Writing Samples In an initial application, include a writing sample only if specifically requested. I was given permission to use the opinion by the judge before leaving the internship but I don't want to use something that is going to automatically give the judge a negative impression of me. Does anyone have any idea if this is generally true or am I freaking out over nothing? Just find a case that says that. Many employers will request writing samples later in the interview process. With clerkship season on the horizon, here are a few thoughts as I've begun thumbing through applications: Our rough priority of stats is school > grades >>>> writing sample >> LORs = connection to area = resume (prior work experience, LR, etc.) Lack (or loss) of reflection appears to be a key factor in this problem. For your resume, put an interests section. When I went through applications as a clerk, there were plenty of people using judicial opinions as writing samples. how long the writing sample should be (opinions on ideal length range from 4-5 pages to 25-30) what type of writing it should be (legal brief, seminar paper, journal work, etc.). We use cookies on our websites for a number of purposes, including analytics and performance, functionality and advertising. I realized later I did not mention standard of review in the brief (it was closed-universe and no case provided one I could cite to). Also don't call it a judicial opinion. bring copies of your résumé, transcript, and writing sample; generally aim to make a good impression; The Single Most Important Piece of Advice I Have. A writing sample should be 5-10 pages long. I got an email from a former professor this past week asking if I was interested in a clerkship with a judge they have a connection with. s application to serve as your law clerk. If it's your best writing sample and it's clear that you have the judge's permission, I don't see a problem with using it. Agree 100%. Showcase Your Best Work. Delaware’s Superior Court and its Complex Commercial Liti A: Staff law clerkships combine the intellectual rigor of a chambers clerkship with the benefits of working closely with all the judges of the Seventh Circuit. The case involved a challenge to the Connecticut sex offender registration statute.1 The Getting yourself out of the box of applicants is the biggest challenge in applying for a judicial clerkship. Applicants who submit material created for an employer must get the employer's permission first. Applicants must first register and then upload their cover letters, resumes, transcripts, and writing samples. My writing sample is a draft of an opinion that I wrote for Judge Walter S. Smith, Jr. last summer, included with his permission. The parties' briefs in the actual case don't appear to mention SOR, either, though. Students with higher reflection-in-learning scores had high… Judicial Clerkship Writing Sample. Many of the resources on the CDO website are password protected and you will need special account information in order to access them. In particular, I'd advise applicants to revise their writing sample based on their current writing ability if the original context was older or early in law school (e.g. You’ll also read numerous briefs, an experience sure to improve your own writing. For current and former Law School Redditors. § Because a clerkship is a research and writing intensive job, law clerks are able to enhance these skills, which are essential in the practice of law. Only judges are allowed to write opinions. Much attention is given to the loss of idealism and erosion of professionalism during the clinical years of medical training. Moot court briefs as clerkship writing sample? I would recommend using a version of the opinion that has not been edited by your judge, and then explain all of this in the cover sheet. Checklist for writing a Departmental LOR Opening paragraph:  Applicant’s name in the first line  State the purpose of the letter (e.g. ALDISERT.DOC 5/19/2006 11:56 AM 2006] RAT RACE: INSIDER ADVICE ON LANDING JUDICIAL CLERKSHIPS 837 with the Judge. Personally, I think it’s fine to submit a slightly longer clerkship writing sample, because your writing skills are of paramount interest. Enclosed please find a copy of my resume, my most recent transcript, and a writing sample. As another commenter said definitely attach a cover sheet explaining. He excelled interacting with his patients and was attentive to each of their needs. Furthermore, a clerkship offers insight into the judicial Clerkship Writing Sample I am starting to finalize some federal district court clerkship applications and used a moot court brief as my writing sample. I'll just explain that it's my own unedited work. I realized later I did not mention standard of review in the brief (it was closed-universe and no case provided one I could cite to). Rephrasing things so that they sounded like recommendations rather than decisions. It can be a memo from a summer job, the writing competition note you submitted for the journals, a portion of a moot court brief, or part of a memorandum or … If you really want to use it, then just attach a cover sheet to the sample explaining that your judge gave you permission to use it. Finally, letters of recommendation from Judge Smith (817-750- So I'm applying for clerkships and I just read something that said you should never use a judicial opinion you wrote for another judge as your writing sample---that it will not be looked upon kindly since it's seen as the other judge's work. But no, not fatal and no one will probably even think about it or care. