Helping clear up some of the fuzzy details of OSCAR

OSCAR the online application for federal clerkships can be a bit of a bear to deal with, and there are many aspects are not well documented. To help you out on your journey through OSCAR, I prepared a step by step (with pictures and little red circles with shadows) Guide to Starting Applications and Adding Recommenders in OSCAR.

The Guide tries to clear up the process and, along the way, answer a couple common questions from this year:

1. When are recommenders notified? Notification happens only after you have BOTH added recommenders to the My Recommendations tab and created a draft application with the recommender attached.
2. I think I am done, is there anything else I have to do? Possibly, make sure to Finalize your applications. If your application is in all other respects complete but you have not Finalized it, it will NOT be released to judges.

Adding recommenders, attaching them to applications, and finalizing applications are all covered in the guide.

As an added bonus, here is a template excel file that you should use to supply lists of your judges to your faculty recommenders and/or their faculty assistants.

Federal Law Clerk Hiring Plan

Students preparing for their final year - now is the time to think about federal judicial clerkships; applications are due next fall for work starting the fall after you graduate.

Most federal judges follow the Federal Law Clerk Hiring Plan. The Plan sets the timing of hiring. In the past, many judges rushed to hire students as early in their law school careers as possible. In fact, judges used to hire students as early as the fall of their second year for positions that would not begin until the Fall after the student’s graduation.

The Hiring Plan does not allow judges to hire before the fall of the third year of law school. Although some federal judges do not follow this plan, most do. Students interested in applying for a federal clerkship starting after graduation should submit applications at the beginning of fall semester of their final year of law school.

Important Federal Hiring Plan Dates

• Tuesday, September 8, 2009: The day after Labor Day - The first day that application materials may be RECEIVED by judges, also the day the online application system OSCAR releases applications to judges.
• Friday, September 11, 2009: The first day judges may contact applicants to schedule interviews.
• Thursday, September 17, 2009: The first day judges may hold interviews and the first day judges may make job offers.

Timing Issues to Consider

• Do not submit your materials too late. Because of the tight time-lines, it is important that you submit your materials as soon as possible without arriving before the deadline. If your materials arrive late in the reading period, the judge may have already received many good applications and may not even review your materials.
• Do not submit your materials too early. Judges who are strictly following the Plan will not review materials if they arrive early.
• Prepare your application early. Most judges require you to submit a cover letter, resume, transcript, writing sample and 2-3 letters of recommendation. You will need to prepare your materials over the summer, so that you can have them ready to submit immediately after Labor Day. Think about who you will ask to write your letters of recommendation. Advise them of your plans. Ask them no later than mid-summer, so they will have plenty of time to prepare a good letter for you to submit on time.
• Keep in mind that the Plan only applies to federal judicial clerkships. Some state courts follow these timing guidelines, many do not (including the Oregon appellate courts).
• Remember, when you apply through OSCAR, your completed applications will be automatically released to the judges according to the hiring plan.

What to Do NOW

• Review The Hiring Plan
• Pick up a copy of the Career Services “Judicial Clerkship Handbook” - pick one up from the Career Services front desk anytime or read online (login required).
• Register for OSCAR, the online judicial hiring system. It is never too early to start entering your information to OSCAR!
• Ask faculty and other recommenders about writing letters of recommendation for you.
• Research judges and determining where you plan to apply. A list judges and openings is available from OSCAR.
• Schedule an appointment to talk with Libby Davis, Ellen Jones, or Bill Penn in Career Services about your clerkship plans.

What do Montana, Iowa, Maine, Hawaii, New Jersey, and Minnesota have in common?

Right now on the Career Services online job postings, there are listings for judicial clerks for Montana, Maine, Iowa, Hawaii, New Jersey, and Minnesota. The Montana and Iowa positions starts in this September, 2009, all others are for terms starting in fall of 2010 (these are positions for students entering their final year of law school). Some are Trial Court, some Court of Appeals, and some state Supreme Court. Log into the job postings site to view the full details.

• Montana - Apply by 7/10/09, start 9/1/09
• Iowa - Apply by 7/1/2009, Start 8/3/09
• Maine - Apply by (multiple positions) 8/28/09 & 9/8/09, Start fall 2010
• Hawaii - Apply by10/1/09 Start 9/3/10
• New Jersey - 480 positions, Apply by multiple dates from 5/8/2009 through 12/24/2009, Start fall 2010
• Minnesota - Apply by (multiple positions) 8/14/09 & 8/21/09, Start August 2010

Interested in another state, check the Guide to State Judicial Clerkship Procedures (login information available in Career Services). Check now, as there is no consistent date for state clerkships.