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Anonymous User wrote:I have 2 friends who have each already interviewed with about 5 NY V20 firms for a fall start (one who already accepted an offer), and I have an interview set up with a major DC firm for early January. I think hiring gets pushed earlier and earlier each year in this constant race to the bottom (see clerk hiring and OCI dates).

FWIW, I think the boutiques hire later, and the bigger big law firms are always going to need associates in the junior and mid-level ranks, so the specific hiring needs aren't as relevant for them. But this is all completely anecdotal evidence.

About when did each of you start applying?

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:I have 2 friends who have each already interviewed with about 5 NY V20 firms for a fall start (one who already accepted an offer), and I have an interview set up with a major DC firm for early January. I think hiring gets pushed earlier and earlier each year in this constant race to the bottom (see clerk hiring and OCI dates).

FWIW, I think the boutiques hire later, and the bigger big law firms are always going to need associates in the junior and mid-level ranks, so the specific hiring needs aren't as relevant for them. But this is all completely anecdotal evidence.

About when did each of you start applying?

I'm curious about when you started applying as well, and I'm also curious how you went about it? Just cold emails to the firm's recruiting contacts?

Also how are people scheduling interviews from non-East Coast locations? Are firms flying you out and how did you approach taking time off with your judge?

clerk1251 wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:I have 2 friends who have each already interviewed with about 5 NY V20 firms for a fall start (one who already accepted an offer), and I have an interview set up with a major DC firm for early January. I think hiring gets pushed earlier and earlier each year in this constant race to the bottom (see clerk hiring and OCI dates).

FWIW, I think the boutiques hire later, and the bigger big law firms are always going to need associates in the junior and mid-level ranks, so the specific hiring needs aren't as relevant for them. But this is all completely anecdotal evidence.

About when did each of you start applying?

I'm curious about when you started applying as well, and I'm also curious how you went about it? Just cold emails to the firm's recruiting contacts?

The one who accepted applied back in October, the one who hasn't in November, and I applied last week. I think they just sent through cold emails, and I knew a person to send to directly.

To the people asking about DC, I know people who have interviewed with GDC and Williams.

Anonymous User wrote:Also how are people scheduling interviews from non-East Coast locations? Are firms flying you out and how did you approach taking time off with your judge?

Firms have been paying for travel.

Working out time off with the judge is going to vary a lot depending on the judge. If you haven't figured out your judge's policies on that yet, probably ask your JA.

Anonymous User wrote:

clerk1251 wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:I have 2 friends who have each already interviewed with about 5 NY V20 firms for a fall start (one who already accepted an offer), and I have an interview set up with a major DC firm for early January. I think hiring gets pushed earlier and earlier each year in this constant race to the bottom (see clerk hiring and OCI dates).

FWIW, I think the boutiques hire later, and the bigger big law firms are always going to need associates in the junior and mid-level ranks, so the specific hiring needs aren't as relevant for them. But this is all completely anecdotal evidence.

About when did each of you start applying?

I'm curious about when you started applying as well, and I'm also curious how you went about it? Just cold emails to the firm's recruiting contacts?

The one who accepted applied back in October, the one who hasn't in November, and I applied last week. I think they just sent through cold emails, and I knew a person to send to directly.

Anon from earlier, what's the experience been in terms of response rates from firms? Mostly "too early" responses with a few bites or the other way around? Trying to get a sense if this move earlier is so far limited to a few firms or is beginning to become the norm.

Re: response rate

Of the four firms I've applied to, three have gotten back to me with interviews and one has said wait til February.

However, a couple of the firms who wanted to schedule interviews told me they were in no rush, and I could have scheduled at least through January or Feb.

What's the general consensus on how to mass mail firms? Email a cover letter and resume to the recruiting contact? If I have no particular ties to or interest in the firm (other than the fact that it's a V-whatever), what's the substance of my cover letter?

My school doesn't have a clerkship advisor right now, so I'm turning to you all for guidance. This is where I think a headhunter would be helpful (reviewing resume and cover letter), but the consensus seems to be that firms prefer that you reach out directly.

