why is a supreme court clerkship a desirable position for a young attorney?

by Sim Greenfelder 4 min read

With the power to shape policy and precedent, a Supreme Court clerkship is an invaluable stepping-stone to future prosperity. Nine months of work, day and night, can translate into a massive signing bonus at a large law firm – reportedly as much as $300,000, on top of a six-figure salary.

You will be a better lawyer after you clerk: A clerkship allows you to experience a variety of cases with different substantive law and procedural issues that ultimately improves your general knowledge of law and its application. A clerkship will help you decide which practice area is right for you.

Full Answer

Should I consider a judicial clerkship After law school?

Answer:- The Supreme Court clerk is a court official who assists the judge in the cases. A Supreme Court clerkship is one of the most sought-after legal positions, giving "thirty-six young lawyers each year a chance to leave their fingerprints all over constitutional law." A clerkship allows you to experience a variety of cases with different substantive law and procedural …

What are clerkships at the Supreme Court of the United States?

in various courts. The basic duties of appellate and trial court clerks are the same whether the court is within the federal or state system. Federal Clerkships United States Supreme Court U.S. Supreme Court justices typically are authorized to hire four clerks each for a one-year term. Retired Supreme

Why do you want to be a court clerk?

Jul 28, 2016 · You’ll also get to experience priceless interactions with some excellent attorneys at work. The law clerk also has the benefit of being nearly invisible at time. This allows a clerk to observe and digest interactions, arguments, strategy, …

Why do law firms hire law clerks?

A judicial clerkship is an invaluable experience that provides great training and opportunity for growth for all lawyers, regardless of practice area. Most lawyers change jobs during their career, and having a clerkship shows that you are a highly capable lawyer, improving your value regardless of the type of work you do.

What are the benefits of a judicial clerkship?

A judicial clerkship provides the opportunity to hone research and writing skills while being exposed to a wide variety of legal issues. Furthermore, a clerkship offers insight into the judicial process and provides practical familiarity with the litigation process.

Why do law students do clerkships?

Most lawyers change jobs during their career, and having a clerkship shows that you are a highly capable lawyer, improving your value regardless of the type of work you do. And, you will be more competitive for postgraduate fellowships, scholarships, internships, and government honors programs.

What does it mean to clerk for a Supreme Court justice?

A law clerk or a judicial clerk is an individual—generally an attorney—who provides direct assistance and counsel to a judge in making legal determinations and in writing opinions by researching issues before the court.

Is a federal clerkship prestigious?

Generally speaking, clerking with a federal judge will be considered more prestigious than clerking with a state court judge. As such, students at the top law schools are competing more aggressively for federal clerkships than for state judicial clerkships.

What is clerkship law?

Judicial clerkships are postgraduate, full-time jobs which typically last one or two years. Clerks work for judges at all levels of the state and federal court systems, from trial courts to the courts of last resort.

How do you answer why do you want to clerk?

Here are some good answers that can help you pass the test:“I want to clerk for you because you are a great mentor to your clerks.”“I want to clerk for you because I will have a chance to work on a certain type of cases.”“I have an interest in criminal work, and you allow your clerks to work on criminal cases.”More items...

What does a court clerk do?

Preparing and issuing orders of the court (summonses, probation orders, other official documentation) Preparing dockets of cases. Examine legal documents submitted to courts. Searching files and contacting witnesses, attorneys or litigants to obtain information for the court.Dec 2, 2019

What is the role of the Supreme Court?

As the final arbiter of the law, the Court is charged with ensuring the American people the promise of equal justice under law and, thereby, also functions as guardian and interpreter of the Constitution. The Supreme Court is "distinctly American in concept and function," as Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes observed.

Do Supreme Court law clerks have too much power?

But the main quibble Posner, Taylor, and Wittes have with contemporary law clerks is that they wield too much influence over their justices' opinion-writing. Artemus, Weiden, and Peppers broaden this concern to the clerks' influence on the thinking of the justices about how to decide cases.Jun 13, 2006

What are the best clerkships?

