Clerkship Interviews: 2025-2026

[impecuniousmaximus]

14 hours ago, increasinglyhopeless said:

Do you know if they'll call or email?

Last year, SCC interview invitations came by email. 🙂

Edited February 7 by impecuniousmaximus

[traintogo]

Have Justice Favel’s interviews gone out?

[capitalttruth]

15 minutes ago, Allard2024 said:

Have Justice Favel’s interviews gone out?

I received one from him on Monday.

[TheDevilIKnow]

19 minutes ago, capitalttruth said:

I received one from him on Monday.

Congrats; Favel is awesome. Good luck!

[louiscanliit]

Received an FC interview invite today, via email! Does anyone know what to expect, or how to prep, for FC interviews?

[capitalttruth]

Out of curiosity - what seems to be the GPA cut off for FCA? Although its still early, I haven't got any invites from the FCA, and none last year. I wonder if the process has become more competitive and the GPA expectations are higher (A average as opposed to A- average).

[RollAND]

10 minutes ago, capitalttruth said:

Out of curiosity - what seems to be the GPA cut off for FCA? Although its still early, I haven't got any invites from the FCA, and none last year. I wonder if the process has become more competitive and the GPA expectations are higher (A average as opposed to A- average).

Got an A average (top 5% of my faculty) and didn’t get any invite for the FCA either -as of yet-. 

Edited February 7 by RollAND
Clarifying no invite for the FCA specifically

[increasinglyhopeless]

9 minutes ago, capitalttruth said:

Out of curiosity - what seems to be the GPA cut off for FCA? Although its still early, I haven't got any invites from the FCA, and none last year. I wonder if the process has become more competitive and the GPA expectations are higher (A average as opposed to A- average).

I don't think it's about grade point average. I'm about where @RollAND is in terms of my grade average in relation to my faculty and I got no interviews from FCA last year, and so far only one this year. I'm thinking maybe it's more about whether you've taken the classes they ask about in the application (Tax, IP, immigration, etc). I also think they probably care more about bilingualism at the FCA, and likely want people who have already articled and/or clerked previously. Obviously I don't know if you hit any of those - but that's my spitball guess of what they want.

[capitalttruth]

10 minutes ago, RollAND said:

Got an A average (top 5% of my faculty) and didn’t get any invite for the FCA either -as of yet-. 

Strikes me that FCA's requirements are closer to ONCA, but I could be wrong.

1 minute ago, increasinglyhopeless said:

I don't think it's about grade point average. I'm about where @RollAND is in terms of my grade average in relation to my faculty and I got no interviews from FCA last year, and so far only one this year. I'm thinking maybe it's more about whether you've taken the classes they ask about in the application (Tax, IP, immigration, etc). I also think they probably care more about bilingualism at the FCA, and likely want people who have already articled and/or clerked previously. Obviously I don't know if you hit any of those - but that's my spitball guess of what they want.

Ah, I see. I'll be articling at the DOJ and I do speak French, but my average is A- and I haven't taken courses in IP, immigration (though I have worked for Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada), or tax.

[LitigationForLyfe]

45 minutes ago, capitalttruth said:

Out of curiosity - what seems to be the GPA cut off for FCA? Although its still early, I haven't got any invites from the FCA, and none last year. I wonder if the process has become more competitive and the GPA expectations are higher (A average as opposed to A- average).

 

44 minutes ago, RollAND said:

Got an A average (top 5% of my faculty) and didn’t get any invite either as of yet

I am not entirely sure whether my average is comparable as my school uses a different GPA system than others (A+ being the highest). My average is an A and I think that places me within the top 10% of the class. I have received one interview for the FC.

33 minutes ago, increasinglyhopeless said:

I don't think it's about grade point average. I'm about where @RollAND is in terms of my grade average in relation to my faculty and I got no interviews from FCA last year, and so far only one this year. I'm thinking maybe it's more about whether you've taken the classes they ask about in the application (Tax, IP, immigration, etc). I also think they probably care more about bilingualism at the FCA, and likely want people who have already articled and/or clerked previously. Obviously I don't know if you hit any of those - but that's my spitball guess of what they want.

I agree with this poster. I think they are not only looking for strong grades, but strong grades in the areas that the FC/FCA deal with. Someone going in with strong marks in tax, immigration and administrative law are probably the most likely to get interviews (I feel as if those matters cover the vast majority of what the FCA/FC deal with) than someone with strong grades in areas mostly dealt with by the provinces.

Edited February 7 by LitigationForLyfe

[capitalttruth]

If I don't land anything this year, I'm going to ensure that I do one of my DOJ rotations in immigration or tax so I can be more competitive next year (assuming I can apply again after articling is complete).

[RollAND]

13 minutes ago, capitalttruth said:

If I don't land anything this year, I'm going to ensure that I do one of my DOJ rotations in immigration or tax so I can be more competitive next year (assuming I can apply again after articling is complete).

You can apply again after your articles ofc. No problem there with the FCA and FC (not possible for some provincial appellate courts  like the QCCA though)!

