OCS

Cover Letter Structure The simple part of cover letters is the structure which can be summarized with a few short guidelines: While it is easy…

Judges generally require a writing sample as part of the initial application. They are particularly sensitive to demonstrated research, writing, and analytical skills; bluebooking, typographical,…

If, after you have submitted clerkship applications, you have a new round of grades or other new information potentially of interest to judges who have…

Judges always require your law school transcript as part of clerkship applications, and some judges want your undergraduate and other graduate school transcripts as well. (For federal judges, refer to OSCAR…

While some clerkship applicants are lucky to have immediate success, most need to be persistent about their searches over time to get payoff. We emphasize…

You are almost there!  A few final tips . . .  Have Someone Else Proofread Enlist help in advance for careful proofreading. An example of…

Number Judges tend to require a minimum of either two or three letters of recommendation. Enough judges require three that you will need to arrange…

All applicants are encouraged to have a clerkship advisor review their materials before submission. Please plan ahead because at busy times of the year, many applicants tend…

Most general guidelines for other resumes carry over into the context of judicial clerkships. Then, some more specific points come into play as follows. Overall Try…

Harvard participates in the annual Overseas-Trained LL.M. Interview Program. The program is administered by Columbia University, and LL.M. students from Harvard, Columbia, University of Michigan,…

Faculty are accustomed to being asked for recommendation letters for clerkships, so it is not a big deal for them. Still, do what you can…

Judges vary and overlap in their hiring cycles. If you have an initial list of judges in whom you have interest, confirm whether they actually…

People outside Harvard Law School may not be accustomed to submitting recommendations, particularly clerkship recommendations. Therefore, try to be proactive in anticipating their questions and making the process…

New judges are appointed regularly and can provide exciting additional clerkship opportunities. Some even line up prospective clerks before they are confirmed as judges.  Nominees…

There are three methods of submitting judicial clerkship applications and recommendations: After you have decided to which judges you want to apply, you will need…

Mail Merges If you are applying to more than a few judges, you and your recommenders do not need manually to copy and paste judges’…

Harvard faculty members and assistants prepare many clerkship recommendations each year, so it is very important for you to understand and abide by internal procedures. After…

Your cover letters should be addressed individually to each judge. The most efficient way to produce this result is to download an Excel file of…

An Exploratory Process The Early Interview Program (EIP) at HLS provide an exceptional opportunity to interview with top “BigLaw” firms and some boutiques from across…

Quick Links and Appointments/Drop-ins Quick Links Drop-in Advising Quick questions? Stop by the OCS Suite during the school year or the OCS Zoom room over…

Getting Started All Transfer students Already have a 2L summer position? Congratulations! Please be sure to fill out the survey above and let us know…