Why clerk

Second, U. District magistrate judges frequently hire judicial clerks. Magistrates handle pre-trial matters for trials before the District Court and handle trials for petty offenders. Judicial clerks at the Bankruptcy Court are responsible for reviewing cases, writing memoranda of law, and answering attorney questions regarding court procedures and policies.

There are 19 judges appointed to the Tax Court each with approximately three judicial clerks. Clerks receive the experience of a trial court within the specialized field of tax. The court's trials involve controversies regarding deficiencies in income, estate, and gift taxes, among other things. Students interested in positions should be sure to take and excel in tax courses and be ranked in the upper third of their class.

Tax Court. This specialized court sits in Washington, D. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. This court has 18 judges and approximately 19 law clerks. The judges hear cases dealing with suits against the United States. This court has nine judges, most of whom have two law clerks. The jurisdiction of this court is over civil actions against the United States arising from federal laws governing import transactions.

Find more information about the court. Many students from Indiana University Robert H. Each justice has two clerks with the exception of the chief justice who has three. Clerks are primarily responsible for reviewing the trial record, researching the applicable law, and drafting legal memoranda and court opinions. Clerks also attend oral arguments before the court. Students interested in a clerkship opportunity should apply during the fall semester of their second year.

Find more information on the Indiana Supreme Court and on the justices. There are 15 judges on the Indiana Court of Appeals. The courtroom and all judges' offices are located in Indianapolis. The courtroom and nine offices occupy a portion of the fourth floor of the State House. Six offices and the administrative offices are housed on the twelfth floor of the National City Center in downtown Indianapolis.

Some judges select their clerks during the fall and some wait until the spring semester. Students should apply during the second year of law school.

Find more information on the Indiana Court of Appeals and on the judges. Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law students can clerk at any state court in the country and are not limited to the Indiana state court system. The deadlines and procedures for individual state courts vary widely. The National Center for State Courts has more information about state courts across the country.

A judicial clerkship application generally includes a cover letter, resume, writing sample, law school transcript, and three to four letters of recommendation. Bring completed clerkship application packets to the Office of Professional Development in addressed, but unsealed envelopes.

Please see the section below regarding letters of recommendation for instructions on including letters in application packets. An applicant's cover letter is extremely important because this is the first opportunity the judge has to evaluate writing ability. A poorly written cover letter or a cover letter with errors will result in the applicant not receiving an interview. Cover letters should be no more than one page. It is important that a member of the Professional Development staff review judicial clerkship cover letters before they are sent.

A cover letter should indicate the applicant's interest in a judicial clerkship during a specific hiring cycle including the month and year the applicant is available to begin work and should include information that the judge will need to evaluate such as academic success including the ability to research and write , interest in or connection to a particular geographic area, and availability for interviews, including any trips planned to the area.

Many applicants are tempted to explain why they want a judicial clerkship and how the clerkship experience could benefit them. Instead, the cover letter should focus on why the candidate is interested in the specific court, specific judge, specific geographic area or specific area of law if the court has limited jurisdiction , and the attributes that the candidate possesses that would make him or her a successful judicial clerk. If it is possible to simply change the name of the judge and send a cover letter to multiple judges, the letter is not specific enough and should be rewritten to specifically express interest in the particular clerkship opportunity.

Remember, the judge will receive many applications and can only choose a small number of clerks. An applicant's cover letter should stand out as expressing genuine interest. Applicants are also tempted to describe themselves as possessing "excellent research and writing skills. Instead of simply stating ability, demonstrate it through examples of experiences that have developed those skills. Describe achievements instead of just stating attributes.

Letter 1: I am uniquely qualified for the position of judicial clerk. I have excellent writing and research skills and hope to further develop them through the clerkship experience. This letter would not stand out from other letters and does not give the judge any useful information with which to evaluate this candidate.

Letter 2: My experience as a research assistant to Professor Smith helped me to hone my research skills. I reviewed the recent changes to Title VII and the impact those changes had on the ability of employees to sue their employers for hostile environment sexual harassment. My research revealed that the changes in the law significantly affect the time that employees have to file claims, and I expressed this result in a written memorandum of law. Whether you intend to enter private practice, public interest, government service, or legal academia, clerkships are a very good way to start your legal career.