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. I have a cover letter explaining that I have permission. Also, if the issue is whether a statute is constitutional on its face, the standard is de novo. The issue concerned a couple of statutes' possible violation of the sixth amendment. It's a bench memorandum. We are also accepting applications for the 2022-2024 Judicial Clerkship term. Some judges are now hiring law clerks on a permanent basis ... able to select a writing sample that may have more appeal to a particular judge for some reason. He was a great intern helper, As a general rule, 5-10 pages will be of sufficient length. Appendix 2 Judicial Clerkship Self-Assessment 23 Appendix 3 Addressing Your Cover Letter 25 Appendix 4 Sample Cover Letter 1 27 Appendix 5 Sample Cover Letter 2 28 Appendix 6 Sample Writing Sample Cover Pages 29 Appendix 7 Sample List of Recommenders 30 Appendix 8 Sample Interview Questions a Judge or Law Clerk Might Ask 31 Press J to jump to the feed. This is NOT a forum for legal advice. Otherwise I think it's the best example of my legal writing that I have. Former clerk here, in 2 different chambers. In making this point, we depart from the truism in the decision-making process that writing a good brief is more important than oral argument. 3. Ask questions, seek advice, post outlines, etc. A judicial clerkship is a one to two year assignment where you are the clerk (essentially research assistant) for a particular judge. a 1L legal writing assignment). Q: How do the job responsibilities of staff law clerks compare to those of chambers law clerks? Career Planning Office CUNY School of Law 2 Court Square, Room 4-108 Long Island City, NY 11101-4356 718-340-4230 careerplanningoffice@law.cuny.edu Thanks for the advice, it does make me feel better. Your writing sample must be well-organized, free of typographical and grammatical errors, and demonstrate your legal research and analytical skills. Please note there is a technical problme with the electronic portfolio such taht you can only see comments and not the ratings below. Judge Fox’s application requirements are as follows: Judge Fox has two law clerks, who serve staggered two-year terms. 2. If you're that worried about it just do a little research to figure out the standard of review. The benefit of this is two-fold: you learn more about the clerkship Date Name & Address Re: S.N. Clerkship writing sample. Ask questions, seek advice, post outlines, etc. I'm sure this varies across the board, but the clerks for the Fed Judge I interned for this summer said that they didn't even look at the writing samples of the people they interviewed. This is kind of freaking me out since I was counting on using this one particular opinion I wrote. Sounds to me is that you're just looking for something to be nervous about. prepared me well for a clerkship in your chambers. His fund of knowledge assessed by his preceptors and the final exam was appropriate for his level of training. The magistrate judge I externed for actually had me turn my draft opinion into a memo. This is NOT a forum for legal advice. “Student X has asked us to write a letter for their application to XX residency program.”)  Provide context: describe the clerkship. Finally, the writing sample. This is the correct answer. A judicial clerkship provides the opportunity to hone research and writing skills while being exposed to a wide variety of legal issues. Federal Clerkship Application Guide 2018 (Camden Campus) 2 Application Materials Resume Cover letter Transcript(s) 2 – 3 letters of recommendation Writing sample The Aplication Process Self-Evaluation. If it would be, should I try to update my already-finalized applications with an edited version and just hope chambers doesn't notice? > cover letter. You then will select the … clerkship in your chambers starting in the fall of 2017, after I have completed my clerkship with Justice John Doe on [COURT]. Judicial Clerkship Writing Sample Question Is there an advised page range for judicial clerkship writing samples? So I'm applying for clerkships and I just read something that said you should never use a judicial opinion you wrote for another judge as your writing sample---that it will not be looked upon kindly since it's seen as the other judge's work. Then I attached a cover explaining that I had been given permission to use it and that I had anonymized the names. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. (In fact, a 4th year medical student wrote one of the most influential and frequently cited references on this subject.) MEDICINE CLERKSHIP: HIGH PASS 6/27/2016 - 8/19/2016 Typical was an excellent student who is hard-working and energetic. S. was a student in my Appellate Advocacy course at Northeastern during the summer of 200__. § Clerks learn a great deal about the law, legal procedure, and courtroom practice. The Benefits of a Judicial Clerkship Judicial clerkships are an outstanding learning experience. Progress Note Evaluation Form Criteria for Evaluating Progress Notes. Top Ten Tips To The Judicial Clerkship Interview The clerkship interview is itself a prize. Patient satisfaction and compliance are directly related to a physician’s humanism. Our online essay service is the most reliable writing service on the web. A writing sample should reflect these abilities. • Writing sample. Bear in mind the type of court or judge in determining the most appropriate content and style, whether a brief, memo, or more academic analysis. A lot (90%+) of the judges that I'm looking at for clerkships request writing samples that are self-edited or that at the least you fully describe how it's been edited by others. 