TatteredDignity wrote:What's the general consensus on how to mass mail firms? Email a cover letter and resume to the recruiting contact? If I have no particular ties to or interest in the firm (other than the fact that it's a V-whatever), what's the substance of my cover letter?

My school doesn't have a clerkship advisor right now, so I'm turning to you all for guidance. This is where I think a headhunter would be helpful (reviewing resume and cover letter), but the consensus seems to be that firms prefer that you reach out directly.

From looking at a bunch of firm websites lately, some seem to be much more clerk-friendly than others. By that I mean that some firm sites have a specific page for judicial clerks that tell them how to apply. Others don't even mention clerk hiring at all.

Anonymous User wrote:

TatteredDignity wrote:What's the general consensus on how to mass mail firms? Email a cover letter and resume to the recruiting contact? If I have no particular ties to or interest in the firm (other than the fact that it's a V-whatever), what's the substance of my cover letter?

My school doesn't have a clerkship advisor right now, so I'm turning to you all for guidance. This is where I think a headhunter would be helpful (reviewing resume and cover letter), but the consensus seems to be that firms prefer that you reach out directly.

From looking at a bunch of firm websites lately, some seem to be much more clerk-friendly than others. By that I mean that some firm sites have a specific page for judicial clerks that tell them how to apply. Others don't even mention clerk hiring at all.

I've noticed the same thing. Some firms definitely make it easier.

But even for firms that say "clerks, email your resume to recruiting@bigfirm.com, I can't tell whether a resume and a brief email will suffice, or if a full cover letter would be better.

TatteredDignity wrote:What's the general consensus on how to mass mail firms? Email a cover letter and resume to the recruiting contact? If I have no particular ties to or interest in the firm (other than the fact that it's a V-whatever), what's the substance of my cover letter?

My school doesn't have a clerkship advisor right now, so I'm turning to you all for guidance. This is where I think a headhunter would be helpful (reviewing resume and cover letter), but the consensus seems to be that firms prefer that you reach out directly.

I've had success with sending the following barebones email right to the recruiting contact from the websites:

Dear [Recruiting Person],

I am a [X] Law School graduate and a law clerk on the United States Court of Appeals for the [Y] Circuit interested in applying for a position as an associate at [Firm Z] for next fall. Attached please find my cover letter, resume, and transcript.

Thank you,
/s/me

Anonymous User wrote:

TatteredDignity wrote:What's the general consensus on how to mass mail firms? Email a cover letter and resume to the recruiting contact? If I have no particular ties to or interest in the firm (other than the fact that it's a V-whatever), what's the substance of my cover letter?

My school doesn't have a clerkship advisor right now, so I'm turning to you all for guidance. This is where I think a headhunter would be helpful (reviewing resume and cover letter), but the consensus seems to be that firms prefer that you reach out directly.

I've had success with sending the following barebones email right to the recruiting contact from the websites:

Dear [Recruiting Person],

I am a [X] Law School graduate and a law clerk on the United States Court of Appeals for the [Y] Circuit interested in applying for a position as an associate at [Firm Z] for next fall. Attached please find my cover letter, resume, and transcript.

Thank you,
/s/me

Two questions: if you want to apply to different offices of the same firm, independently hit up each? Also, what the hell do you put in a cover letter to a firm? I've got actual firm experience (clerking as a mid level) and really don't know what I would say, really.

Anyone know what the response time line is compared to regular mass mailing?

I mailed out a couple "feelers". Got rejected from one place immediately saying they weren't hiring clerks. Waiting on a couple others.

It's only been a couple days but this is reminiscent of OCI mass mailing where I heard back from very, very few places.

Responding to the two inquiries above:

1) Re: content of cover letter: I went with the less-is-more tack and just let my resume do the talking. My cover letter was ~four sentences and wasn't really tailored to the firm. I just had one sentence that said something like: "I am particularly interested in [Firm] due to [one short reason]."

