Clerkship Interviews

Many federal judges follow The Law Clerk Hiring Plan, which asserts that student applicants must mail their applications, and interviews must take place after a certain date in the fall. It is important to remember that the plan applies only to law students. So if you have graduated, or if you are applying for state court clerkships or federal clerkships with judges who do not follow the plan, apply early to improve your odds.

If you get an interview, always schedule it as soon as possible. Although some judges do not make offers until they interview all the candidates, most judges make them on a rolling basis. Some even give on-the-spot “exploding offers” (in which you either enthusiastically accept the offer right away or it is rescinded). As a result, they may no longer have openings when your interview rolls around. Therefore, take the first available interview slot and hop on a plane. Although you will probably have little say about the time of the day, try to aim for the morning. There is less risk of a delay, a need to reschedule, or interruptions. We should add that some judges interview candidates at odd hours (such as 6 a.m. or midnight), but you cannot always be choosy.