Clerks Taking Questions Forum

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mjb447

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by mjb447 » Wed Aug 16, 2017 7:27 pm

Anonymous User wrote:So I just started and feel completely lost l/inadequate. I'm hoping this goes away as I get comfortable with the job? Just looking for some reassurance
Yes. Takes lots of people several months to feel "comfortable" (and some never do - depends on judge and personality).

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rpupkin

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by rpupkin » Wed Aug 16, 2017 9:43 pm

Anonymous User wrote:Trying to reach a Judge's chambers. The number isn't posted on the court's directory online, and I can't find it anywhere else online. Is it ok to call the court's main number (the clerk's office) and ask to be transferred?
Sure, call the court's main number. (I'm assuming you have a good reason for calling.)

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rpupkin

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by rpupkin » Wed Aug 16, 2017 9:44 pm

Anonymous User wrote:Hi all: I have a quick question about scheduling an interview. I got a voicemail from chambers last wednesday to schedule an interview. I called back on friday and left a message, and haven't heard back yet. I *think* the judge is on vacation, so chambers probably is too.
If you haven't heard back by next Monday, I'd follow up with a call.

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Aug 17, 2017 6:12 am

rpupkin wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:Hi all: I have a quick question about scheduling an interview. I got a voicemail from chambers last wednesday to schedule an interview. I called back on friday and left a message, and haven't heard back yet. I *think* the judge is on vacation, so chambers probably is too.
If you haven't heard back by next Monday, I'd follow up with a call.
Thank you!

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jrf12886

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by jrf12886 » Thu Aug 17, 2017 6:31 pm

Anonymous User wrote:So I just started and feel completely lost l/inadequate. I'm hoping this goes away as I get comfortable with the job? Just looking for some reassurance
I felt that way for the first 2-3 weeks of my first clerkship, but ended up loving the job.

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lavarman84

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by lavarman84 » Thu Aug 17, 2017 7:41 pm

jrf12886 wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:So I just started and feel completely lost l/inadequate. I'm hoping this goes away as I get comfortable with the job? Just looking for some reassurance
I felt that way for the first 2-3 weeks of my first clerkship, but ended up loving the job.
I expect I'll feel the same. I feel like I know how to do nothing right now (and don't know where to start). Luckily, my chambers seems great (as do the other judges at the courthouse).

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Aug 18, 2017 1:39 am

Anonymous User wrote:So I just started and feel completely lost l/inadequate. I'm hoping this goes away as I get comfortable with the job? Just looking for some reassurance
Started this week as well. Also feel completely lost (as in still trying to get a grasp of what the job entails/make sense of what's happening). It's not you, it just takes time. I at least feel more on top of things today than I did earlier this week.

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Aug 18, 2017 9:28 am

Why do some judges request LSAT score?

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A. Nony Mouse

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by A. Nony Mouse » Fri Aug 18, 2017 9:35 am

Anonymous User wrote:Why do some judges request LSAT score?
Presumably they think it tells them something meaningful. I had one judge ask - I went to the local state flagship and I suspect he wanted to know where I fell in the range of applicants, and maybe whether I could have gone to a higher-ranked school but chose not to (there were a lot of people at my school who only considered that school because they were from there and wanted to stay there so why go elsewhere? So going to that school didn't necessarily say much about someone's strengths as an applicant). But I'm speculating.

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Aug 18, 2017 10:27 am

Anonymous User wrote:Why do some judges request LSAT score?
My judge asked for this. Had nothing to do with figuring out whether someone could have gone to a higher-ranked school. He just believed it gave some indication of the applicant's ability to think logically, and he said that previous clerks he had with low LSAT scores struggled with the job.

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Aug 18, 2017 11:59 am

OSCAR question: If I delete a document from my account that I used for an application, will it affect my application? For example, if I delete a PDF cover letter I used, will the judge still have it on their end?

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by clerk1251 » Fri Aug 18, 2017 3:18 pm

Anonymous User wrote:OSCAR question: If I delete a document from my account that I used for an application, will it affect my application? For example, if I delete a PDF cover letter I used, will the judge still have it on their end?
If your application has already been finalized, you're fine.

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Aug 18, 2017 10:07 pm

Presuming (maybe wrongly?) that its okay to mail a hard-copy application and have my school send my letters of recommendation afterwards? No indication (although I didn't ask) that the judge wanted both at the same time.

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mjb447

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by mjb447 » Fri Aug 18, 2017 10:35 pm

Anonymous User wrote:Presuming (maybe wrongly?) that its okay to mail a hard-copy application and have my school send my letters of recommendation afterwards? No indication (although I didn't ask) that the judge wanted both at the same time.
Pretty common when the judge doesn't specify otherwise. May wish to address in cover letter ("Letters from Profs X, Y, and Z will arrive separately" or similar.)