[notsocoolcucumber]

From experience, I would say there is no cut off GPA for FCA/FC recruitment (although there may be judges who have some). Grades are important and a majority of clerks selected will be in the top 10 or 20% of their class at either court. There are medalists at both courts, for example. There are also clerks, at both courts, who are not on Deans' lists. Given this, I would say recruitment is holistic--candidates are really reviewed as their full selves. The process will take into account experience/ publications/ references/ writing capabilities. Performance in administrative law, tax, IP, immigration is not typically something that is focused on; however, genuine interest in these areas/ and maybe the fact that these classes have been taken are considered. 

Maybe one clear trend is that bilingual judges will tend to look for bilingual candidates and it is typical for those judges to want to see french writing. Non-bilingual judges don't typically interview bilingual candidates. 

Edited February 7 by notsocoolcucumber

[misterpresley]

Does anyone have any advice for preparing for ONCA interviews (other than preparing the case they asked us to prepare)? Anyone who had interviews (successful or not successful) who can share their experiences?

[luckdragon]

Has anyone heard from the tax court yet? 

[capitalttruth]

On 2/7/2024 at 10:43 AM, TheDevilIKnow said:

Congrats; Favel is awesome. Good luck!

Do you have any tips on how to prepare for the interview? Do you know a little bit about Justice Favel's personality? I'm a little lost on how to approach the interview.

[dillpickles]

On 2/7/2024 at 2:30 PM, increasinglyhopeless said:

I don't think it's about grade point average. I'm about where @RollAND is in terms of my grade average in relation to my faculty and I got no interviews from FCA last year, and so far only one this year. I'm thinking maybe it's more about whether you've taken the classes they ask about in the application (Tax, IP, immigration, etc). I also think they probably care more about bilingualism at the FCA, and likely want people who have already articled and/or clerked previously. Obviously I don't know if you hit any of those - but that's my spitball guess of what they want.

I agree with this - I applied to the FC/FCA last year and didn’t get a single interview despite having an A average in 1L and A+ in 2L. I think I had a strong application (ref letters, writing sample, editorial experience) but I didn’t have any specific related experience or courses which I think did me in. 

[notsocoolcucumber]

Don't focus too much on a judge's personality. I also don't think it would be appropriate for current or past clerks to say anything about him as a person. But what I can say is that all judges, in an interview, are trying to get a sense of how it will be working with you, so don't be afraid to give them some personality of your own! Generally, for anyone applying, I would plan answers to two key questions. 1) Why do you want to work as a law clerk? and 2) (Most important) Why do you want to work as a law clerk at the Federal Courts. It is generally pretty easy to spot a genuine interest in the courts' jurisdiction. I would aim to tie your own experience, as well as future goals, to your answer. 

1 hour ago, capitalttruth said:

Do you have any tips on how to prepare for the interview? Do you know a little bit about Justice Favel's personality? I'm a little lost on how to approach the interview.

 

Edited February 8 by notsocoolcucumber

[scooter]

ONSC check in - I've seen Divisional Court and London/Windsor mentioned in this thread. Anyone hear of other regions going out so far?

[TheDevilIKnow]

5 hours ago, capitalttruth said:

Do you have any tips on how to prepare for the interview? Do you know a little bit about Justice Favel's personality? I'm a little lost on how to approach the interview.

Haha sorry to get your hopes up; I have not interviewed for any clerkship, let alone with him. My positive comment is just from observing him in Court. He seemed kind and patient in the face of some weird arguments. So my guess would be that he would have a conversational style and give you lots of space to answer things; hopefully you will feel comfortable in doing so.

But I can't emphasize enough that I have no insight in to the process. I just think Favel is 😎,  basically. Hopefully this still sets you at ease in some small way!

 

[Freetime]

Hi everyone, 

I figured it was time to pay it forward and contribute on here. I can speak to the SCC interview experience.

Last year, interview offers came out over the course of two days, which was an emotional rollercoaster for many. I am not sure if the court is going to do that again, so brace yourself. SCC offers are always via email and in the email you will be notified of which interviews you have. In the past years few years, there were up to three interviews available: 1) the panel, 2) Brown and Cote together, and 3) Rowe. The email will have a table that states the time of your interview and the interviewers. If the timeslot says "N/A" that means you did not get an interview with that judge(s). For example, you may have an interview with the Panel at 3pm, and then N/As for the other judges, or you may have interviews with everyone!! 

Interview offers come out about two weeks before the interviews take place. This year, the interviews are the week of February 26. The interview with the panel is quite controlled and short (like 10min). The panel consists of two judges (they change every year), and then 1-2 court staff as well. The panel asks about 3-4 questions and then pushes you out the door. If you have extra time, they will turn the floor over to you and allow you to ask a question, so prep something to ask. I can't say what the Cote or Moreau is going to do this year, but in the past Cote and Brown (along with two clerks) hosted a longer interview with more substantial legal questions (i.e., best case from SCC and worst case from SCC over past couple years). Rowe holds the longest interview, and it is a bit of a wild ride, but expect a full review of CV and pointed questions on your writing sample. The non-panel interviews are less formal and the judges might push back on your ideas, I found them to be more of a conversation. The panel interview is like clearing customs at the airport. 

So, you have made it through your interview(s)! A huge accomplishment in itself! Call backs are, historically, the Friday of interview week (this year, March 1). The judges call their selected clerks one-by-one, so call backs go out over a period of time that day. The judges may say in the interview that call backs can go out over the course of a couple days, and maybe that's true, but in my experience they tend to wrap it up on the Friday. 

I have had the experience of sitting by the phone all day and the phone never rings. It hurts and stings, and come the following Monday or Tuesday, the SCC will send you an email saying thank you for applying but the positions have all been filled. If you thought the interviews went well, you are probably right, but sometimes is comes down to luck of the  draw and the way that judges build their chambers. 

Reapply. If you have interviewed once, and perhaps you are a 3L about to start your COA clerkship, please consider reapplying in your clerkship year. You are coming with a whole year of extra experience, you are already strong enough to get an interview, you will likely now have a letter from a COA judge, and your final 3L grades (and a medal?). All the hard work has been done and you have already had your "practice run". The judges WILL remember you and comment on seeing you again. For all you know, you may have previously been their backup choice and now you are their top choice. It is hard to put yourself out there again, but know that that alone is a good quality to have and judges take note. And then it will be you who gets that Friday morning call!

Best of luck to everyone! 

 

[increasinglyhopeless]

29 minutes ago, Freetime said:

Hi everyone, 

I figured it was time to pay it forward and contribute on here. I can speak to the SCC interview experience.

Last year, interview offers came out over the course of two days, which was an emotional rollercoaster for many. I am not sure if the court is going to do that again, so brace yourself. SCC offers are always via email and in the email you will be notified of which interviews you have. In the past years few years, there were up to three interviews available: 1) the panel, 2) Brown and Cote together, and 3) Rowe. The email will have a table that states the time of your interview and the interviewers. If the timeslot says "N/A" that means you did not get an interview with that judge(s). For example, you may have an interview with the Panel at 3pm, and then N/As for the other judges, or you may have interviews with everyone!! 

Interview offers come out about two weeks before the interviews take place. This year, the interviews are the week of February 26. The interview with the panel is quite controlled and short (like 10min). The panel consists of two judges (they change every year), and then 1-2 court staff as well. The panel asks about 3-4 questions and then pushes you out the door. If you have extra time, they will turn the floor over to you and allow you to ask a question, so prep something to ask. I can't say what the Cote or Moreau is going to do this year, but in the past Cote and Brown (along with two clerks) hosted a longer interview with more substantial legal questions (i.e., best case from SCC and worst case from SCC over past couple years). Rowe holds the longest interview, and it is a bit of a wild ride, but expect a full review of CV and pointed questions on your writing sample. The non-panel interviews are less formal and the judges might push back on your ideas, I found them to be more of a conversation. The panel interview is like clearing customs at the airport. 

So, you have made it through your interview(s)! A huge accomplishment in itself! Call backs are, historically, the Friday of interview week (this year, March 1). The judges call their selected clerks one-by-one, so call backs go out over a period of time that day. The judges may say in the interview that call backs can go out over the course of a couple days, and maybe that's true, but in my experience they tend to wrap it up on the Friday. 

I have had the experience of sitting by the phone all day and the phone never rings. It hurts and stings, and come the following Monday or Tuesday, the SCC will send you an email saying thank you for applying but the positions have all been filled. If you thought the interviews went well, you are probably right, but sometimes is comes down to luck of the  draw and the way that judges build their chambers. 

Reapply. If you have interviewed once, and perhaps you are a 3L about to start your COA clerkship, please consider reapplying in your clerkship year. You are coming with a whole year of extra experience, you are already strong enough to get an interview, you will likely now have a letter from a COA judge, and your final 3L grades (and a medal?). All the hard work has been done and you have already had your "practice run". The judges WILL remember you and comment on seeing you again. For all you know, you may have previously been their backup choice and now you are their top choice. It is hard to put yourself out there again, but know that that alone is a good quality to have and judges take note. And then it will be you who gets that Friday morning call!

Best of luck to everyone! 

 

This is wonderful! Thanks so much. Do you know if those offers have started coming out yet?

[tiktok]

My first FC interview invitation came in yesterday evening. Just out of curiosity, how many people here have gotten multiple interviews so far? Is there any way to gauge how many judges haven't sent out their invitations yet?

[capitalttruth]

2 hours ago, tiktok said:

My first FC interview invitation came in yesterday evening. Just out of curiosity, how many people here have gotten multiple interviews so far? Is there any way to gauge how many judges haven't sent out their invitations yet?

I'm wondering the same thing. I've only received one interview this year - same as last year. I wonder if it's my only interview request.

[RollAND]

1 hour ago, capitalttruth said:

I'm wondering the same thing. I've only received one interview this year - same as last year. I wonder if it's my only interview request.

Exact same situation