“Behind every great judge is his or her law clerk,” says Debra Strauss, Esq. Of Behind the Bench, The Guide to Judicial Clerkships. Ask anyone and they will agree! Knowing that this is the case instantly explains how much importance and prestige is placed on the position of a law clerk and how helpful it can be to one's career. 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.
Details and Resources for the Judicial Clerkship Application Process
2009 Federal Clerkship Application Details
2009 State Clerkship Application Details
Things to Consider
Federal and State Supreme Court Clerkships: There is a large bias toward federal and state supreme courts due to the competitive nature of securing these positions.
If you wish to apply for a federal judicial clerkship, you must be prepared to hit the ground running in the late summer/early fall of your third year. (See Federal Clerkship Application Details link above) 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 geographic and court areas 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 certain 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 are often earlier than Federal Clerkship deadlines. (See State Clerkship Application Details)
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 http://www.cadc.uscourts.gov/bin/lawclerk/
This site explains the federal law clerk hiring process from year to year and the guidelines that are put in place.
Judicial Clerkships.Com http://www.judicialclerkships.com/links.htm
This site provides MUST SEE information and KEY WEB LINKS for judicial clerkship applicants.
U.S. Courts http://www.uscourts.gov/
This site provides background information and helpful resource links for the U.S. Court System.
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.
