An Inside Look at the Process of Applying for Clerkships in the Northern District of New York

The goal is for this article to shed light on the general hiring preferences of some of the judges and career law clerks in the Northern District of New York as well as provide thoughts and advice from current term law clerks that will allow you to apply for clerkships in a more knowledgeable manner. The main idea is that if you are currently in practice, or you are considering going into practice right out of law school, your chances of clerking are not lost. Rather, judges and career law clerks prefer applicants who have work experience.

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As one lawyer gets in trouble for relying on Chat-GPT in lieu of conducting actual legal research, the rest of us should reflect.

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On the evening of June 8, at the Rail Line in Armory Square in Syracuse, the Federal Court Bar Association sponsored a reception with the Central New York Women’s Bar Association to recognize and celebrate three of our very own judges – Chief U.S. District Judge Brenda K. Sannes, U.S. District Judge Anne M. Nardacci, and Chief U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Wendy A. Kinsella. About 40 people attended the catered reception.



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Lawyers, led by United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart, hiked the Pinnacle Trail near Lake George on May 25, 2023, for the second annual Hike for Mental Health Awareness Month, sponsored by the FCBA and the Adirondack Women’s Bar Association. Hikers included, from left to right, Hannah Hage, Judge Stewart, Janelle Pelli, United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino, Jennifer Jeram, Amanda Kuryluk, and Damara Fredette.

Speaking to...Frederick Rench

Capital Region criminal defense attorney Frederick Rench retired in mid-2022, only to be quickly pressed back into service as a Special Prosecutor. For the first time in his career, Rench found himself on the other side of the aisle, in several high-profile cases, most notably the Schoharie County limousine crash trial that ended on May 17, 2023, with guilty verdicts on all counts. Rench discussed what caused him to come out of retirement, his perspective as a new prosecutor following a 30-year career as a defense attorney, and perhaps a new career as a competitive dancer.

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July 4, 11:59 p.m.: submissions close for 8th Annual FCBA Constitution Contest; flyer here

July 19, 3 p.m.: CLE on Cross-Examination and Closing Statements in Federal Court; register here

September 18: FCBA Annual Golf Tournament at Bellevue Country Club, Syracuse; register here

October 4, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.: CLE: Trying a Civil Rights Case in the NDNY (Albany event); register here



October 5, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.: CLE: Trying a Civil Rights Case in the NDNY (Syracuse event); register here



November 30: FCBA Annual Dinner at the Marriott Downtown Syracuse – Save the Date, More Information Coming Soon