Questions a Judge Might Ask You
- Why do you want to clerk?
- Why do you want to clerk for me?
- Why do you want to clerk for a trial/appellate court?
- What do you think the hardest part of clerking will be?
- What are you looking for in a clerkship?
- To which other judges/courts have you applied? Why did you choose them?
- Why did you go to law school?
- What are your career plans after law school?
- How does a clerkship fit into your long-term career plans?
- Where would you like to work ultimately?
- How would you describe yourself?
- How would you describe your work style?
- How would you describe your writing style?
- How do you know when to stop researching and when to start writing?
- What is your favorite course in law school and why?
- What is your least favorite course in law school and why?
- What do you consider your greatest strengths? Your greatest weaknesses?
- Tell me about your work with (journal/clinical).
- Who is your favorite Supreme Court justice and why?
- What do you think about the Supreme Court's recent ruling in ________?
- What are your views on states' rights (or other substantive legal areas)?
- What do you think about precedent?
- Tell me about your experience this past summer at (employer). What kind of substantive research and writing experience did you obtain?
- If you could change one thing about your writing sample what would it be?
- Were you the only one who edited this writing sample? Did your supervisor/professor provide any suggested edits?
- Let's talk about your writing sample. Why did you choose this topic? Why do you think the better decision would have been to reverse the lower court? Don't you think the Supreme Court's recent decision in __________ weakens your argument? (or some other question(s) challenging your analysis)
- Tell me about a situation in which you had to juggle competing deadlines and priorities and how you handled it.
- What do you like to do in your free time?
- Tell me about your interest in (fly fishing, snowboarding, filmmaking . . . etc.).
- What are some of the most recent books you've read?
- Why should I hire you?
- What would you do if we disagreed with how a case should be decided?
- Can you describe a challenging legal issue you have come across and how you worked through it?
-
If you could eliminate a constitutional amendment, which one would it be and why?
- What's a recent case you have read of mine?
- Tell me about a time in law school you had too much on your plate and how you worked through it?
- Would you rather write a brief or take a deposition?
- If you could be any fruit or vegetable, what would you be and why?
- What do you consider to be a good thing and a bad thing about the American legal system?
- What is something you have seen in a judicial opinion that you've liked that has influenced your own writing style, and why?
- How do you handle viewpoints that are very different from your own?
- What's something unique you will bring to this clerkship?
- Outide of yoru academic and professional life, what are you most proud of?
- If I called all of your recommenders, what is one thing about you they would all agree on?
Questions You Might Ask the Judge
- What criteria do you use in selecting your clerks?
- How would you describe your relationship with your clerks?
- What is the scope of their responsibilities?
- How do you delegate assignments?
- How is a typical case handled from start to finish?
- What are your favorite types of cases? What are your least favorite types of cases?
- How would you describe your work style?
Questions You Might Ask the Judge's Clerks
- What are your duties and responsibilities?
- How would you describe your relationship with your judge?
- Does the judge provide you guidance and feedback? If so, how?
- How would you evaluate your judge's mentoring abilities?
- How interested is the judge in clerks' personal and professional lives?
- How is the judge viewed in the legal community?
- What is the work load like?
- What types of cases are on the docket? Do certain types of cases predominate?
- Are you able to spend time in court?
- What do you like most about clerking? What do you like least?
- If the judge is a Chief Judge, do clerks assist in administrative work? If so, to what extent?
- If the judge is a Senior Judge, how does senior status affect caseload or type of cases?
- Does the (district) judge sit with the Circuit? If so, how does that affect the type/amount of the clerks' work?
- Does the (circuit) judge sit as a trial judge? If so, how does that affect the type/amount of the clerks' work?
- What is it like living in the particular town? Is it easy to make friends? Do you hang out with clerks of other chambers?
- What are the best and worst things about clerking for the judge?
