How Do I Get a Judicial Clerkship?

Introduction

There are many clerkship opportunities available. In the federal court system, each of the nearly 600 district court judges is authorized to hire two law clerks. Circuit court judges (federal appellate level) are generally allowed three. There are also senior judges, magistrate judges, administrative law judges and courts with special subject-matter jurisdiction (such as bankruptcy and tax courts) that hire clerks. Additionally, each state administers its own court system with the number of clerkships varying from state to state. The trick is to find a clerkship that matches your qualifications and goals. Follow these pointers to effectively focus your judicial clerkship job search.