Let’s Talk DC Circuit! Forum

[Anonymous User]

How much hope should I have as a 2L applying for DDC with top 10% grades, LR, and moot court from a non-HYS T14?

It's a bit of a myth that the DDC judges are extreme grade snobs. Sure, some like Boasberg, won't look twice at someone without a 5.0 GPA, but most are not like that at all. Connections to the judges, and for the new Biden appointees, diversity and PI interest, are more important.

Any thoughts on the work quality of the Biden appointees? (Cobb/Reyes/AliKhan/Ali/Sooknanan)

Bump. Anyone know how they hire and prioritize? Which of them are 'grade snobs'?

PI students and none of them are grade snobs. It's reflected in the quality of their work too, except Reyes who tends to do her own thing.

"It's reflected in the quality of their work too"

All of them except Reyes have poor work quality? That doesn't sound right to me.

[Anonymous User]

How much hope should I have as a 2L applying for DDC with top 10% grades, LR, and moot court from a non-HYS T14?

It's a bit of a myth that the DDC judges are extreme grade snobs. Sure, some like Boasberg, won't look twice at someone without a 5.0 GPA, but most are not like that at all. Connections to the judges, and for the new Biden appointees, diversity and PI interest, are more important.

Any thoughts on the work quality of the Biden appointees? (Cobb/Reyes/AliKhan/Ali/Sooknanan)

Bump. Anyone know how they hire and prioritize? Which of them are 'grade snobs'?

PI students and none of them are grade snobs. It's reflected in the quality of their work too, except Reyes who tends to do her own thing.

"It's reflected in the quality of their work too"

All of them except Reyes have poor work quality? That doesn't sound right to me.

All judges of color and their work product is being judged by some law student (or clerk) who I very much doubt is reading every memo order/opinion coming out these judges’ chambers. Sounds about white…

[Anonymous User]

How much hope should I have as a 2L applying for DDC with top 10% grades, LR, and moot court from a non-HYS T14?

It's a bit of a myth that the DDC judges are extreme grade snobs. Sure, some like Boasberg, won't look twice at someone without a 5.0 GPA, but most are not like that at all. Connections to the judges, and for the new Biden appointees, diversity and PI interest, are more important.

Any thoughts on the work quality of the Biden appointees? (Cobb/Reyes/AliKhan/Ali/Sooknanan)

Bump. Anyone know how they hire and prioritize? Which of them are 'grade snobs'?

PI students and none of them are grade snobs. It's reflected in the quality of their work too, except Reyes who tends to do her own thing.

"It's reflected in the quality of their work too"

All of them except Reyes have poor work quality? That doesn't sound right to me.

All judges of color and their work product is being judged by some law student (or clerk) who I very much doubt is reading every memo order/opinion coming out these judges’ chambers. Sounds about white…

Lol exactly. It’s hard to take advice on here seriously sometimes.

[Wild Card]

All judges of color and their work product is being judged by some law student (or clerk) who I very much doubt is reading every memo order/opinion coming out these judges’ chambers. Sounds about white…

Cool it with the racism. Anyone who keeps up with the news understands that this judge is not sound of mind.

[Anonymous User]

How much hope should I have as a 2L applying for DDC with top 10% grades, LR, and moot court from a non-HYS T14?

It's a bit of a myth that the DDC judges are extreme grade snobs. Sure, some like Boasberg, won't look twice at someone without a 5.0 GPA, but most are not like that at all. Connections to the judges, and for the new Biden appointees, diversity and PI interest, are more important.

Any thoughts on the work quality of the Biden appointees? (Cobb/Reyes/AliKhan/Ali/Sooknanan)

Bump. Anyone know how they hire and prioritize? Which of them are 'grade snobs'?

PI students and none of them are grade snobs. It's reflected in the quality of their work too, except Reyes who tends to do her own thing.

"It's reflected in the quality of their work too"

All of them except Reyes have poor work quality? That doesn't sound right to me.

Especially considering that Reyes by far has the worst reputation—to the point where she seems like the outlier in terms of having the worst work product and demeanor. The others have seemed totally fine to me and on par with what you’d expect from DDC…

[Anonymous User]

On that note, which DDC judge(s) should be avoided? Or is Reyes just the outlier?

[Anonymous User]

How much hope should I have as a 2L applying for DDC with top 10% grades, LR, and moot court from a non-HYS T14?

It's a bit of a myth that the DDC judges are extreme grade snobs. Sure, some like Boasberg, won't look twice at someone without a 5.0 GPA, but most are not like that at all. Connections to the judges, and for the new Biden appointees, diversity and PI interest, are more important.

Any thoughts on the work quality of the Biden appointees? (Cobb/Reyes/AliKhan/Ali/Sooknanan)

Bump. Anyone know how they hire and prioritize? Which of them are 'grade snobs'?

PI students and none of them are grade snobs. It's reflected in the quality of their work too, except Reyes who tends to do her own thing.

"It's reflected in the quality of their work too"

All of them except Reyes have poor work quality? That doesn't sound right to me.

