We are writing to call your attention to a change that the Ad Hoc Committee on the Law Clerk Hiring Plan has made to the Federal Law Clerk Hiring Plan for 2026, as an experiment to attempt to improve how the plan operates.

Previously, the Hiring Plan included two dates/times:

1. The date and time when participating judges can start accepting clerkship applications or letters of recommendation, usually the first Monday in June.
2. The date and time when participating judges can start contacting applicants to schedule and conduct interviews, 24 hours later.

What Changed?

The Ad Hoc Committee on the Law Clerk Hiring Plan made a change to the 2026 Federal Law Clerk Hiring Plan intended to provide applicants and judges more time to coordinate interviews in an orderly manner.

For the 2026 hiring season, there are now three key dates/times:

• Monday, June 8 at Noon ET
  • OSCAR releases clerkship applications and letters of recommendation from rising 3Ls.
• Tuesday, June 9 at Noon ET
  • Participating judges can begin contacting applicants to schedule interviews.
• Wednesday, June 10 at Noon ET
  • Participating judges can begin conducting interviews and making offers.

Note: As in prior years, judges are expected to give applicants at least 24 hours to respond to offers

Why Was the Change Made?

The purpose of this change is to give applicants and judges more time to schedule interviews in an orderly fashion, and for applicants to have more time to prepare for interviews.

What’s Next?

After the hiring season is done, the Ad Hoc Committee on the Law Clerk Hiring Plan will consider whether to keep this change in place in future years.

Questions?

If you have any questions, please contact the OSCAR Program Office at 866-666-2120, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. or oscar-support@ao.uscourts.gov.

Regards,

OSCAR Program Office

   Human Resources Office, Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts