Best and worst judges to clerk for Forum

[Anonymous User]

I’ve heard Pan is truly personally abusive to clerks in a way that’s very unusual.

[Anonymous User]

I’ve heard Pan is truly personally abusive to clerks in a way that’s very unusual.

I've heard the same unfortunately.

[Anonymous User]

Can anybody make this stuff about Pan a bit more concrete? A lot of vague generalities bein thrown around here and it's hard to get a sense for what's actually going on.

[Anonymous User]

Can anybody make this stuff about Pan a bit more concrete? A lot of vague generalities bein thrown around here and it's hard to get a sense for what's actually going on.

A lot of it is hyperspecific to individual clerks, of which she has only had a few, so that probably explains the hesitation. Reach out to alums if you want more concrete information.

From what I know though, it's a lot of verbal and mental abuse. It's also not limited to her chambers - she's not exactly beloved in Prettyman.

[Anonymous User]

Can anybody make this stuff about Pan a bit more concrete? A lot of vague generalities bein thrown around here and it's hard to get a sense for what's actually going on.

A lot of it is hyperspecific to individual clerks, of which she has only had a few, so that probably explains the hesitation. Reach out to alums if you want more concrete information.

From what I know though, it's a lot of verbal and mental abuse. It's also not limited to her chambers - she's not exactly beloved in Prettyman.

From what i understand it's also not really worth it in the end because she doesn't go to bat for her clerks and isn't a feeder. I guess if you really want to clerk on the DC Circuit for some reason... Personally I'd rather clerk for a random COA judge anywhere else, but I guess some people really, really want DC Cir. on their resume.

[Anonymous User]

What have you heard about the other judges in the DC Circuit? Which ones should be avoided?

[Anonymous User]

What have you heard about the other judges in the DC Circuit? Which ones should be avoided?

If you’re conservative, most of them are fine. Rao can be a bit difficult and the workload is significant, but it’s tolerable. Walker is very chill, Katsas is a great judge. Henderson doesn’t hire ideologically and is very absentee and aloof, but she’s not really abusive in any way and is very efficient with chambers work.

If you’re not conservative, the rest of the court is more mixed. I would recommend Srinivasan and Pillard; while their clerks work hard, Pillard’s especially so, they are both really sharp and also decent to the clerks and supportive career wise. Millett is somewhat similar except that she’s much much more abusive, fosters competition among the clerks, her clerks work truly obscene hours for no reason, and she can sometimes be almost Pan levels of cruel. Pan, as indicated above, should be avoid if you can help it — she simply is as mean, and as disorganized, as everyone else has alluded to. Wilkins is a good judge and nice guy, although I don’t get the sense that his clerks are always on top of the ball on everything and I don’t know much about the academic and intellectual experience. Childs is also very nice but her chambers is actively awful at the work — other chambers constantly have to correct scores of objective errors, rewrite her work etc. It sounds really chaotic over there. Garcia is new but he’s really sharp, approachable, and his clerks seem to love him. As of a few years ago, Rogers and Edwards are both quirky in their own ways (Edwards is more eccentric, Rogers is somewhat more abusive I think) but both are solid clerkships and they pump out really good work efficiently and have generally humane hours. I don’t know if either has gone down hill lately, seems from oral argument in a case I recently had that Rogers’ mind might be starting to go.

[Anonymous User]

What have you heard about the other judges in the DC Circuit? Which ones should be avoided?

If you’re conservative, most of them are fine. Rao can be a bit difficult and the workload is significant, but it’s tolerable. Walker is very chill, Katsas is a great judge. Henderson doesn’t hire ideologically and is very absentee and aloof, but she’s not really abusive in any way and is very efficient with chambers work.

If you’re not conservative, the rest of the court is more mixed. I would recommend Srinivasan and Pillard; while their clerks work hard, Pillard’s especially so, they are both really sharp and also decent to the clerks and supportive career wise. Millett is somewhat similar except that she’s much much more abusive, fosters competition among the clerks, her clerks work truly obscene hours for no reason, and she can sometimes be almost Pan levels of cruel. Pan, as indicated above, should be avoid if you can help it — she simply is as mean, and as disorganized, as everyone else has alluded to. Wilkins is a good judge and nice guy, although I don’t get the sense that his clerks are always on top of the ball on everything and I don’t know much about the academic and intellectual experience. Childs is also very nice but her chambers is actively awful at the work — other chambers constantly have to correct scores of objective errors, rewrite her work etc. It sounds really chaotic over there. Garcia is new but he’s really sharp, approachable, and his clerks seem to love him. As of a few years ago, Rogers and Edwards are both quirky in their own ways (Edwards is more eccentric, Rogers is somewhat more abusive I think) but both are solid clerkships and they pump out really good work efficiently and have generally humane hours. I don’t know if either has gone down hill lately, seems from oral argument in a case I recently had that Rogers’ mind might be starting to go.

