And Second?

Followed by, Third?

Haha, two in a row, I rule, this is the best day EVER!

Well...we won the Bronze!

-3

Current clerk. I am glad to be on this side of this whole bloody mess.

The advice not to answer your phone is only for those people who expect to get multiple interviews and are highly sought after. If you're a bit more average, PICK UP THE PHONE. A number of clerks go right down a list, and once they have scheduled all the interview slots, they stop. Often they don't leave messages. If they do leave a message, there's still a chance that by the time you call them back, there will no longer be an interview slot for you. That happened to a friend of mine -- he was so psyched, and then it was all over.

So, don't be cocky. I was top 40% at CLS, am working at a top 25 biglaw firm, and didn't get a single clerkship interview. Pick up the d@mn phone.

7:
Your problem was that you were top 40%. No one outside the top 25% bubble, even in tier 2 schools, likely gets selected to interview, unless you have other exceptional credentials, journals, publications, and great prior work experience (i.e., summer associate position).

Also, pick up the phone people!!

I thought they weren't allowed to call us under the federal plan until the 11th? Did that change? Our career services is absolute shit.

Here's the best piece of advice from my chambers...Do NOT be too quirky with the "interests" section of your resume. I know that career services will try to warn you that generic interests are worthless. But, at the same time, don't put down anything too obscure or ridiculous.

Grad applicant here. Is it inappropriate to contact chambers and inquire about your application (which was sent out in mid-summer)?

10 - Absolutely! I can't believe how many resumes I reviewed that had, "Japanimation" and "Christain outreach" in their interests section.

Only happens to GULCers.

#8, I know my GPA wasn't good -- although I did have a few of things you listed -- and that getting a clerkship was only a distant hope. My point is that there are very few people who are sought after by the judges, so only very few people can cavalierly let their calls go to voicemail. It just seemed that it was inappropriate for ATL to be handing out advice that doesn't work for the majority of clerkship applicants. I mean, come on, how many Yale Law Review types have the time to read this blog anyway? Most readers need to pick up their phone. And if the first caller is a Magistrate Judge you accidentally applied to, you should still schedule the interview, because you don't know if that might be the only call you get.

Remember: Jimmy Two Times says, "I'm gonna go get the papers, get the papers."

don't contact chambers about your specific application. in our chambers it's "don't call us / we'll call you."

it is probably okay to call just to see if the judge has hired or is interviewing (staying anonymous). but, we'd be annoyed if you called about your individual application. we have a lot of them, and i think you'd be hurting your chances if you called.

Reading the interests section was always my favorite part. My advice, do not include an interests / hobbies section. It's ridiculous.

Just got a call from Judge Phelan in Baltimore! My dream clerkship!

To follow up on #10, as a piece of advice from my interview -- if you put down wine tasting society, be prepared to discuss the state of the law with respect to interstate wine sales. All the clerks I met were total d!cks. In a biglaw interview, the conversation would be more like, "Oh, you like to drink? I like to drink too. We drink a lot here." So, be prepared to discuss anything on your resume in depth.

how long will calls go on...
if you havent gotten called yet are you likely not going to get anything

Just got my first call!!! I can only pray that I get a few more. Good luck everyone

been half an hour and no calls yet--Am i sunk?

yes, 22. Give up...

#9: the 11th is the first day interviews can be held. Today is the first day judges can call you to schedule interviews.

thanks 24

-9

9 you are an idiot

Three calls already. Apparently federal judges don't care that I'm not at a T15 school. HA!

thanks 24

-Kiefer Sutherland, multimillionaire many times over thanks to that wonderful show

edva in norfolk, or dmd in baltimore. thoughts?

thanks 24

-John Yoo, on the inspiration for his OLC torture memo

Judge Halverson called me today and offered me a clerkship in Nevada without an interview! I'm so excited! She said the first case I get to work on is a battery, too!

or, more germane to this federal clerkships thread:

thanks 24

-Jay Bybee, after signing off on the Yoo memo

Norfolk has some nice tree-lined residential parts and you can probably live cheaply among Navy folks. Baltimore is kind of a pit, and the parts where young professionals probably want to live (Canton, etc.) are expensive for what they are.

ED Va!

SDNY!!!

isn't edva the "rocket docket"? personally, i'd steer clear if you have other options.

31 -- did your resume's interest section include "green eggs and ham"? It may have been misconstrued . . .

D Conn??

27: Credentials?

27 - whats your stats?

"Clerkshipship Advice Roundup"??? Seriously, Elie? Are you honestly making typos in the TITLE of posts now???