Clerkships offer an opportunity to work closely with a judge, learn about the inner workings of the judicial system, and hone your legal research and writing skills. In short, a clerkship can be an ideal stepping stone into any legal job. Number of consecutive years our graduates have clerked on the U. Clerking entails a good deal of legal research and writing, though it can also involve administrative responsibilities.

It is an excellent opportunity to become familiar with pretrial and trial procedures and to hone legal research, writing and advocacy skills. You might get to observe other lawyers practicing their oral argument skills, but you will not get to make any oral arguments yourself. Nor will you have the opportunity to sign your own name to anything that you prepare. The salary for clerkships can also deter people from clerking. Clerkships often attract the top students from law school; these are the same students who are generally in a position to accept jobs at the top law firms that pay really well.

Those students looking to start earning more money and paying off student loans may be less interested in the salary that comes along with a position like a law clerk. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Looking for an affordable bar exam course with a high pass rate? Check out our course options here! Named one of the fastest growing companies in the United States. Thank you for your support!

The Pros and Cons of a Judicial Clerkship. Looking to Pass the Uniform Bar Exam? Preview our course for free here! Free popular bar exam guides on the MBE , MEE , how to pass the bar exam , and what to do if you failed the bar exam written by bar exam experts! Our customers love these supplements!

Real MBE questions —the best practice questions available! Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. By using this site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. I Agree. Also, an important element in considering a state court clerkship is the type of practice you want to move on to after your clerkship is over. Clerking in a state court will give you an opportunity to gain insight into employers for whom you might want to work when your clerkship ends.

Or, if you are attracted to working for a state agency, law firm or public interest organization that operates in the state-court venue, a state court clerkship is invaluable. Another reason that state court clerkships may be of particular interest is that they are open to JD students that are non-U.

We encourage you to read the feedback we have collected from Cornell graduates who have clerked in federal and state courts. Their comments are overwhelmingly positive and provide tremendous insight into the clerkship experience. Some discuss the clerkship search process as well. Most state court systems mirror the structure of the federal system, with trial courts of general jurisdiction, intermediate appellate courts, and a court of last resort.

In addition to these courts of general jurisdiction, most states also have trial courts of limited jurisdiction as well. Some states, like New Jersey, hire hundreds of new clerks annually for one- to two-year clerkships for their trial, appellate, and highest court.

Others, such as New York and California, do not hire clerks routinely since judges in those states prefer their legal staff to commit to long-term positions. Review our online state court resources here to learn more about specific states. Practically speaking, clerkships with the Supreme Court are available only following clerkships with other courts.

If you think you are interested in a clerkship with the Supreme Court, speak with a member of the Faculty Clerkship Committee or a faculty member who has clerked there. Contact Dean Peck for a list of faculty members who have clerked in this court. The district courts are grouped into circuits the First through the Eleventh Circuit and the D. Circuit with one court of appeals in each circuit.

The courts of appeal consider appeals from their district courts and review rulings of administrative tribunals such as the Board of Immigration Appeals and the National Labor Relations Board. This court has jurisdiction over appeals from district courts in cases involving patents and certain claims against the United States, the U. The principal function of the clerk for an appellate judge is to research the issues of law and fact presented by an appeal and review transcripts of proceedings below for errors by the trial judge or counsel.

Appellate clerks do attend oral arguments; however, there is significantly less time spent in court than at the trial level. Appellate opinions typically contain an exhaustive and detailed analysis of the law, and these opinions are frequently published. District courts have jurisdiction over cases arising under federal question and diversity jurisdiction and comprise the first level of the federal court system. District courts consider a wide range of civil and criminal matters. There are 94 U.

Since district courts are trial courts, a law clerk at this level is involved in the many decisions that take place at every stage of the litigation process. Briefs submitted tend to be shorter than at the appellate level. Decision making is fact oriented.

A clerk may assist with discovery disputes, settlement conferences, pretrial, trial, and post-trial motions, and, in criminal cases, sentencing.