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There isn’t really a “question” prompt here, but more a space for discussion about the endless wait involved in this process.

I’ve been on now 5 D. Ct. interviews, with 1 (in hindsight, fast) rejection, 2 interviews outstanding for about a month, one outstanding for just over half of that, and one outstanding from last week.

All have admittedly been in either “very competitive” (SDNY/EDVA/DDC/NDIL) or slightly less competitive districts (EDNY/EDPA/DNJ/D. Mass.). I haven’t heard anything about new interviews from the stack of applications I’ve sent (~100 to both district and COA) in about a month.

The waits are agonizing, yes, but so is the feeling that most of my classmates who have been looking for clerkships have locked everything down, both at my summer firm and among my law school classmates, and I haven’t. It’s not a great feeling, and while I do think that very first interview could have gone better, I’m not sure what was “wrong” with any of the subsequent ones.

Stats:
MVPD (school does not rank)
LR (non-board)

Usual caveats that, yes, others are doing worse and feeling even more demoralized by this process. I’m speaking for my own experience.

Anyone else want to share their experiences?

Lots of people at my school (T30) are still looking. I imagine your perception that everyone is done hiring is affected by the fact that you go to a school where more people are likely to have concluded the clerkship process by now. In reality, there are still plenty of folks waiting--I know of at least one person who is still actively applying to judges who have not yet formally opened their application period yet for 2020-21.

The beginning of the academic year is terrible for anyone who doesn't have a job yet, but that's also the vast majority of people. Your time will come.

Big big check-in here. HYS median or something. Had two D. Ct. interviews, didn't get either.

It sucks. I guess it's just a very slow trickle from here on out, and 2020 is increasingly unlikely.

The thing that I might be most frustrated with is how expensive it is to drop everything and travel to interview. I guess I'd feel more demoralized if I hadn't gotten any interview invites, but I think it's sort of savage to make people pay for their own interview travel costs unless they have a very, very, very good shot. (I get that it's complicated for all parties involved....I'm just venting)

How quickly do offers/rejects typically take?

Anonymous User wrote:How quickly do offers/rejects typically take?

Totally depends. Some judges offer on the spot. Some take their time (could be weeks later). Rejections will usually be slower than offers (and frankly may never come).

nixy wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:How quickly do offers/rejects typically take?

Totally depends. Some judges offer on the spot. Some take their time (could be weeks later). Rejections will usually be slower than offers (and frankly may never come).

Yes, can totally vary. I received both of my rejections within a week (judges both indicated that they would be wrapping up/deciding soon)

Waiting on a handful of COA and D.Ct. interviews. I have to let my SA firm know by Oct. 1 if I'm going back or not...anyone have any experience with accepting a firm offer, and then asking for a deferral if you get a late clerkship offer?

Anonymous User wrote:

nixy wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:How quickly do offers/rejects typically take?

Totally depends. Some judges offer on the spot. Some take their time (could be weeks later). Rejections will usually be slower than offers (and frankly may never come).

Yes, can totally vary. I received both of my rejections within a week (judges both indicated that they would be wrapping up/deciding soon)

Are rejections typically via phone or snail mail?

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

nixy wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:How quickly do offers/rejects typically take?

Totally depends. Some judges offer on the spot. Some take their time (could be weeks later). Rejections will usually be slower than offers (and frankly may never come).

Yes, can totally vary. I received both of my rejections within a week (judges both indicated that they would be wrapping up/deciding soon)

Are rejections typically via phone or snail mail?

Again, completely depends on the judge. I've gotten email and phone calls.

Anon who started this thread: one of the month-plus outstanding interviews and the most recent one turned out to be rejections, so back to the drawing board.

Anonymous User wrote:Waiting on a handful of COA and D.Ct. interviews. I have to let my SA firm know by Oct. 1 if I'm going back or not...anyone have any experience with accepting a firm offer, and then asking for a deferral if you get a late clerkship offer?

I'm the OP who wrote this. Does anyone have any experience with this situation?

Anonymous User wrote:Anon who started this thread: one of the month-plus outstanding interviews and the most recent one turned out to be rejections, so back to the drawing board.

Eek, sorry

Remaining anon because I haven’t shared my situation yet with most people.

I accepted my firm offer to return on the spot (end of July). I was offered and accepted a clerkship at the end of August. I received the interview request and interviewed after accepting my firm offer. Once I got the clerkship, I notified the firm. It will delay my start date and reimburse me for all bar expenses/stipend when I return. Some judges require rescinding your acceptance, in which case the firm will unofficially take you back later (presumably, barring an economic downturn) but keep your offer outstanding.

My firm doesn’t have too many people who clerk, but it mentioned clerkships over the summer so I knew they had a process for it. If your firm is supportive of clerkships, I don’t see why it would be a problem — you could speak with them about your situation or just accept the firm offer and deal with it later. (I chose to just accept and deal with it later if I got one because I didn’t want to share potential failure lol.) If it’s a problem with your firm and you do get a clerkship, you can always just go to another firm post-clerkship.

Accepting a firm offer is not binding (at-will employment, etc.). You may burn bridges by rescinding an acceptance, but most good litigation firms would understand and/or support delaying your start for a clerkship.

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Waiting on a handful of COA and D.Ct. interviews. I have to let my SA firm know by Oct. 1 if I'm going back or not...anyone have any experience with accepting a firm offer, and then asking for a deferral if you get a late clerkship offer?

I'm the OP who wrote this. Does anyone have any experience with this situation?

What are people's thoughts on the benefit (if any) of letting a judge you interviewed with know of an upcoming interview with another judge? Would/could it make the first judge more/less likely to extend you an offer, and would any such benefit/detriment be meaningful?

I did not do this for a couple 2019-2020 interviews and the ship has probably sailed for those, but am wondering if I should if I were to receive another interview. Many thanks!

I’m not sure about notifying for an interview. Normally I’d say no, just say something once you have an offer. But the risk in that case is that 1) the second judge requires you to accept on the spot, so you can’t go back to the first judge with the offer, or 2) the first judge expects you to accept any offer made and is offended for the second judge that you’d come back to them after getting another offer.

I don’t think telling a judge you interviewed with about another interview is going to make the first judge any more or less likely to hire you; they might just let you know more quickly. But since that’s valuable, it might be worth a shot. You could couch it as wanting to know because you don’t want to waste the second judge’s time if the first is going to make an offer. I’d also just ask about timeline and explain why you’re asking.

Anonymous User wrote:What are people's thoughts on the benefit (if any) of letting a judge you interviewed with know of an upcoming interview with another judge? Would/could it make the first judge more/less likely to extend you an offer, and would any such benefit/detriment be meaningful?

I did not do this for a couple 2019-2020 interviews and the ship has probably sailed for those, but am wondering if I should if I were to receive another interview. Many thanks!

I was in this situation a few months ago, and my clerkship office advised me to notify them. If you really liked the first judge and are really hoping for that offer, you could re-emphasize your interest when you let them know. I agree that it likely won't change their decision, but it could just get you a decision faster. I also think, plausibly, if the judge was strongly considering you and just hadn't finished their process yet, they could decide to extend the offer because they don't want to miss out on you.