Unless, of course, you're referring to a sailing vessel full of clerkships?

16 is right on. Don't call chambers about your application. 17 is wrong - interests can be, well, interesting.

-clerk looking through apps

Hey 42
get back to work you asshole, we are sweating it out waiting for your jackass to tell the judge who to offer interviews to

27's stats are: varsity letter in lying.

27 here:
Top 10, published on the law review at a top 40 school. Three interviews with federal judges already.

44 seems to have a varsity letter in jealousy.

36,

Why steer clear of the rocket docket? Things move quickly, and you see a lot over the course of the year.

27:

District Court or CoA?

Anyone besides 27 getting calls?

27 again:

District, obviously. I would be too busy crapping my pants to post here if they were CoA.

27 -
that better be top 10 people not top ten percent
cause getting published in a top 40 law review is worth about jack shit now....
no ones cares about those shitty notes at American
or else you are lying, or have some great connection

Do any judges wait until the afternoon to call? Or is it over already?

it's over already.

serves you right for throwing frisbees when you live in a glass house.

I am top of the class at non-top 40 school + law review, etc. No calls here so far. Anyone know where else we can track which positions have been offered already?

Which judge is the best to clerk for if you want to work in Bratislava afterward??

I was thinking that Hawaii isn't even awake yet - perhaps there is still hope?

54, if you google "Clerkship Notification Blog" it's a pretty good site to get some information about which judges have hired, which are calling, etc.

agreed with 54. Isn't there a website that tracks which Judges have made interview offers yet? I am in the same boat....no calls yet. Yikes.

top 1% at T40, law review, good work exp, applied to 200+ COAs - no calls... guess I shoud've taken that LSAT perp course. i was nieve.

Naive - 59

When is it appropriate to start trying to parlay other interviews? Now?

Everybody needs to chill out. It's not over yet. Not by a long shot.

-Current COA and former dist ct clerk.

62- as someone who has made the phone calls offering interviews, would you say it is completely dependent on each individual judge? What time line should we be expecting here?

I just did a quick look and most big states have almost no reports yet - maybe this process will be longer than we all expect. Perhaps I should plan to leave the house today after all. OY

Interview advice?? Interviewing way out of my league Thursday.

Most of the action will happen this week, and a fair bit of it will happen today. Bottom line: don't lose hope until week's end. And even then you still have a shot with some judges. Of course, I don't pretend to be some guru. I just remember being in your shoes and thought I'd share my experience.

-62

65 - if you got the interview it is not out of your league - be confident, but not cocky and show you are "person" - this judge has to deal with you on a daily basis for a year.

If someone has a couple of COA interviews lined up but was no offered by one of their firms this summer, what can they expect in the interview?

64: What do you mean have reports?

59 -- to be fair, nieve is the "el/ella/usted" conjugation of "nevar" ("to snow"); so there may be a chance for you yet! don't let those Kaplan "perps" get you down!

-HTH

64 here - I mean on that website you can look by state and no one is reporting much action (DC, NY, CA, etc.)

In unrelated news, I'm an idiot. I meant first-person past preterite, of course ("I snowed"); not third person present tense.

-H"whoops"TH

And I'm even more of an idiot (not to mention horribly rust with my spanish!). It's the noun for snow. 59, you ARE snow, so good luck!

-HTH

70, 72, 73: A man after my own heart.

current clerk looking through resumes:

"Interests: [My Judge's Name and Judge's breed of dog]"

creeeepy

I've gotten notification of one interview through email-no phone calls.

are people getting phone calls?

Still no. Starting to feel sick to my stomach.

One via email, no calls.

Current clerk here. As for your quirky interests, chances are you'll look like 1) a freak, and 2) a freak without the professional judgement to leave that stuff at home. Don't get too cute on your resume. But, then again, I'm in a 2 year clerkship and don't want to diminish my entertainment next year . . . so, go for it, freaks! Write down all that weird stuff that you do that you seem to want to share with federal judges.

are the vast majority of the interviews calls/emails out by now?

81 - Man, I really hope not

Hey 80 -

When do you think most people will have heard by? When can we continue going about life and stop waiting by the phone? Should I be cutting classes here?

Judges are still calling... I got a call at about 2:50.

Anyone hear from Texas Fed. Judges?

please be more specific - what judges or what state are you hearing from?

yeah, judges are still calling....
VA District Judges are still calling at least

85 - i got one call from ED Tx this morning. that's all i've heard.

#83 -- you should be cutting classes today. cut tomorrow only if you can without consequence. for the remainder of the week, sit in the back with your phone on vibrate if you can.