2) Re: response rate and timing: I think this will vary depending on the firms you're applying to (and, likely, the strength of your resume). I have had a decent hit rate so far, but I don't think I could extrapolate based on that. And as to timing, I've had a handful of firms bring me in for an interview, and have had one tell me they won't start hiring until February. Of the firms that brought me in for an interview, they contacted me anywhere from two days to a ~month after I sent that initial email.

My wife is in her last year of medical school, and will be finding out where her 5+ year residency will be in mid-March. Should I apply to firms in the various cities she is targeting before that?

Anonymous User wrote:

TatteredDignity wrote:What's the general consensus on how to mass mail firms? Email a cover letter and resume to the recruiting contact? If I have no particular ties to or interest in the firm (other than the fact that it's a V-whatever), what's the substance of my cover letter?

My school doesn't have a clerkship advisor right now, so I'm turning to you all for guidance. This is where I think a headhunter would be helpful (reviewing resume and cover letter), but the consensus seems to be that firms prefer that you reach out directly.

I've had success with sending the following barebones email right to the recruiting contact from the websites:

Dear [Recruiting Person],

I am a [X] Law School graduate and a law clerk on the United States Court of Appeals for the [Y] Circuit interested in applying for a position as an associate at [Firm Z] for next fall. Attached please find my cover letter, resume, and transcript.

Thank you,
/s/me

Very helpful. Thanks!

Anonymous User wrote:My wife is in her last year of medical school, and will be finding out where her 5+ year residency will be in mid-March. Should I apply to firms in the various cities she is targeting before that?

When does your clerkship end? But yeah seems like that's probably the best way to do it. Feel free to PM.

When would y'all start applying to gov't jobs/firms if your clerkship concludes around December 2017 or Jan 2018? Same Jan-Feb timeline?

Anonymous User wrote:When would y'all start applying to gov't jobs/firms if your clerkship concludes around December 2017 or Jan 2018? Same Jan-Feb timeline?

If by "gov't jobs" you mean honors programs, you missed the boat for a start date in 2017 or early 2018. But you might still be eligible to apply for honors starting in fall 2018 if you clerkship runs through January 2018 (at least for DOJ). Not sure though if you are looking at attorney advisor positions. In correspondence with a couple fed agencies, it seemed like they started reviewing resumes 4-6 months out from the start date.

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:When would y'all start applying to gov't jobs/firms if your clerkship concludes around December 2017 or Jan 2018? Same Jan-Feb timeline?

If by "gov't jobs" you mean honors programs, you missed the boat for a start date in 2017 or early 2018. But you might still be eligible to apply for honors starting in fall 2018 if you clerkship runs through January 2018 (at least for DOJ). Not sure though if you are looking at attorney advisor positions. In correspondence with a couple fed agencies, it seemed like they started reviewing resumes 4-6 months out from the start date.

In looking at some main justice postings from years past, they have said they want to pool resumes at certain points. Any thoughts on applying, even though it would be about a huge wait time (18 months, in clerkship currently)

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:When would y'all start applying to gov't jobs/firms if your clerkship concludes around December 2017 or Jan 2018? Same Jan-Feb timeline?

If by "gov't jobs" you mean honors programs, you missed the boat for a start date in 2017 or early 2018. But you might still be eligible to apply for honors starting in fall 2018 if you clerkship runs through January 2018 (at least for DOJ). Not sure though if you are looking at attorney advisor positions. In correspondence with a couple fed agencies, it seemed like they started reviewing resumes 4-6 months out from the start date.

In looking at some main justice postings from years past, they have said they want to pool resumes at certain points. Any thoughts on applying, even though it would be about a huge wait time (18 months, in clerkship currently)

Might be worth applying. I've heard back from some gov jobs saying "too soon for us, but email me again later because you seem like a good fit."

From what I can gather, most of the top-flight lit boutiques are moving at this point.

Anonymous User wrote:From what I can gather, most of the top-flight lit boutiques are moving at this point.

What's the basis for this? And what do you mean by "moving?" Interviews?

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:From what I can gather, most of the top-flight lit boutiques are moving at this point.

What's the basis for this? And what do you mean by "moving?" Interviews?

Scheduling interviews, making offers.