FEDERAL LAW CLERK HIRING PLAN, 3rd AND 4th PILOT YEARS

Updated October 2, 2020

Starting with students who entered law school in 2017, the application and hiring process will not begin until after a law student's second year.

For students who entered law school in 2019 (graduating class of 2022)

Judges will not seek or accept formal or informal clerkship applications, or seek or accept formal or informal recommendations, before 12:00 pm EDT on June 14, 2021. Judges also will not directly or indirectly contact applicants, or schedule or conduct formal or informal interviews, or make formal or informal offers, before 12:00 pm EDT on June 15, 2021.

For students who entered law school in 2020 (graduating class of 2023)

Judges will not seek or accept formal or informal clerkship applications, or seek or accept formal or informal recommendations, before 12:00 pm EDT on June 13, 2022. Judges also will not directly or indirectly contact applicants, or schedule or conduct formal or informal interviews, or make formal or informal offers, before 12:00 pm EDT on June 14, 2022.

A judge who makes a clerkship offer will keep it open for at least 48 hours, during which time the applicant will be free to interview with other judges.

This is a two-year extension of the original pilot plan. Participating judges will reconsider their participation after June 2022. After June 2021, participating judges will reconsider the length of time a clerkship offer must remain open.