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jrf12886

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by jrf12886 » Sun Aug 20, 2017 10:06 am

Anonymous User wrote:Presuming (maybe wrongly?) that its okay to mail a hard-copy application and have my school send my letters of recommendation afterwards? No indication (although I didn't ask) that the judge wanted both at the same time.
In my experience, this is completely normal/acceptable.

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radio1nowhere

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by radio1nowhere » Sun Aug 20, 2017 2:33 pm

mjb447 wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:Presuming (maybe wrongly?) that its okay to mail a hard-copy application and have my school send my letters of recommendation afterwards? No indication (although I didn't ask) that the judge wanted both at the same time.
Pretty common when the judge doesn't specify otherwise. May wish to address in cover letter ("Letters from Profs X, Y, and Z will arrive separately" or similar.)
Definitely do this, and include contact info for the recommenders in the cover letter. I got my COA clerkship before one of my recommenders had even written the rec letter — the judge just called him for an oral rec.

There does exist a (very) small group of judges who want rec letters to come with the rest of the app, but those judges should note that preference on OSCAR. See, e.g., Judge Bowdre on N.D. Ala.

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Aug 22, 2017 11:58 am

Anonymous User wrote:Why do some judges request LSAT score?
Where do we indicate it on our app? Include it as a separate document? Similar to a grade sheet?

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A. Nony Mouse

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by A. Nony Mouse » Tue Aug 22, 2017 12:24 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:Why do some judges request LSAT score?
Where do we indicate it on our app? Include it as a separate document? Similar to a grade sheet?
I wouldn't include it on an application, unless the judge has express directions to do so - normally they'll just ask later. Putting it on without being asked would look very weird. If they do want that info I'd put it on my resume next to my GPA or the like.

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by lolwat » Tue Aug 22, 2017 6:00 pm

A. Nony Mouse wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:Why do some judges request LSAT score?
Where do we indicate it on our app? Include it as a separate document? Similar to a grade sheet?
I wouldn't include it on an application, unless the judge has express directions to do so - normally they'll just ask later. Putting it on without being asked would look very weird. If they do want that info I'd put it on my resume next to my GPA or the like.
I think i put it next to GPA for the one or two judges who ask for it (kleinfeld for sure; maybe graber or someone else too?).

I assume the idea is that the judge might look at students not at a t14 but had qualifications to get in a t14, like if somebody had a 4.0ug and 180lsat but went to a state school or somewhere they got a full ride instead. But who knows ?

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by runinthefront » Tue Aug 22, 2017 8:02 pm

One of my judges asked me for my LSAT score completely out of the blue, mid-interview. I had no warning/no prior reason to think (s)he even cared.
Last edited by runinthefront on Fri Jan 26, 2018 10:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Aug 22, 2017 8:06 pm

How much easier does it make it to get a COA clerkship if you have a district clerkship lined up? I have a district clerkship lined up for 19-20, and I am planning to apply to COA judges after my 2L grades (at least fall) are up. Any thoughts?

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FascinatedWanderer

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by FascinatedWanderer » Tue Aug 22, 2017 8:11 pm

It definitely doesn't hurt but the answer is "it depends." Things it depends on include:

Whether your judge is well respected
Whether your judge will make calls for you already
The quality of the district you're clerking in
Which CoA clerkships you're applying for

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A. Nony Mouse

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by A. Nony Mouse » Tue Aug 22, 2017 8:26 pm

I have known enough people who parlayed a DCt clerkship into a COA clerkship that I think it's a bit more of a boost than "it definitely doesn't hurt," but I agree it does depend on where you're applying.

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anon sequitur

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by anon sequitur » Tue Aug 22, 2017 8:33 pm

Just anecdata, but I know someone who got a longshot D.Ct. clerkship, so was only marginally competitive for that position, and then got several non-feeder CoA interviews and an offer in a moderately desirable location (i.e., not NY/SF/LA, but not Little Rock or whatever). I think it's a pretty significant boost, it seems like someone who can do a D.Ct. clerkship well enough to get a judge's recommendation is going to be able to be safe pick.

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jrf12886

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Re: Clerks Taking Questions

Post by jrf12886 » Tue Aug 22, 2017 9:34 pm

Anonymous User wrote:How much easier does it make it to get a COA clerkship if you have a district clerkship lined up? I have a district clerkship lined up for 19-20, and I am planning to apply to COA judges after my 2L grades (at least fall) are up. Any thoughts?
Obviously this varies a lot from judge to judge. I think it's generally a pretty noticeable "bump." But the bump is much larger if your D. Ct. clerkship is in the same geographic area as the COA judge. For example, having a SDNY clerkship definitely helps in getting a 2d Cir. clerkship. As others have mentioned, the reputation of the D. Ct. judge will also make some difference. Some circuit judges even require a D. Ct. clerkship.

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