Each judge selects candidates according to factors they have personally identified, the most common of which is usually GPA and law school. Judges also look for indications of excellent writing ability (usually journal membership) and the ability to work and play well with others. Some have specific interests that they look for, such as a commitment to public interest or intellectual property work. Others rely almost exclusively on law school contacts to recommend potential clerks.
The goal is for your application to be noticed and pulled out of the pile. A successful judicial clerkship candidate applies broadly and intelligently—this means that you have realistically assessed your credentials and applied to judges of the type who are likely to be impressed; have not limited yourself to a few desirable large cities; and lastly you have tapped into both your own and your advisor’s contacts and connections. To help you navigate these decisions, we have compiled statistics on interviews and clerkships received by Texas Law graduates.