88 - Thanks (and crap!)

ED TN.

any recommendations if you literally can't be available the day that interviews start? I'm in court all day Thursday and Friday...appropriate to mention that to the person when they ask if you're available so they don't think you're delaying them?

Current clerk again. So that no one has a heart attack at 5pm today, I thought I'd say, for example, that my judge is out of town and will not make calls until he returns in the next several days. And, why cut classes? Does anyone really think that getting your voice mail would change a federal judge's analysis of your candidacy so much as to ding you? You want to talk arbitrary and capricious . . .

93--would you mind telling us which district/circuit?

93--would you mind telling us which district/circuit?

Do judges stop calling at 5/6pm? Or is all night fair game?

#96, all night is fair game. They could call at 3am. To prepare for that possibility and so you don't sound groggy/stupid on the phone, you should drink 18 red bulls and pull consecutive all nighters until you get the call. We're pulling for you, buddy.

I know that some judges wait until later in the week/month/year to make calls, but is it safe to say that almost all Federa COA judges would have called at noon today?

68: I had 3 clerkship interviews (2 SDNY, 1 DNJ) after getting no-offered as a summer. NO ONE asked.

98, I have no backing for this, but I don't think so. For example, one of the Circuits (think either the 8th or the 10th) had a conference this weekend so alot of the judges are travelling today and may have told their clerks not to make calls until they get back.

I clerked for Judge Dre in the Eastern District of Compton. He doesn't call applicants; he just shows up at their place with a ski mask and some teflon. If he robs them, that means they're hired. Better tell somebody.

Anyone hearing from 8th Circuit COA judges yet?

How many applicants will a typical judge interview?

Any word from 5th Circuit COA? Seems like a lot hired off plan and can't even keep track of judges still hiring.

Advice on turning down an interview?

The judge I'm clerking for in Bratislava abducted me in my sleep. I've been chained to the desk in his chambers for the past 3 years. I thought I only applied for a 2 year clerkship, but he tells me I'm wrong. I hope this ends soon, because my rear end is getting sore. At least this will look great on my resume when I apply for Wachtell's Bratislava office. I figure I'm a guaranteed hire.

This is 93. I know this is rare on ATL, but my post was altruistic in nature. I tried to make people feel better about not getting calls today. As hard as this may be to believe from the other side, judges don't clear their schedules for call day. Trials still go on. Travel plans are not abandoned. And, judges may still be deciding who to call. Remember, many judges get about 500 applications (mine included).

I did not mean to throw chum into this feeding frenzy, but should have seen it coming. So, I will respectfully decline to post what district I'm in. I wish everyone good luck. I'm getting back to work.

too . . . much . . . free . . . time . . .

98--

Not at all.

Once you have an interview with a judge in your range, what are the odds? How many candidates does a typical dist ct judge interview?

Has anyone out there been offered a clerkship and declined it? If so, please share your experience and reflections.

500 applications for 2 clerkships! You've got to be kidding me.

68 -- i got no-offered and still got a COA clerkship. my experience: i was asked about it in the interview. i said that i didn't get an offer but didn't try to make excuses for it. i provided names of references at that firm who i knew would provide positive feedback about my work. don't let it psych you out!

You guys are lucky...I'd trade my V10 offer for a COA clerkship in a heartbeat.

As a former federal clerk, I would encourage interviewees to ask the judge if they can try on his or her robes. If you're given the robes, put them on and prance around the judge's chambers singing "I'm a pretty princess, You Honor."

top 10%, law review, 259 applications (on OSCAR), no calls today. Am I screwed?

116 - What school?

115 - up the meds.

116 - Yes.

3 calls today between 11 and 11:20. 2 CoA and 1 district

Looking at the clerkship notification blog, there are a ton of judges with no information coming out of today. Doesn't necessarily mean anything, but the optimist in me says that means alot of judges didn't place the highest priority on getting calls out today.

Yo...anyone who writes "alot" as one word should be barred from clerking. Its two words people.

Practicing attorney here: had two interviews a few weeks back SDNY / EDPA. Still no word. (I figured I'd take me immediately, but...I'm not them. ;) So I'm still on hold.)

I've gotten letters / emails / calls over the past few months saying the judge would adhere to the hiring plan and wouldn't begin interviews till then. Guess no additional calls today means...what?

121,

You shouldn't have had judges responding that they would adhere to the hiring plan -- the plan doesn't apply to grads. Is there some reason it wouldn't have been clear to them that you were applying as a grad?

