NY Judge Gives Clerkship Tips

Colleen McMahon tells students what judges are looking for

—By Lori Craig

First- and second-year USC Law students learned about judicial clerkships recently from someone on the other side of the bench. On April 21, the Honorable Colleen McMahon, district judge of the Southern District of New York, gave tips on finding and applying for clerkships at the district or appellate level.

“It is a neat and treasured experience and something that if you’re interested in you definitely ought to explore,” said McMahon, who hires two clerks each year.

The first thing any prospective clerk should do is research, she said, to decide what type of clerkship — and which judge — is a good match.

The Honorable Colleen McMahon

“There are as many different kinds of clerkships as there are judges,” McMahon said. “Everybody’s experience with his or her judge is unique.”

Think about what kind of work is appealing. At the district level, clerks are exposed to more trial work and a wide variety of cases, while at the appellate level, clerks are one step removed from the courtroom and the “every day give and take between lawyers,” McMahon said. Appeals clerks research records, review written arguments and prepare judges for oral arguments.

McMahon encouraged USC Law students to look at judges around the country and consider applying in locations where judges aren’t as inundated with applications as those who sit in, say, Los Angeles or New York. USC Law pays for students to fly to clerkship interviews — a plus because, McMahon says, “judges like to look you in the eyes.”

“You should feel comfortable with a judge if you’re going to spend a year with them, and that’s why a judge wants to interview you in person,” she said. “I’m looking for people I’ll have fun with, and who will have fun with each other.”

Clerkship applicants need to be very good law students armed with three things: An up-to-date resume, a writing sample and letters of recommendation.

“The things that the judges are most interested in learning are where you went to law school and how well you did,” McMahon said. Some will be interested in LSAT scores, though McMahon said she isn’t.

McMahon also checks tra