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I targeted DC firms last year and had a lot of success. All of my apps were sent by the second week of January. By early Feb, I had an offer from the firm I ultimately accepted. This is all obviously anecdotal, but my advice would be to apply early-mid January.

Anonymous User wrote:I targeted DC firms last year and had a lot of success. All of my apps were sent by the second week of January. By early Feb, I had an offer from the firm I ultimately accepted. This is all obviously anecdotal, but my advice would be to apply early-mid January.

Did you send in your applications to the firms' recruiters via email/apply through websites, or did you go about it differently?

Applying for clerkships is giving me a terrible frame of reference for applying for firms--I applied for at least 40 during 2L. I have no idea how many firms to apply to. I didn't do a 2L SA. I'm middle of the road (maybe slightly below median but they don't tell us) YHS doing a District Clerkship. I've applied for half a dozen so far, but is this the kind of thing where I should be thinking about applying for 20+?

Anonymous User wrote:Applying for clerkships is giving me a terrible frame of reference for applying for firms--I applied for at least 40 during 2L. I have no idea how many firms to apply to. I didn't do a 2L SA. I'm middle of the road (maybe slightly below median but they don't tell us) YHS doing a District Clerkship. I've applied for half a dozen so far, but is this the kind of thing where I should be thinking about applying for 20+?

I think the best way to do it, and the way I am planning on doing it, is in waves. I'm ranking the firms I'd want to work at most, on a three tier system. Then I'm going to apply to the firms I'd most want to work at first (my own tier one ranking), then wait a few weeks and move on to my second tiered ranking, and then third. Might be a silly approach, but in my mind, I don't want to get myself into a position where I "settle" for a firm, simply because they moved faster, when I could have gone to a firm that would have been a better fit for me.

I approached applying for my clerkship in a similar manner, and it seemed to work out well.

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Applying for clerkships is giving me a terrible frame of reference for applying for firms--I applied for at least 40 during 2L. I have no idea how many firms to apply to. I didn't do a 2L SA. I'm middle of the road (maybe slightly below median but they don't tell us) YHS doing a District Clerkship. I've applied for half a dozen so far, but is this the kind of thing where I should be thinking about applying for 20+?

I think the best way to do it, and the way I am planning on doing it, is in waves. I'm ranking the firms I'd want to work at most, on a three tier system. Then I'm going to apply to the firms I'd most want to work at first (my own tier one ranking), then wait a few weeks and move on to my second tiered ranking, and then third. Might be a silly approach, but in my mind, I don't want to get myself into a position where I "settle" for a firm, simply because they moved faster, when I could have gone to a firm that would have been a better fit for me.

I approached applying for my clerkship in a similar manner, and it seemed to work out well.

That sounds reasonable. I'm planning to do something similar, but with geographical preferences. About how big are your waves?

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Applying for clerkships is giving me a terrible frame of reference for applying for firms--I applied for at least 40 during 2L. I have no idea how many firms to apply to. I didn't do a 2L SA. I'm middle of the road (maybe slightly below median but they don't tell us) YHS doing a District Clerkship. I've applied for half a dozen so far, but is this the kind of thing where I should be thinking about applying for 20+?

I think the best way to do it, and the way I am planning on doing it, is in waves. I'm ranking the firms I'd want to work at most, on a three tier system. Then I'm going to apply to the firms I'd most want to work at first (my own tier one ranking), then wait a few weeks and move on to my second tiered ranking, and then third. Might be a silly approach, but in my mind, I don't want to get myself into a position where I "settle" for a firm, simply because they moved faster, when I could have gone to a firm that would have been a better fit for me.

I approached applying for my clerkship in a similar manner, and it seemed to work out well.

That sounds reasonable. I'm planning to do something similar, but with geographical preferences. About how big are your waves?

Still compiling the list. First two waves are only a handful each (probably about 3-4 each). Third wave is when I start to get desperate and apply to an additional 20 or so, if it comes to that.

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Applying for clerkships is giving me a terrible frame of reference for applying for firms--I applied for at least 40 during 2L. I have no idea how many firms to apply to. I didn't do a 2L SA. I'm middle of the road (maybe slightly below median but they don't tell us) YHS doing a District Clerkship. I've applied for half a dozen so far, but is this the kind of thing where I should be thinking about applying for 20+?

I think the best way to do it, and the way I am planning on doing it, is in waves. I'm ranking the firms I'd want to work at most, on a three tier system. Then I'm going to apply to the firms I'd most want to work at first (my own tier one ranking), then wait a few weeks and move on to my second tiered ranking, and then third. Might be a silly approach, but in my mind, I don't want to get myself into a position where I "settle" for a firm, simply because they moved faster, when I could have gone to a firm that would have been a better fit for me.

