Blackacre
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Re: Clerks Taking Questions
I'm sure every judge will be more than happy to answer that kind of question in an interview and not at all wonder whether it's weird that the applicant can't wait to be discharged of the ethical obligations they'll be under. I don't see why you can't ask that kind of question after you're hired, and as you're planning your exit options.rpupkin wrote:These areAnonymous User wrote:When do my ethical obligations as a clerk terminate? LIke is it 5:00 p.m. on my last day? With my last paycheck? When my benefits terminate?excellentterrible questions to ask a judge during an interview.
- rpupkin
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Re: Clerks Taking Questions
Dude, it was a joke. Of course it's a terrible question to ask during an interview. It's actually not a great question to ask during your clerkship either, as any clerk should understand that certain ethical obligations don't end with the clerkship. As mjb's response gets at, the anon's question is too broad. Anon should tell us what his/her question is really about.Mr. Blackacre wrote:I'm sure every judge will be more than happy to answer that kind of question in an interview and not at all wonder whether it's weird that the applicant can't wait to be discharged of the ethical obligations they'll be under. I don't see why you can't ask that kind of question after you're hired, and as you're planning your exit options.rpupkin wrote:These areAnonymous User wrote:When do my ethical obligations as a clerk terminate? LIke is it 5:00 p.m. on my last day? With my last paycheck? When my benefits terminate?excellentterrible questions to ask a judge during an interview.
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Re: Clerks Taking Questions
You guys went ballistic, jeezus. I'm finishing my term in a month here. I just want to know when can go back to posting my garbage political views on facebook.
I should have been more specific. The obligation I mean is to not engage in matters of public controversy. Think Canon 5 of federal clerk handbook
I should have been more specific. The obligation I mean is to not engage in matters of public controversy. Think Canon 5 of federal clerk handbook
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- jrf12886
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Re: Clerks Taking Questions
When you walk out the door on your last day.Anonymous User wrote:You guys went ballistic, jeezus. I'm finishing my term in a month here. I just want to know when can go back to posting my garbage political views on facebook.
I should have been more specific. The obligation I mean is to not engage in matters of public controversy. Think Canon 5 of federal clerk handbook
- Lincoln
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Re: Clerks Taking Questions
PSA: When asking professors for LORs in support of clerkship applications, make sure you know the letters will be good ones. Your clerkship office or former students who are now clerking should be able to give you advice on this. We recently received a LOR from a CCN prof that contained exactly three sentences about the applicant's qualifications, and one of them was "I am afraid I don't have much more to say."
- BVest
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Re: Clerks Taking Questions
That is cold.
Last edited by BVest on Sat Jan 27, 2018 1:43 am, edited 1 time in total.
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- mjb447
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Re: Clerks Taking Questions
Yeah, that's almost like the prof going out of his way to ensure that this person wastes their clerkship apps (which isn't great for the school either). Yikes.Gray wrote:Damn you'd think the prof would just decline to write the letter.Lincoln wrote:PSA: When asking professors for LORs in support of clerkship applications, make sure you know the letters will be good ones. Your clerkship office or former students who are now clerking should be able to give you advice on this. We recently received a LOR from a CCN prof that contained exactly three sentences about the applicant's qualifications, and one of them was "I am afraid I don't have much more to say."
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Re: Clerks Taking Questions
.
Last edited by Anonymous User on Sat Jul 29, 2017 11:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Clerks Taking Questions
Seriously. I recently read a rec that said, "X is not brilliant, but s/he is hard-working and attractive."Lincoln wrote:PSA: When asking professors for LORs in support of clerkship applications, make sure you know the letters will be good ones. Your clerkship office or former students who are now clerking should be able to give you advice on this. We recently received a LOR from a CCN prof that contained exactly three sentences about the applicant's qualifications, and one of them was "I am afraid I don't have much more to say."
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Re: Clerks Taking Questions
I am starting my fed clerkship in a week. Besides mailing in my HR forms, I haven't received really any information about compensation or benefits. I am supposed to attend a wedding the third week of september and I haven't been able to provide the couple a firm RSVP because I still don't have information on whether I'll be able to take vacation (and if so, whether I could take several days six weeks in). Any advice? Obviously not reaching out to the judge about this but I did ask HR about pto policy and received no response. I sort of can't put it off any longer.
Seriously? What are you waiting for?
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