Judicial clerkships are a prestigious and competitive employment opportunity for law school graduates. Judicial clerks work closely with judges. They usually perform a wide range of tasks, including legal research, drafting of memoranda and court opinions, proofreading, and cite checking. The role duration is usually 1-2 years long depending on the opportunity. A judicial clerk is exposed to a wide array of legal issues and is able to make a hands-on contribution to the judicial decision-making process.
photo courtesy of John L. Krauss
Why Consider a Judicial Clerkship?
There are many reasons why a law student should consider pursuing a clerkship including:
- Unparalleled Learning Opportunity: Work directly with judges to gain experience on a variety of legal issues
- Skill Development: Hone your legal writing, research, and analytical skills.
- Career Advancement: Enhance your resume and open doors to law firms, academia, or public service. Judicial clerkships are a guaranteed way to stand out to future employers.
- Networking: Build life-long relationships with judges, lawyers, and court personnel that could shape your career.
Timeline for Preparing
Most clerkships will post in Spring of 2L year or in the summer. It is important to research where you are interested in pursuing a clerkship and be mindful of their deadline.
If you are interested in pursuing a judicial clerkship, it is recommended that you begin building strong relationships with faculty your 1L year and consider pursuing a judicial externship to begin networking with judges.
Resources for students pursuing clerkships
It is recommended that you schedule a meeting with the Office of Professional Development to discuss your interest in judicial clerkships. Also, explore McKinney Works for more details and resources pertaining to clerkships.
Online Resources to learn more:
- OSCAR (where 80-85% of judicial clerkships are posted and information about federal hiring guidelines)
- U.S. Courts Locator (links to federal court websites for all circuits and districts)
- NALP (information on federal hiring timeline)
- Indiana Supreme Court Clerkships (The Supreme Court of Indiana has opportunities for law clerks to work directly with the five Justices of the Court.)
The salary available to a judicial clerk depends upon the court, legal work experience subsequent to graduation from law school, and bar membership. As of 2024, Indiana Supreme Court Clerkships receive an annual salary of $90,169.06 and second year law clerks will receive $97,414.66 in addition to other state employee benefits.
Many law firms will give credit toward partnership for time as a clerk, considering former judicial clerks as second- or third-year associates and adjusting their salaries to reflect that seniority.
Judicial clerkships are available at several levels of the judiciary:
- Federal Level:
- S. Supreme Court clerkships, highly prestigious and competitive.
- S. Court of Appeals (Circuit Courts) clerkships, focusing on appellate cases.
- S. District Courts clerkships, dealing with trial-level cases.
- Specialized federal courts (e.g., Tax Court, Bankruptcy Court, or Court of International Trade).
- State Level:
- State Supreme Courts, which are the highest appellate courts in the state system.
- Intermediate appellate courts, handling appeals from trial courts.
- State trial courts, which manage cases at the local level.
- Specialized Courts:
- Administrative law courts or military courts, depending on jurisdiction and case focus.
When choosing a court, applicants should consider two main factors: the type of court and the location of the court. It’s important to carefully research courts before applying. Only apply to courts you are interested in serving.
Judicial clerks are not generally required to be members of the bar of the state where the court is located. However, considering where you want to grow your career long-term is important to consider as you will build a strong networking while clerking.
A judicial clerkship application generally includes a cover letter, resume, writing sample, law school transcript, and three to four letters of recommendation. The majority of applications will be submitted via OSCAR, as paper applications are becoming less common. Application materials that need to be mailed should be included in one packet, sans letters of recommendation, addressed to the judge and marked “Judicial Clerkship Application.” The Office of Professional Development will cover the cost of postage for up to 50 clerkship applications and will also submit letters of recommendation on behalf of faculty for students.
Make an appointment with the Office of Professional Development to discuss assembling your application materials.
Once a candidate is selected for a judicial clerkship interview, the focus shifts from credentials to "fit." Judges look for someone they can work with effectively, and impressions formed during interviews—including those by permanent staff—can heavily influence decisions. Interviews, typically held in chambers, may last a few minutes to an hour or more. Candidates should prepare to discuss legal issues tied to their writing samples, favorite classes, or noteworthy cases, while also researching the judge’s rulings and history. They should articulate clear reasons for pursuing the clerkship and ask thoughtful questions about the role. Travel expenses are the candidate's responsibility, so consolidating interviews in the same area is wise to save time and money.
Candidates should only apply and interview if they are prepared to accept an offer on the spot. If unwilling to accept, they should withdraw their application rather than decline an offer later. Once an offer is accepted, it must be honored, as backing out is unprofessional and damages the candidate’s and their law school’s reputation. After accepting, candidates should notify other judges to withdraw their applications.
