Judicial Clerkships
Judicial clerkships offer recent law school graduates the opportunity to work for a judge for one or two year terms. Clerkships are available in appellate and trial courts at the federal and state levels, as well as in some specialty courts, such as the U.S. Bankruptcy and U.S. Tax Courts. As a clerk, you will learn to evaluate issues from both sides and to thoroughly research and develop the reasoning to support a ruling. Clerkships also offer insight into the judicial decision-making process and exposure to a wide range of types of law. Judges and their clerks often develop close mentoring relationships that last long after the clerk's term is over. Obtaining a clerkship is considered an honor, and the fact that you have clerked will be an asset to you for your entire career.
The clerkship hiring process is very personal and can vary greatly from judge to judge. That said, grades and class rank weigh heavily in most clerkship hiring decisions. Judges also look for other indicia of future success, such as dedication to the community, commitment to the local area, and thoughtful future career plans. Meet with Erin Fullner in CPD to help you make choices about where to apply.
When to Apply
CPD will host a mandatory clerkship information meeting in February or March for those interested in applying for clerkships; most candidates should plan to attend the meeting during second year of law school. You should generally start drafting and assembling application materials during your second year and into the summer. Traditionally, many state court judges interview and hire students during the summer between second and third year for a clerkship term that starts in the fall after graduation. Some federal judges begin looking at candidates as early as fall of second year or sooner.
How to Apply
Each judge interviews and hires on his or her own timeframe. Judges may start reviewing applications at any time during your second or third year of law school. There is no standard or uniform response date or hiring process. Your fifth choice may respond long before your first. You cannot collect multiple offers and choose from among them, nor can you rescind an acceptance except in the most extraordinary of circumstances. If you have a prioritized list of judges for whom you'd like to clerk, you may wish to send out applications in waves.
Each judge will specify the application materials to be submitted, but they usually include a resume, cover letter, self-edited writing sample, references, and transcript (an unofficial transcript is usually fine). A clerk is an individual hire by an individual judge, and your application materials should reflect not only your qualifications, but also your reasons for seeking a clerkship with that judge. Keep in mind that in most chambers, the judge relies on current clerks or a judicial assistant (JA) to make a first cut of the hundreds (or even a thousand in some cases) of applications received. This is especially relevant if you are making reference to a connection that you have to the judge - be explicit.
Like all job application materials, your clerkship materials should be tailored for each judge to whom you apply. And also like all job application materials, your clerkship materials must be flawless-no typos, no grammatical errors, no citation errors.
Other options
If you're interested in the work of a clerk but don't wish to seek a post-graduate clerkship, you might wish to consider a judicial externship. SU has part-time and full-time judicial externship sponsors in many different courts. The externship program can also be excellent preparation for a post-graduation clerkship, in terms of experience, resume building, and making contacts. Check out the Externship Program.
Additional Resources
View Faculty Clerks
