Judicial Clerkships
Post-Graduate Judicial Clerkship Summer 2013 Deadlines
Rising 3L/4L students interested in applying for post-graduate state or federal judicial clerkship positions should review the updated clerkship deadline information found here. We request that interested 3Ls/4Ls notify opd@utoledo.edu of your interest in continuing with ANY/ALL judicial clerkship applications by Friday, May 31, 2013.
State Court Clerkships:
No single application process or centralized database for applying to state court clerkships exists. Each court, and often each judge within a court, will have varying hiring needs or timelines. Some state courts hire permanent clerks or staff attorneys while others hire clerks on a rotating cycle of 1-2 year positions. Individuals may be hired to work with a specific judge, or to be part of a pool of attorneys who assist all judges within a court. Log in to see current application information and tips.
Federal Clerkships:
Recently, it has been announced that Federal Court Clerkship deadlines have been moved up to the end of June. Log in to see the current deadlines and suggestions for navigating this process.
Most successful clerkship applicants have at least a 3.5 GPA and have participated in law review.
“Behind every great judge is his or her law clerk,” says Debra Strauss, Esq. Of Behind the Bench, The Guide to Judicial Clerkships.
A judicial clerkship is a post-graduate position and provides the opportunity both to observe the "law in action" in court and often to participate actively in the judicial decision-making process. Most judicial clerkships offer the opportunity to make valuable contacts with practicing lawyers, and will lead to broader employment opportunities upon their conclusion.
Consider a Clerkship - and the Points Below!
Federal and State Supreme Court Clerkships: The application process for clerkships at the federal and state Supreme Court level is highly competitive. If you wish to apply for a federal clerkship or state Supreme Court clerkship, you must be prepared to hit the ground running in the summer before your third year. Most federal judges have agreed to a special timeline and hiring process. It is important that you are aware of the guidelines prior to beginning the application process. However, you will also want to make sure that the courts you want to target have not imposed their own (and often earlier) deadlines.
Other State and Local Courts: Offer a great opportunity to shape the law in a particular state while getting to know the legal community. If you have a specific state in which you'd like to practice, this experience can offer you connections with local attorneys and judges and an opportunity to hone in on areas of expertise. State Court application deadlines vary widely from court to court and are often earlier than Federal Clerkship deadlines, sometimes as early as Spring of 2L year.
If you have questions about applying for judicial clerkships at the state or federal level, please contact the Office of Professional Development (OPD) at opd@utoledo.edu or 419-530-2851.
Related Websites
Online System for Clerkship Application and Review (OSCAR): https://oscar.symplicity.com/
The Online System for Clerkship Application and Review (OSCAR) is a single, centralized resource for notice of available federal clerkships, clerkship application information, and law clerk employment information.
Federal Law Clerk Hiring Plan: https://oscar.uscourts.gov/drupal/content/federal-law-clerk-hiring-plan
This site explains the federal law clerk hiring process from year to year and the guidelines that are put in place.
U.S. Courts: http://www.uscourts.gov/
This site provides background information and helpful resource links for the U.S. Court System.
U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary: http://www.judiciary.senate.gov/nominations/judicial.cfm
This site provides Information about judicial vacancies, nominations, and confirmations.
Judicial Clerkships.Com: http://www.judicialclerkships.com/
This site provides some useful links for judicial clerkship applicants.
VLS Guide to State Judicial Clerkship Procedures: http://forms.vermontlaw.edu/career/guides/
(The username and password are posted in the “Career Website Subscription Links and Passwords 2012-2013” document found under the Resources tab on Symplicity.)
This guide provides a great starting point for information about state and local courts across the country.
Ohio District Courts of Appeal: https://www.sconet.state.oh.us/District_Courts/
This site provides information on the Ohio Courts of Appeal and the various jurisdictions.