Especially considering that Reyes by far has the worst reputation—to the point where she seems like the outlier in terms of having the worst work product and demeanor. The others have seemed totally fine to me and on par with what you’d expect from DDC…

Adding another datapoint: there are Ali, AliKhan, Cobb, and Sooknanan clerks also clerking for major feeders and other “heavyweight” judges on the D.C. Circuit plus other COAs—think Srinivasan, Millett, Heytens, etc.

Which is to say that there’s no reason to think that these particular DDC clerkships are any less competitive than other DC clerkships. Can’t speak to the “grade snob” question, but I think it’s a reasonable guess that these judges still want top grades but having an interesting resume only helps.

To the extent they’re looking for “PI students,” it’s the type of elite PI in the vein of Gupta Wessler, ACLU national, MacArthur Justice Center, state SG office, etc., which obvious reflects those judges’ backgrounds.

[Anonymous User]

On that note, which DDC judge(s) should be avoided? Or is Reyes just the outlier?

On the whole, DDC judges across the board seem to be exceptionally good. The only “avoids” might be a matter of ideology, but that tends to matter less at the district court level than at the COA level. Even McFadden, for example, has issued rulings that go against the Trump admin.

There are some whispers about clerkships with certain senior judges not being great, particularly Leon and Lamberth. But it’s hard to say how much of that is due to external perception of/a product of their old age. FWIW, their recent clerks have seemed happy enough to me.

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone heard whether Childs has scheduled interviews for 2027-28?

[Anonymous User]

Is a Katsas/Rao/Walker clerkship possible if I'm top 2-3% of my class at a slightly lower T14 (think: Duke, Virginia, Michigan) with good connections?

Despite the name, it doesn't seem like you go to UVA, as you would have already been directed to one of them. Even so, Walker is definitely a yes—he’s not strict about grades. The other two are harder to tell and very grade sensitive; for Michigan at least, a glowing recommendation from Chris Walker would help a lot.

I am top 2% at Duke.

What? You just called yourself an "incoming 1L" two days ago.

Very good to know. As an incoming 1L hoping (if I have the grades, of course) to clerk for someone like Richardson, should I expect to be applying as early as my first semester? Is it seriously that early??

This person also doesn't know yet that these schools are not going to tell them whether they are in the "top 2%," especially not before they apply for clerkships. Good luck, though!

[thisisathrowaway]

Any advice on what it takes to be truly competitive for DC? Clerkship office at my HYS, unfortunately, hasn't been helpful, and I'm unsure if I'm wasting my time. I know I'm not competitive for feeders and already have a D.Ct. clerkship in a competitive district, but beyond that, I'm not sure what grades a DC Cir. judge is really interested in.

[alpha11245]

Any advice on what it takes to be truly competitive for DC? Clerkship office at my HYS, unfortunately, hasn't been helpful, and I'm unsure if I'm wasting my time. I know I'm not competitive for feeders and already have a D.Ct. clerkship in a competitive district, but beyond that, I'm not sure what grades a DC Cir. judge is really interested in.

What do you mean by "not competitive for feeders?" In general, I tend to think many (most?) D.C. Circuit judges are themselves feeders, so not sure what the overlap would be there.

[alpha11245]

Any advice on what it takes to be truly competitive for DC? Clerkship office at my HYS, unfortunately, hasn't been helpful, and I'm unsure if I'm wasting my time. I know I'm not competitive for feeders and already have a D.Ct. clerkship in a competitive district, but beyond that, I'm not sure what grades a DC Cir. judge is really interested in.

I guess I'm a bit confused about what you're targeting—how do you know you're not competitive for feeders (a category that includes most of the D.C. Circuit?)

[Anonymous User]

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[Anonymous User]

Has Garcia interviewed?

[Anonymous User]

Any non-plan applicants seeing any movement yet? From Pillard, Srinivasan, Millett, Garcia, etc?

[GoonChungus]

Is DS=P good enough at Harvard, or do you need to be slightly above?

[Anonymous User]

Thoughts on Judge Kelly as a boss/mentor/clerkship experience on DDC?

[Anonymous User]

Any non-plan applicants seeing any movement yet? From Pillard, Srinivasan, Millett, Garcia, etc?

Heard many (both CADC and DDC) were planning on waiting for the plan to open even for non-plan applicants, not sure if that extends to waiting until Tues/Weds this week for interviews though (have not heard anything as a non-plan applicant myself)

[Cls123123]

Would any former Pan clerks be willing to talk with me over direct messages?

[Anonymous User]

is it just me or is CADC moving slowly? i know most have interviewed but the clerkship tracker at my HYS is not showing any CADC offers extended or accepted yet

[Anonymous User]

Has Garcia already hired?

[Anonymous User]

Has Garcia already hired?

he extended at least one offer on Mon, idk if he’s done though

[Anonymous User]

Thoughts on Judge Kelly as a boss/mentor/clerkship experience on DDC?

I have heard great things. And in my limited interactions with him, I have always come away impressed. His clerks seem to be happy with the experience.

[Anonymous User]

is Millett done / have offers gone out??