This is something I already posted on the clerkship notification blog (I don't think it applies to "this site," just this thread, and the idea of sharing clerkship info):

This is the problem with this site. No one is posting, even on the most active day of the year. I don't mean to disparage this site in particular. I think it's a great idea to host a central repository for clerkship info. At the same time, not everything that deters people from sharing this info in the first place is changed by having a central, accessible, anonymous site. Namely, I don't like sharing info here because, before apps are submitted, I jealously guard whatever insider information I have, and after apps are submitted, I don't want to run the risk, however small, of being identified based on the information I post. Anonymizing the information makes it less useful, and so gives me less of a reason (if I'm motivated by altruism, or anything like it) to share.

I might add that, while it's reassuring to have current clerks responding here, they also don't reveal any info that would be helpful to a candidate -- most obviously which circuit or which district their court is in.

No calls/emails today from any fed courts in Cali - but now I don't have to pay to go out there, so Vegas here I come!!!

I am the big winner.

121 here.

Communications from chambers have basically said that since they are adhering to the hiring plan, they wouldn't start interviewing (or in some cases reviewing clerkships) until now.

I'm at a large law firm in NYC, so it shouldn't have been unclear. But then again--I'm also a white guy from Howard who referenced that in my cover letter (to avoid confusion)...and yet the judge said at the outset of the interview that she thought she was bringing me in to comply with diversity requirements (yeah...we all know there aren't any for judges).

So...maybe judges don't read all those docs after all?

No. 121: Question: I also am a grad. Did you tell your firm that you were applying for a clerkship? If not, who did you get to write rec letters for you? Law professors only? A senior associate at your firm? Whatever you did, it is working for you....any help would be great!

Former DCT and COA clerk here. A fair number of judges do not even schedule interviews during first week or two, so there is still hope if you haven't been contacted yet. My experience is that most judges interview about 5-10 people for 2 or 3 spots. Good luck to all.

Thanks, 127. I was curious about the interview to spot ratio.

121: Anyone who uses the incorrect its/it's should also be banned from clerking. HTH.

COA clerk here, made calls today. Will Here's some advice (seriously trying to help):

1-Answer your phone. We know that you know today is the day, so pick up. If you don't, by the time you call back I will have scheduled several more interviews. At best, you're a couple weeks out and realistically, fighting for our last spot.

2-DO NOT call chambers to see if we are still calling people. I had two people do that today. It makes you look like you just don't understand how someone as great as you hasn't made our list. If we plan to call you, but you call in asking about our calling status, we probably will just skip you when we get to your name. Be patient--after I narrowed it down by our criteria, I still went through more than 400 applications last week.

3-When I call you and ask you to hustle out to chambers for an interview Friday, say "ok, I'll be there." Unless you already have another interview that day or a serious family event, accept the interview then figure out how you'll get here. It may be a little costly, but didn't your career services people tell you to be ready to travel? People who hem and haw lose their place in line. And most judges ask how the applicant was on the phone, i.e., did she sound excited? Don't make me have to tell the judge that I offered you an interview, but it is three hours later and you're still trying to figure out whether you can travel this week.

All that said, the key is to be professional and eager to do the job. Most judges really aren't jerks or egomaniacs, but they do want to know that you appreciate the opportunity they are giving you.

"If we plan to call you, but you call in asking about our calling status, we probably will just skip you when we get to your name"

It's nice to know that legal hiring is still ruled by arbitrary bullshit.

130--if you're still around, part of the problem with "take Friday if offered Friday" advice is that sometimes you legitimately do have things you can't miss (court hearings for a client, for example). I'm assuming at that point it's safe to say that that's your other commitment but that you're free on X, Y, or Z date?

131, it isn't arbitrary BS. If you think you are so great that you just can't understand why we haven't called you yet, you think a bit too much of yourself. Seriously, it's 3 pm and you call in asking if we were going to call you today? Do you really think you're that special?

132, if you have something like that, just say so. Again, most of us are reporting to our judges on how the phone call went. If you tell me you have something for a client Friday, I'll undersand and tell the judge.

That being said, a lot of this happens really fast, and since Friday (12th) is a day lots of judges schedule interviews, keep it clear if you can. And only apply to judges you would be willing/able to travel to see.

Seriously, I really am trying to help. We get hundreds of apps and, even though it sounds harsh, if you aren't jumping on the opportunity, the next equally-qualified candidate will.

Help! The Federal Almanac on the Judiciary, nor any other google resources, seem to have much info on the fed. district judge with whom I am interviewing on Thursday, even though he was appointed in 2003. What other resources are out there?

