JUDICIAL CLERKSHIP HANDBOOK - Cornell University Law School

above, as one application.
SELECTING JUDGES
Because the clerkship hiring process tends to be idiosyncratic and because information
about individual judges is hard to come by, generating a list of judges to whom to apply is
not an exact science. Still it is in everyone=s interest for you to come up with a list that is
reasonably tailored to your situation. The following sections provide some guidelines for
this tailoring process.
Judges With A Cornell Connection
A judge=s positive experience with the Law School through a previous Cornell clerk, a
visit to judge Moot Court, a personal or professional relationship with a faculty
member, etc. can create special receptivity to applications from Cornell students. See
the Appendices, listed below, to focus your search:
Judges Who Have Interviewed and/or Made Offers to Cornellians (Appendix F)
Judges With Cornell Clerks in 2010‐2011 (Appendix G)
Judges Who Are Known Personally By Someone on the Faculty (Appendix H)
Judges Who Are Cornell Law School Alumni/ae and Who Hire Clerks (Appendix I)
Judges Who Have Judged Cornell=s Moot Court Competition (Appendix J)
Judges who Hired Cornellians during 2010‐2011 (Appendix K)
Be sure you carefully consider applying to judges on these lists, especially judges who
currently have a Cornell clerk – current clerks may be able to help Cornell applications
reach the judge=s short list.
Geographic Considerations for Federal Clerkships
One major consideration in defining your search is geography. Think carefully about
the areas of the United States to which you would be willing to move. The broader
your geographic scope, the better your chances of obtaining a federal clerkship. If at all
possible, try to expand your search beyond typically very competitive areas, namely,
urban areas on the east and west coasts and other areas having a large number of local
law schools, like Chicago. Particularly if you are applying in distant areas, cluster your
applications so that, if you get an interview from one judge, you can call others in the
area to whom you have applied and try to pick up additional interviews on the trip.
Geographic Considerations for State Clerkships
State court clerkships are typically most useful to graduates who seek to practice in
that state after their clerkship ends. By clerking for a state court judge, you will learn
state law and procedure, and you will become familiar with the state judiciary and
practitioners who appear before state‐court judges. In addition, while ties to a state
are not essential, state judges may have a preference for clerks who have a connection
to their state or who can demonstrate that they plan to stay in the state after their
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