The Law Schools Where The Most Graduates Got Federal Clerkships (2020)University of Chicago: 27.59%Yale University: 25.49%Stanford University: 23.08%University of Virginia: 17.46%Vanderbilt University: 16.67%Harvard University: 14.74%Washington University: 13.92%University of Georgia: 12.64%More items...•May 3, 2021

What is the difference between a paralegal and a law clerk?

Here's the most important difference: Paralegals can work as law clerks and legal assistants, but law clerks and legal assistants cannot work as independent paralegals. Paralegals have greater employment flexibility. You have the option to get licensed and start your own practice—or join a law firm in a support role.Apr 9, 2020

What is a law clerk NZ?

A law clerk's primary function is to perform research for a judge pertaining to legal issues before their court; they may work at the federal, state or municipal levels.Mar 10, 2022

What is a judicial clerkship?

A judicial clerkship is a close, mentoring relationship between an experienced, respected judge and a young law school graduate. In some cases, the law clerk is brought into the judge’s inner circle of colleagues. This allows one to make relationships that last throughout the clerk’s legal career. Admittedly, at its worst, a clerkship can be 1-2 ...

What is the role of a law clerk?

The role of the law clerk is primarily research and writing. You can expect to be groomed to become a well-equipped attorney for a law firm. It’s likely that you will learn by spending time with a judge about cases coming before them. They might use this time to test arguments and brainstorm different outcomes of a case.

What do you learn in trial court?

At the trial court level, what you learn is a mixture of procedure and people. An experienced law clerk plays a significant gate-keeping role to the office of a trial judge. Often, the clerk will be a first point of contact for attorneys with issues or requests for the judge.

Do attorneys take clerkships?

While an increasing number of attorneys are taking clerkships after a few years in practice, the traditional model has been for law students to apply for clerkships beginning at various points in their law school careers. The last decade has seen considerable flux in this area. Many federal judges banded together to establish a unified law clerk ...

What is a clerk in law?

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.

What is the job description of a judicial clerk?

There is, of course, no concise job description for a judicial clerk, and the specific responsibilities of a clerk depend on the type of court at which the clerk serves and on the specific preferences of the judge.

How to address a judge in a letter?

Take special care in addressing cover letters. Use the form of address appropriate for the particular judge. Letters of application are formal and should show proper deference to the judge by stating the judge's title correctly. The following are guidelines for correctly addressing cover letters: 1 Use "The Honorable" before the judge's name on the inside address and on the envelope. 2 The title for judges who sit on courts that have the name "Supreme" is "Justice." All other judges are called "Judge." The salutation of the cover letter should use the appropriate title. Examples: Dear Justice Smith; Dear Judge Jones, etc. 3 The correct title for a magistrate is United States Magistrate Judge. The salutation of the cover letter should read "Dear Magistrate Judge Johnson." 4 If the judge is the chief judge, chief justice, or senior judge, address him or her as such in the letter. Example: Dear Chief Justice Shepard. 5 When addressing a letter to a judicial clerk, include the title "Law Clerk" after the name. 6 The appropriate closing for a cover letter to a judge is "Respectfully" instead of "Sincerely."

What is the job of an appellate clerk?

The primary tasks of an appellate judicial clerk are to review the record from the trial court, review the parties’ briefs to the court, research the applicable law, and draft either a memorandum of law or a draft opinion for the judge.

How long does a judicial clerkship last?

Usually lasting one to two years, a judicial clerkship is an excellent way to bridge the gap between law school and the practice of law. Clerks at all court levels obtain unparalleled access to and knowledge about the judicial process.

What do judicial clerks do in Indiana?

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.

How much does a judicial clerk make?

Yearly salaries usually fall somewhere in the low-$30,000 to mid-$50,000 range. The median salary for judicial clerks is around $54, 000.