I approached applying for my clerkship in a similar manner, and it seemed to work out well.

That sounds reasonable. I'm planning to do something similar, but with geographical preferences. About how big are your waves?

Still compiling the list. First two waves are only a handful each (probably about 3-4 each). Third wave is when I start to get desperate and apply to an additional 20 or so, if it comes to that.

Glad to know you're on a similar page. Thanks for sharing!

I did 25 screeners for EIW alone. 20-30 total sounds low to me but admittedly I haven't completed post-clerkship hiring.

"EIW"?

I will also be sending out applications in waves. Is the consensus that now is the time to apply in DC? Anyone in the DC courthouse want to share what firms have sent solicitation letters? We just got one from WheelerTriggO'Donell in Denver.

Anonymous User wrote:"EIW"?

I will also be sending out applications in waves. Is the consensus that now is the time to apply in DC? Anyone in the DC courthouse want to share what firms have sent solicitation letters? We just got one from WheelerTriggO'Donell in Denver.

8th Circuit also just got those. I'm sure they sent them to all of us. We also got one from a New York firm, Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler.

Anonymous User wrote:"EIW"?

I will also be sending out applications in waves. Is the consensus that now is the time to apply in DC? Anyone in the DC courthouse want to share what firms have sent solicitation letters? We just got one from WheelerTriggO'Donell in Denver.

8th Circuit also just got those. I'm sure they sent them to all of us. We also got one from a New York firm, Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler.

FWIW- A friend said Covington hiring may be low this year.

I will be starting a one-year Federal Circuit clerkship in February. When should I start applying to firms? I'm worried I'll be overlooked because of the weird timing of my clerkship. I assume some patent lit group would pick me up somewhere, but I have a few firms at the top of my list that seem to be moving now. Is there a rolling hiring process to some extent at biglaw firms?

Anonymous User wrote:FWIW- A friend said Covington hiring may be low this year.

DJ clerk here. I actually applied to Covington DC last week (via cold email to the recruiter) and got a rejection email this week.

Our chambers got a Wheeler solicitation letter as well.

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:FWIW- A friend said Covington hiring may be low this year.

DJ clerk here. I actually applied to Covington DC last week (via cold email to the recruiter) and got a rejection email this week.

Our chambers got a Wheeler solicitation letter as well.

Did it seem like a generic rejection, as in they're not hiring? Or just didn't have space in a particular practice group?

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:FWIW- A friend said Covington hiring may be low this year.

DJ clerk here. I actually applied to Covington DC last week (via cold email to the recruiter) and got a rejection email this week.

Our chambers got a Wheeler solicitation letter as well.

Did it seem like a generic rejection, as in they're not hiring? Or just didn't have space in a particular practice group?

Different anon. I have an interview set up with Covington DC in the next few weeks.

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:FWIW- A friend said Covington hiring may be low this year.

DJ clerk here. I actually applied to Covington DC last week (via cold email to the recruiter) and got a rejection email this week.

Our chambers got a Wheeler solicitation letter as well.

Did it seem like a generic rejection, as in they're not hiring? Or just didn't have space in a particular practice group?

It was definitely a generic rejection.

District court clerk here. Recently received a generic email ding from Skadden DC. Applied a few days before Christmas.

Anonymous User wrote:District court clerk here. Recently received a generic email ding from Skadden DC. Applied a few days before Christmas.

Dang. I wonder if everyone hired way earlier this year.

District court clerk. Generic Latham ding just now. Applied two days ago. Swift and brutal.

This is actually useful. Might be worthwhile to know who isnt hiring.

Anonymous User wrote:This is actually useful. Might be worthwhile to know who isnt hiring.

I'll keep posting my rejections, and will greedily read any info.

Anonymous User wrote:District court clerk. Generic Latham ding just now. Applied two days ago. Swift and brutal.

Did you apply for one of the open positions listed on the site, or did you email your stuff to the recruiter? I was planning on applying, but I don't really meet any of the listed open positions.

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:District court clerk. Generic Latham ding just now. Applied two days ago. Swift and brutal.

Did you apply for one of the open positions listed on the site, or did you email your stuff to the recruiter? I was planning on applying, but I don't really meet any of the listed open positions.

I cold emailed the recruiter. The response was a "Upon careful review" blah blah kind.

RaceJudicata wrote:

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.

FYI, I know people who have interviewed at: Kellogg Huber, Munger Tolles, Williams and Connolly, Quinn, and Susman Godfrey. And all of those, I think, were well before Christmas and most before Thanksgiving. (So basically, if you applied to those firms a while ago and haven't heard back that's probably bad news.)