If someone is calling chambers to ask if the judge is calling, it is probably because they really want to clerk for that judge and want to know if they still have a chance with your judge when evaluating other offers. It is not just arbitrary, but cruel, to skip over someone YOUR JUDGE wants because YOU are a pissy bitch about having to answer extra phone calls.

Any thoughts from current clerks on calling chambers to say that you'll be in town for another interview? Does it come across as checking on your status, or is it fair game? I've head different things, but mostly from other applicants.

137, my t10 strongly encourages it. I did it yesterday and no one I talked to seemed to at all have a problem with it.

137, my school also encourages it. I was successful yesterday.

137 - I got my EDVA clerkship that way.

"you think a bit too much of yourself" - that's a reason to deny somebody a clerkship that they otherwise would have gotten? If that's not arbitrary, then I don't know what is.

The Fed. Judge I worked for this summer said to refrain from calling Judges who have not called you.

My school encourages it, too, and I picked up an interview that way yesterday. I think the prospect of it helping (i.e., materializing into an interview) is greater than the prospect of it hurting (i.e., they were going to interview you, but decided not to solely because you called to let them know you'll be in the area available to interview). Given that calculus, I say go for it.

exactly, 143

Thanks for the tips, folks. 137.

As for calling judges: you may want to be cautious. This just in:

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From:
Date: Tue, Sep 9, 2008 at 12:36 PM
Subject: Interview Dates for Judge Leinenweber
To: [redacted]@gmail.com

I have been receiving a number of e-mails and telephone calls from applicants who are going to be in town for interviews asking if the Judge would like to see them.

Please be advised that Judge Leinenweber does not interview for his open positions until March 2009.

This has always been his interview policy. Please do not call chambers requesting an interview. IF you are selected for an interview in 2009, you will be contacted by Judge Leinenweber's chambers.

If you are hired for a clerkship position, please indicate on OSCAR that you are no longer a law clerk candidate.

Thank you

Sent from Judge:

"Us clerks just got on the job . . ."

Is this seriously the level of writing one must master to become a clerk? I'm a shoe in.

HEY A-HOLE CURRENT CLERKS: get off your high horse and leave a message!! I just bolted out of class and didn't get to catch the call and the "unknown caller" didn't leave a message. Some of us are sitting on pins and needles here so just leave an effing message and I'll call you IMMEDIATELY. AT LEAST GIVE ME A CHANCE TO DO SO!!

Does anyone know what employers think about bankruptcy clerkships?

148, Should've picked up your phone. You've just hit the bottom of the pile.

bankruptcy clerks are good only if you practice bankruptcy -- not near as prestigious as district court --- all it says is you could not get a d. court clerkship...

150 -- If, like 148, I didn't get to the call in time yesterday, does that mean that I won't be receiving another call today? Or do I have a shot at getting a second phone call, despite having been sent to the bottom of the pile?

Any other thoughts? Current clerks?

has any applicant heard from any NC or TN District Court Judges? i have been practicing in complex civil law for several years, have several publications and am a top 10% grad of a T-40 law school. i have heard nothing. thanks!

153 - T10 student at 4th tier law school in West Tennessee (ill let you figure that one out) got an interview with McCalla (Chief Judge of the Western District). Varlan from E.D. Tenn. early hired a UT student.

154: thanks for the response. i did not apply to any judges in the W.D. of Tenn. i stayed with the M.D. and E.D. i will keep you updated if i receive an interview.

--153

This entire thread is B.S. Judges' hiring practices vary dramatically. I clerked for two judges (one district court and one COA) and neither approached the hiring process the same way. (But in neither case did the law clerks play ANY role in screening prospective applicants, although we did "interview" those that received callbacks. In other chambers, however, law clerks play a major role in the screening process.) Those clerks (and secretaries) that whine about prospective applicants calling to inquire about their application should settle down and stop thinking they are so damn important. Most judges do a disservice to prospective clerks by providing LITTLE or NO useful information about their hiring criteria, approaches, etc. In short, it's often a crapshoot who gets which clerkships (if one at all). To the one poster who suggested judges are not jerks - you haven't met enough judges; in my experience (again in two different courts) - most judges overestimate their intelligence, legal ability and importance. That they can do this stems mostly from their ability to lord over lowly current law students and recent graduates. Judge are, without a doubt, some of the biggest pricks I have ever met. They are rude, snide, unsocial and frequently unappreciative of the work their clerks do (which in many chambers is 90%+). Without doubt a clerkship is a valuable professional experience. But it's certaintly not the nirvana some folks make it out to be.

And to those that don't get a clerkship this time around, cast a wider net next time and try again. There's no shame in not getting a clerkship the first time around.