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Going OSCAR Wilde

Quick clerkship question here. For the last month I have been watching judges in OSCAR hire left and right, presumably from the host of graduates and alumni who are not constrained to the hiring plan. It's frustrating to watch the alumni peck away at my judge list, but then that's the way the cookie crumbles sometimes. I know my place, and my place is the hiring plan: Boalt "adheres to the hiring plan" which means that all rising 3L's must wait until early September to apply for clerkships, with the caveat that the CDO will support early applications to judges who have been known to hire early from paper applications.

Presumably one must identify these judges by word of mouth. But by definition they all have one feature in common -- they all accept paper applications. I know that some students have already resolved to 'de-couple' their paper applications from the mass mailing melee, by sending them early. I haven't made up my mind on that one, yet, but my question is this: is it wise to forsake OSCAR? Given the tighter competition this year, would it be wise to apply early to any judge who accepts any paper application? Could it hurt me to send early paper applications to judges who accept both? Or is there some sight-unseen benefit to the hiring plan that I have yet to discover?

Scratch the above. I just realized I was beating around the bush. My real question is this: absent an explicit request from a judge, why should I adhere to the hiring plan?

Now before anyone flips out, I'm not announcing an intention to go rogue, or anything. I'm merely confused. Could somebody please explain to me what good the hiring plan is for Boalt 3L's?

Full post as published by Nuts & Boalts on July 05, 2009 (boomark / email).