• Finally, note if this is your first choice job and/or if you have a genuine, particular interest in
clerking for this judge. Be brief and specific about what that reason is.
o Possible examples of these types of genuine, particular interest include if a particular
professor the judge knows recommended you apply to her, you know one of the
judge’s current or former clerks, or you and the judge have shared career interests
(e.g. “I would welcome the opportunity to learn from your experience not only as a
judge, but also as a former public defender, a career I plan to pursue.”)
Paragraph 2: The Why (optional)*
• If you choose to include this paragraph, this is where you want to highlight why your
prior experience has prepared you well for clerking, taking particular care to note:
o Research and writing experience.
Were you a Law Fellow? Did you frequently research legislative history,
or draft memos, or court documents for a professor as an RA? What kind
of writing experience did you get as an intern, extern, judicial intern,
summer associate, or other summer law clerk position? Naming the type
of writing is helpful too (i.e. memo, brief, complaint, motion) as is
showing breadth and diversity in writing experience.
o Prior litigation experience:
This has some overlap with research and writing experience, but it is
helpful to signal to the judge if you have experience working on the type
of litigation she handles in her court. For example, if you are applying to
an appellate court noting significant brief writing, or other appellate
advocacy experience would be appropriate. Whereas if you are applying
for a trial level judge noting motions practice experience would likely be
helpful.
Paragraph 3: The Closing
• This is where you list the other materials included in your application packet as well as
the names of your recommenders. Some of the examples below include the names and
contact information of the students’ recommenders.
As you decide whether to include a “why” paragraph, consider that there are competing schools
of thought as to whether you should include a “why” paragraph highlighting your prior
experience. Moreover, if you do include such a paragraph, how much to say is debatable. One
school of thought counsels against writing such a paragraph because writing an effective “why”
paragraph that does not sound overstated or “braggy” is challenging. A poorly crafted “why”
paragraph can hurt an applicant. At the same time, the other school of thought advises that the
“why” paragraph is an opportunity for the applicant to explain why she would be a good fit for
this clerkship. A compromise position may be to write a shorter “why” paragraph or include
more biographical information in the opening paragraph. By doing so, you may be able to
convey why you are a good fit for this clerkship in a brief biographical summary. Instead of
saying, “My experience as senior articles editor on X journal helped hone my ability to edit
complex legal documents,” an applicant could simply state the facts: “I am senior articles editor
on X journal.”