Clerks Taking Questions Forum

(Seek and share information about clerkship applications, clerkship hiring timelines, and post-clerkship employment opportunities)
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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Jun 14, 2018 1:18 pm

Oh goodness.

All COAs are prestigious. To the extent any are actually more prestigious than any others, it’s the judge you clerk for, not the circuit.

2/9/DC are sought-after because people want to live in NYC/Cali/DC. And of course there are individual judges who are sought after because they’re feeders, who may or may not be in those circuits (I suspect DC may have more than others circuits, in part bc it’s DC).

Worrying about selling yourself short based on a circuit doesn’t make sense. If you’re worried about prestige, focus on judges over circuits. But it’s also not something you should be worried about. (Also if you have a shot at landing a feeder talk to your clerkship office or profs, they will have much better advice.)

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Jun 18, 2018 6:01 pm

Is anyone else waiting to hear back from COA judges? I just sent my apps and I hate the black hole feeling.

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Jun 18, 2018 8:17 pm

What's the best way to let my v100 firm know about leaving for a clerkship in the coming fall? '17 grad and been at the firm since the fall. In the last couple weeks I secured a D.Ct. clerkship in a flyover state that my firm doesn't have an office in. Ideally, I'd like to leave on good terms and come back. But, since our office hasn't had a junior associate in the last few years who have taken a clerkship, I don't really have any data points to gauge how the firm will react.

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by Barrred » Mon Jun 18, 2018 9:13 pm

Anonymous User wrote:What's the best way to let my v100 firm know about leaving for a clerkship in the coming fall? '17 grad and been at the firm since the fall. In the last couple weeks I secured a D.Ct. clerkship in a flyover state that my firm doesn't have an office in. Ideally, I'd like to leave on good terms and come back. But, since our office hasn't had a junior associate in the last few years who have taken a clerkship, I don't really have any data points to gauge how the firm will react.
Their reaction will depend on a mix between how much the firm institutionally values clerkships, and how badly understaffed it is. Find a partner that you trust/seems to care about your professional development (bonus points if they themselves clerked), and break the news to him in a positive/excited way. That way, the partner will find it hard not to share in your excitement (at least externally), and will then spread the word to the rest of the partnership, hopefully in a positive way (or at least it with a positive spin). About 3-5 days later, I'd start telling the senior people on your teams/matters, along with anyone you're friends with at the firm.

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Jun 19, 2018 9:29 am

Anonymous User wrote:Is anyone else waiting to hear back from COA judges? I just sent my apps and I hate the black hole feeling.
I feel you. Got a d. ct. clerkship relatively quickly, but have only had one bite from COA judge so far. Feeling discouraged.

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by axel.foley » Fri Jun 22, 2018 5:47 pm

For those of you who went clerkship --> biglaw and didn't become partner, how are the exit options? What are litigators doing 5, 10, 15 years out of a federal clerkship? Do most litigators take a substantial pay cut after biglaw (e.g. by doing PI/AUSA), and how did you deal with that?

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Jun 26, 2018 6:37 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:Is anyone else waiting to hear back from COA judges? I just sent my apps and I hate the black hole feeling.
I feel you. Got a d. ct. clerkship relatively quickly, but have only had one bite from COA judge so far. Feeling discouraged.
This. I feel like I'm applying so far out that I can't even be sure who is reviewing...it's not a fun wait.

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Sun Jul 01, 2018 10:29 am

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:Is anyone else waiting to hear back from COA judges? I just sent my apps and I hate the black hole feeling.
I feel you. Got a d. ct. clerkship relatively quickly, but have only had one bite from COA judge so far. Feeling discouraged.
This. I feel like I'm applying so far out that I can't even be sure who is reviewing...it's not a fun wait.
You're not applying that far out! I know of judges who are full for 2020--21. Also, good things can happen at any time! I got a call to interview with a 2/9/DC judge 6 months after I sent my applications in, and calls from d.ct. judges up to 9 months after I sent my applications in.

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Sun Jul 01, 2018 6:27 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:Is anyone else waiting to hear back from COA judges? I just sent my apps and I hate the black hole feeling.
I feel you. Got a d. ct. clerkship relatively quickly, but have only had one bite from COA judge so far. Feeling discouraged.
This. I feel like I'm applying so far out that I can't even be sure who is reviewing...it's not a fun wait.
You're not applying that far out! I know of judges who are full for 2020--21. Also, good things can happen at any time! I got a call to interview with a 2/9/DC judge 6 months after I sent my applications in, and calls from d.ct. judges up to 9 months after I sent my applications in.
Previous anon here. I'm applying for 2021-22. :roll: :cry:

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Jul 02, 2018 11:41 am

Has anyone heard of stories/anecdotal evidence of firms waiving the clerkship-bonus pro-rata repayment provision of an employment agreement if an associate leaves to do a second clerkship 11 months after starting at the firm? I know I have no contractual leg to stand on, but I am considering asking if they will just forgo the repayment provision given that I'm not leaving for another firm, and will almost certainly come back after this clerkship (several partners that I work for have explicitly told me that they want me back in a year, and that I have a spot). Dumb idea? Any chance they say yes? (I figure an awkward conversation with the recruiting/HR people is worth the potential of not being $4K poorer right as I take a 100% pay cut to work for the government for a year.)

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Jul 02, 2018 8:26 pm

Clerking for a Judge next year and visiting chambers this summer while in the area. I’m a guy. Do I wear a full suit? Suit no tie? Is jacket overkill?

