Too late to start applying? Forum
Forum rules
Anonymous Posting
Anonymous posting is only appropriate when you are sharing sensitive information about clerkship applications and clerkship hiring. You may anonymously respond on topic to these threads. Unacceptable uses include: harassing another user, joking around, testing the feature, or other things that are more appropriate in the lounge.
Failure to follow these rules will get you outed, warned, or banned."
Anonymous Posting
Anonymous posting is only appropriate when you are sharing sensitive information about clerkship applications and clerkship hiring. You may anonymously respond on topic to these threads. Unacceptable uses include: harassing another user, joking around, testing the feature, or other things that are more appropriate in the lounge.
Failure to follow these rules will get you outed, warned, or banned."
-
Anonymous User
- Posts: 433364
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Too late to start applying?
I am a rising 2L applying primarily to FedSoc judges, missed the FedSoc rush of the spring/early summer, now worried I'll be locked out of everything (even 2029, though I'm hoping this fear is more unfounded). I basically just started applying. I am within the top 2% at my T14 (high 3.9s). Any advice/suggestions would be much appreciated--feeling a bit in the dark here.
Last edited by Anonymous User on Sun Jul 19, 2026 7:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-
Anonymous User
- Posts: 433364
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Re: Too late to start applying?
You'll be fine. Your school, GPA, and rank will make you competitive for nearly any judge, and you're only a 2L and have plenty of time. But there are two things you need to do in the meantime.
First, keep an eye on OSCAR because judges routinely hire off-plan sporadically throughout the year (You may not be able to create an OSCAR account yet, but most law schools have a dumby account so you can review applications). And also check on the US judiciary jobs website--sometimes a judge will post on there rather than on OSCAR.
Second, and more importantly, network. Fedsoc judges, professors, and lawyers are a close network. Speak to your professor that you trust on wanting to clerk and ask if he or she can help you. If they're a good professor, they'll let you know whether someone is hiring and what candidates that judge looks for.
I know you'll find a clerkship. I found mine off-plan and it all worked out in the end.
First, keep an eye on OSCAR because judges routinely hire off-plan sporadically throughout the year (You may not be able to create an OSCAR account yet, but most law schools have a dumby account so you can review applications). And also check on the US judiciary jobs website--sometimes a judge will post on there rather than on OSCAR.
Second, and more importantly, network. Fedsoc judges, professors, and lawyers are a close network. Speak to your professor that you trust on wanting to clerk and ask if he or she can help you. If they're a good professor, they'll let you know whether someone is hiring and what candidates that judge looks for.
I know you'll find a clerkship. I found mine off-plan and it all worked out in the end.
-
Anonymous User
- Posts: 433364
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Re: Too late to start applying?
Thank you! This is extremely helpful.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Mon Jul 13, 2026 10:30 amYou'll be fine. Your school, GPA, and rank will make you competitive for nearly any judge, and you're only a 2L and have plenty of time. But there are two things you need to do in the meantime.
First, keep an eye on OSCAR because judges routinely hire off-plan sporadically throughout the year (You may not be able to create an OSCAR account yet, but most law schools have a dumby account so you can review applications). And also check on the US judiciary jobs website--sometimes a judge will post on there rather than on OSCAR.
Second, and more importantly, network. Fedsoc judges, professors, and lawyers are a close network. Speak to your professor that you trust on wanting to clerk and ask if he or she can help you. If they're a good professor, they'll let you know whether someone is hiring and what candidates that judge looks for.
I know you'll find a clerkship. I found mine off-plan and it all worked out in the end.