What does “rewrite her work” mean? Do judges not offer suggestions/ask for portions of an opinion to be changed so that they’ll join?

[Anonymous User]

What have you heard about the other judges in the DC Circuit? Which ones should be avoided?

If you’re conservative, most of them are fine. Rao can be a bit difficult and the workload is significant, but it’s tolerable. Walker is very chill, Katsas is a great judge. Henderson doesn’t hire ideologically and is very absentee and aloof, but she’s not really abusive in any way and is very efficient with chambers work.

If you’re not conservative, the rest of the court is more mixed. I would recommend Srinivasan and Pillard; while their clerks work hard, Pillard’s especially so, they are both really sharp and also decent to the clerks and supportive career wise. Millett is somewhat similar except that she’s much much more abusive, fosters competition among the clerks, her clerks work truly obscene hours for no reason, and she can sometimes be almost Pan levels of cruel. Pan, as indicated above, should be avoid if you can help it — she simply is as mean, and as disorganized, as everyone else has alluded to. Wilkins is a good judge and nice guy, although I don’t get the sense that his clerks are always on top of the ball on everything and I don’t know much about the academic and intellectual experience. Childs is also very nice but her chambers is actively awful at the work — other chambers constantly have to correct scores of objective errors, rewrite her work etc. It sounds really chaotic over there. Garcia is new but he’s really sharp, approachable, and his clerks seem to love him. As of a few years ago, Rogers and Edwards are both quirky in their own ways (Edwards is more eccentric, Rogers is somewhat more abusive I think) but both are solid clerkships and they pump out really good work efficiently and have generally humane hours. I don’t know if either has gone down hill lately, seems from oral argument in a case I recently had that Rogers’ mind might be starting to go.

What does “rewrite her work” mean? Do judges not offer suggestions/ask for portions of an opinion to be changed so that they’ll join?

Have their clerks offer very significant substantive changes to correct egregious objective errors in complex cases etc. The work product going to panel is just far below anything else on the circuit. Riddled with errors both large and small, lacking in context and nuance etc.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone know anything about Sanchez, Mendoza, or H. Thomas (all 9th)?

[Anonymous User]

or Lee/Collins on 9?

[Anonymous User]

Anyone know anything about Sanchez, Mendoza, or H. Thomas (all 9th)?

Another thread on here had negative comments on Sanchez, but nothing concrete other than firing a clerk.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have the inside scoop on recent appointees to the Fifth or Sixth Circuit? (Douglas, Ramirez, Mathis, Davis, Bloomekatz)

[Anonymous User]

or Lee/Collins on 9?

Both are very smart, very good writers, and reportedly very good bosses. Collins is very cerebral and methodologically orthodox. Lee is a GWB/Kavanaugh type with more pop culture references. I don't think you could go wrong clerking for either one of them.

[Anonymous User]

or Lee/Collins on 9?

Both are very smart, very good writers, and reportedly very good bosses. Collins is very cerebral and methodologically orthodox. Lee is a GWB/Kavanaugh type with more pop culture references. I don't think you could go wrong clerking for either one of them.

Heard good things about both. Lee’s writing is a bit annoying, but his clerkship is pretty relaxed from what I’ve heard. Collins’ is not so relaxed because of how often he writes separately, how involved he is in the en banc process, and how slow he is, but apparently people like working for him.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have the inside scoop on recent appointees to the Fifth or Sixth Circuit? (Douglas, Ramirez, Mathis, Davis, Bloomekatz)

Bump

[Anonymous User]

or Lee/Collins on 9?

Both are very smart, very good writers, and reportedly very good bosses. Collins is very cerebral and methodologically orthodox. Lee is a GWB/Kavanaugh type with more pop culture references. I don't think you could go wrong clerking for either one of them.

Heard good things about both. Lee’s writing is a bit annoying, but his clerkship is pretty relaxed from what I’ve heard. Collins’ is not so relaxed because of how often he writes separately, how involved he is in the en banc process, and how slow he is, but apparently people like working for him.

Collins rubbed a lot of judges on the court the wrong way in his first few years for his lack of bedside manner. But I don’t know if that is also the case in his own chambers. My impression of him is that he is very smart, an independent thinker, and generally conservative but a bit idiosyncratic in his views.