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by Barrred » Tue Jul 03, 2018 12:04 am

Anonymous User wrote:Clerking for a Judge next year and visiting chambers this summer while in the area. I’m a guy. Do I wear a full suit? Suit no tie? Is jacket overkill?
Conservative answer: wear a suit, to be safe and deferential.
Moderate answer: what do the clerks and judge wear every day during the summer? Wear that. If you have intel that the judge requires male clerks to wear a suit and tie every day, even during the summer, then you should wear a suit. If you know the clerks dress down, you should feel comfortable dressing down to that level (though I wouldn't go more casual than business casual). Absent specific intel about the dress-code, you can probably use the "stodginess" of the judge as a rough proxy for how much they care about formality in dress.
Risk-taker answer: just wear business casual (slacks and a long-sleeved collared shirt, sleeves rolled up if its hot). You already have the job, the judge isn't going to pre-fire you for not wearing a coat and tie.

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Jul 06, 2018 8:35 am

Circuit clerkship interview next week. It's my first one, but I've had a few district clerkship interviews. Are there major differences in the interviews? Should I be focusing on different stuff?

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by coramnonjudice » Fri Jul 06, 2018 10:15 am

My judge has made clear that he/she expects some sort of gift at the end of my clerkship. Any idea what an appropriate gift would be?

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by Barrred » Fri Jul 06, 2018 12:00 pm

Anonymous User wrote:Circuit clerkship interview next week. It's my first one, but I've had a few district clerkship interviews. Are there major differences in the interviews? Should I be focusing on different stuff?
My personal experience was that district court interviews focused more on your personality/work habits, whereas circuit interviews focused more on your legal acumen, though your mileage may vary. Read some of that judge's recent opinions, and be able to talk about a few cases that the supreme court has decided in the past year. Also, come up with a stock 2-3 sentence answer about your "judicial philosophy" (how you think judges should generally approach legal questions), in case you get such a question. Good luck!

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Jul 12, 2018 7:12 am

I interviewed with a judge a while back who asked me to keep chambers informed of other offers. i have two new interviews coming up -- should I inform the first judge about the interviews in case I get an exploding offer, or wait?

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Sun Jul 15, 2018 2:57 pm

I've seen a few postings for district and even COA clerkship openings that are just a few months away. Why would a judge have a short notice opening like that? Should I do anything special to prepare for the interview?

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Sun Jul 15, 2018 3:40 pm

Probably their current clerks had a job opportunity come up that was too good to refuse, or a family emergency or the like. It’s possible that the judge had to fire someone, but I don’t think that’s super common.

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by BlackAndOrange84 » Sun Jul 15, 2018 4:07 pm

Anonymous User wrote:I've seen a few postings for district and even COA clerkship openings that are just a few months away. Why would a judge have a short notice opening like that? Should I do anything special to prepare for the interview?
I know there's at least one judge out there's who really old and waits until the last second to hire clerks.

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by Fireworks2016 » Sun Jul 15, 2018 6:42 pm

Barrred wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:Clerking for a Judge next year and visiting chambers this summer while in the area. I’m a guy. Do I wear a full suit? Suit no tie? Is jacket overkill?
Conservative answer: wear a suit, to be safe and deferential.
Moderate answer: what do the clerks and judge wear every day during the summer? Wear that. If you have intel that the judge requires male clerks to wear a suit and tie every day, even during the summer, then you should wear a suit. If you know the clerks dress down, you should feel comfortable dressing down to that level (though I wouldn't go more casual than business casual). Absent specific intel about the dress-code, you can probably use the "stodginess" of the judge as a rough proxy for how much they care about formality in dress.
Risk-taker answer: just wear business casual (slacks and a long-sleeved collared shirt, sleeves rolled up if its hot). You already have the job, the judge isn't going to pre-fire you for not wearing a coat and tie.
FWIW, I visited chambers when I was apartment hunting (far from where I was living at the time). I wore shorts and a tee -- It was 90+ degrees out. Judge was not at all bothered by my wardrobe. But he was also a super chill, cool guy, so YMMV.

My second judge also would not have had an issue with it -- but he was all about a casual (polo and slacks) chambers.

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COA response time

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Jul 16, 2018 2:14 pm

I had two circuit court clerkship interviews, one two weeks ago and the other two and a half. So far nothing, how long did people hear back when applying to COA?

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Jul 16, 2018 4:27 pm

Anyone interview with Judge Raggi (2d) or Judge Krause (3d) for the 2020 term recently?

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Re: COA response time

Post by mahlonpitneybowes » Tue Jul 24, 2018 3:35 pm

Anonymous User wrote:I had two circuit court clerkship interviews, one two weeks ago and the other two and a half. So far nothing, how long did people hear back when applying to COA?
I'm still waiting to hear over a year later on one COA interview...

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Jul 25, 2018 2:09 am

I received an offer seven weeks after interviewing for a COA position. Don't think that is overly common and the passage of two and a half weeks is not a great sign but you shouldn't rule it out. Sometimes other priorities come up in chambers or another candidate of interest is unable to schedule the interview for a bit.

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Jul 25, 2018 9:13 am

How big of a deal is a leadership position (EIC, ME, etc.) on a secondary journal compared to being Editorial Board for LR? Is the difference minimal, or pretty big if you have the requisite grades/recommenders/connections/etc.?

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