1. (1) Many judges don't really look at writing samples that closely, (2) editing the application on OSCAR doesn't/didn't tell us what got changed, and looks bad and (3) just stick a line about it being a closed universe into your writing sample cover letter for future applications. We can handle a wide range Judicial Clerkship Cover Letter Samples of assignments, as we have worked for more than a decade and gained a great experience in the sphere of essay writing.Judicial Clerkship Cover Letter Samples of assignments, as we have worked for more than a Press J to jump to the feed. Come with sufficient copies of your resume, writing sample, and transcript. Federal clerkships are extremely competitive List qualities such as length, design (longitudinal vs. experience and where this clerkship would fall in your career Enclosed please find my resume, a writing sample, my transcript, and letters of recommendation from the following people: X Address Phone X Address Phone X ACCESSING PASSWORD PROTECTED CLERKSHIP MATERIALS . Applications should include a cover letter, resume, writing sample (unedited is preferable), and law school and undergrad transcripts (if available). Nearly all judges require a writing sample with the initial clerkship application materials. It would be a "draft opinion. Law review or moot court experience is preferred. § Because law clerks are exposed to a wide array of legal issues, a clerkship … ", New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. This isn't to say don't present a well written piece, but just that it's likely not a fatal mistake. Also, come with a pen and pad to take any important notes (e.g., names of current clerks) or follow up items. CLERKSHIP RECOMMENDATION LETTER FROM PROFESSOR. Thanks so much! Self-aware physicians are more effective, efficient, and satisfied. clerkship research resources, sample application materials, tips on how to connect to our alumni clerkship network, and advice on how to prepare for interviews. I am starting to finalize some federal district court clerkship applications and used a moot court brief as my writing sample. SAMPLE WRITING SAMPLE COVER SHEET #2 WRITING SAMPLE Serena Southerlyn Box 208304 New Haven, CT 06520 (203) 436-8888 The attached writing sample is an excerpt from a brief submitted for the Morris Tyler Moot Court of Appeals competition. This software allows clerkship applicants to select from among participating federal judges and build and submit their applications online. Another problem you might run into though is, like a student comment, if the opinion is in final form the judge to whom you apply might wonder how much of the work is your own. Determine the courts to which you want to apply. research, and writing skills. Would leaving out any mention of SOR be viewed as a fatal mistake? I feel much better after reading these comments. That should be fine. You have to explain that you had the judge's permission, and you might want to ask the judge to mention it in your letter of recommendation (generally, they'll explain how much of the work was yours, which will hopefully be at least 90%). Prior to the interview, try to track down the judge’s former clerks. Good luck! (Student's Name) Dear I am writing this letter in support of S.N. Your writing sample should be the best legal writing you have done. As part of the application process, Menuz was required to submit official transcripts of all her post-secondary marks, a cover letter, resumé, four reference letters and a writing sample. Although typically no official page limit exists, your sample should be from 8-15 pages. Well, a bench memo is a very different thing. The notepad isn’t for taking extensive notes, but only for reminders or follow-up tasks. Contact. Ultimately, a good writing sample will showcase your best work, however you choose to define the concept. Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee 2021 Diversity Clerkship Application Delaware state and federal courts have long been considered among the elite tribunals in the United States for the resolution of complex business disputes. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Appropriate writing samples include a law review article, a moot court brief, a paper written for a law school course, or a memorandum from a summer clerkship. In most clerkships, you’ll do a lot of writing, much of it under time pressure. For current and former Law School Redditors. Unfortunately my judge doesn't write letters of recommendation (for anyone--not even his real law clerks) so no help there. Many judges want samples that show only the applicant's writing with other people's edits. In any clerkship, you’ll spend significant time simply observing, and you’ll begin to understand why some lawyers are very good, and others are less effective.