Senior judges have an allotment of clerks based on the caseload they choose to carry. The majority of these clerkships are one-year positions.
However, a significant number of federal judges prefer two-year clerkships, which allow a clerk in their second year to train a successor. Additionally, all federal appellate and some district courts are authorized a varied number of staff attorneys, who perform duties for the entire court. These may be one- or two-year clerkships, or, in some cases, career positions.
Finally, some federal agencies have clerkship opportunities as well. A vast number of clerkships are available on the state level, and as the size and structure of state court systems vary, so too do the type and availability of state court clerkships. Some state court clerkships are one-year positions e.
Many state courts hire clerks as permanent staff rather than hiring new term clerks annually. Judicial clerkships are an outstanding learning experience. 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. Because law clerks have the opportunity to observe a large number of attorneys in practice, the experience exposes them to a wide range of legal styles and abilities. It may also provide insight into local legal employers that can inform decisions about permanent employment.
A significant benefit of a judicial clerkship is the mentoring relationship that often develops between a judge and their law clerks. The relationship is almost always an intensely personal one, and former clerks will tell you that the professional and personal relationship lasts throughout their careers. The experience and training obtained in a judicial clerkship is valued by most law firms, public interest organizations, government agencies, and corporations.
The U. Department of Justice actively recruits judicial law clerks for its Honors Program, which is the only avenue through which entry-level attorneys are hired at DOJ. Most public interest fellowship programs value judicial clerkship experience. Judicial clerkships are especially beneficial to those interested in pursuing an academic career. The majority of the permanent Cornell Law School faculty served as judicial clerks.
Finally, even for those who do not seek a career in litigation, clerkships can be quite valuable. While many Cornell clerkship applicants seek federal clerkships, there are a lot of advantages to state-court clerkships as well. First, clerking for a state court judge quickly establishes ties to the local legal community. This is especially important, even if you had previous ties to the geographic area.
Local practitioners may take the view that a state clerkship evidences a particularly high level of commitment to the area. 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. You can sign up for the weekly webinar here: Register on Zoom. You can browse a list of past webinars here: Webinar Replays. You can also read Harrison Barnes' articles and books here: Harrison's Perspectives. Harrison Barnes is the legal profession's mentor and may be the only person in your legal career who will tell you why you are not reaching your full potential and what you really need to do to grow as an attorney--regardless of how much it hurts.
If you prefer truth to stagnation, growth to comfort, and actionable ideas instead of fluffy concepts, you and Harrison will get along just fine.
If, however, you want to stay where you are, talk about your past successes, and feel comfortable, Harrison is not for you. Truly great mentors are like parents, doctors, therapists, spiritual figures, and others because in order to help you they need to expose you to pain and expose your weaknesses. But suppose you act on the advice and pain created by a mentor. In that case, you will become better: a better attorney, better employees, a better boss, know where you are going, and appreciate where you have been--you will hopefully also become a happier and better person.
As you learn from Harrison, he hopes he will become your mentor. To read more career and life advice articles visit Harrison's personal blog. Hi, I'm Harrison Barnes. I'm serious about improving Lawyers' legal careers. My only question is, will it be yours? Harrison is the founder of BCG Attorney Search and several companies in the legal employment space that collectively gets thousands of attorneys jobs each year.
Harrison is widely considered the most successful recruiter in the United States and personally places multiple attorneys most weeks. His articles on legal search and placement are read by attorneys, law students and others millions of times per year.
I really appreciated the professionalism of my recruiter, and her diligence on my behalf. My legal placement professiona Dear Mr. Barnes, Thank you so much for your follow-up e-mail below. I am so impressed with your follow-up and efforts to I liked that the recruiters I worked with were very polite and responsive.
I didn't have all the time to search all the Some of my favorite things about working with BCG Attorney Search include my legal placement professional, the represent My legal placement professional was super responsive.
I had some experiences with other places and that hasn't always be The folks I worked with were very responsive and helpful in preparing me for my interviews.
The first words that come to When you use BCG Attorney Search you will get an unfair advantage because you will use the best legal placement company in the world for finding permanent law firm positions. 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:. Resumes should be conservative in style and should list education and experience in reverse chronological order.
They should not be longer than two pages and should be error free. A resume should include experiences that illustrate research and writing skills such as a law review note being selected for publication; any other publications; and jobs, pro bono experience, and internships at which the applicant conducted research, wrote legal memoranda, or prepared legal documents.
Resumes should include community service or interests and activities that would help the judge get a sense of the applicant as a person. Remember, the judge is not just hiring an employee. Judicial clerks work closely with the judge and personality fit is as important as credentials. A resume should give a sense of who the applicant is and what interests him or her. Applicants should have their resumes reviewed by Professional Development before sending them. It's important to have a fresh pair of eyes check errors and to make sure that educational and professional experience is described in a way that best illustrates its value.
While the cover letter is really the first writing sample, judges also want to see an official writing sample, which illustrates legal analysis ability. When choosing a writing sample, keep in mind the functions of a judicial clerk. Clerks are called upon to evaluate a factual and legal situation, research applicable law, analyze the factual and legal situation in light of the law, and reach a conclusion.
A writing sample should reflect these abilities. Appropriate writing samples include a law review article, a moot court brief, a paper written for a law school course, or a memorandum from a summer clerkship. Applicants who submit material created for an employer must get the employer's permission first.
A writing sample should be pages long. The judge's time is valuable, and it is not appropriate to ask him or her to read a lengthy writing sample. An excerpt of a longer work is fine, but be sure to identify it as such.
It's also a good idea to attach a cover page to an excerpt listing a few key facts and giving some context to the piece. All writing samples should include a cover page with the applicant's name, address, and the purpose for which the writing sample was created.
When submitting a paper from a class, always send a clean copy, removing the professor's name, the date of the assignment, and any other such information from the top of the paper, and when submitting an assignment from work, remove the name of the assigning attorney, etc. Be sure to read it carefully for grammatical and spelling mistakes and for citation errors. It is a good idea to have a friend read over it to be sure to catch all mistakes. Most judges will accept an unofficial transcript, but some may request an official transcript.
Unofficial transcripts include photocopies of official transcripts and printouts from Insite. When using an Insite printout, be sure to type contact information at the top because no name appears on Insite transcripts. Judges generally require three to four letters of recommendation.
Letters should be from law school faculty and legal employers who can thoughtfully comment on the applicant's research and writing ability, intellectual abilities, and potential as a lawyer. Applicants should select individuals who can speak specifically to their abilities. A letter from a well-known figure may carry a great deal of weight, but not if that person does not know the applicant and cannot truly comment on his or her ability.
Avoid letters of recommendation written "To Whom it May Concern. When requesting letters of recommendation, be sure to allow sufficient time for references to prepare a letter. It's a good idea to provide each reference with a current resume and a brief note explaining clerkship preferences and plans.
Be clear about expectations of when the letter should be ready. It is the applicant's responsibility to pay for postage and to ensure that letters are sent. There are two ways to handle this. Either provide addressed, stamped envelopes to references and simply check back to be sure the letters were mailed, or include all letters of recommendation in the application packet.
If including all letters in the application packet, provide an envelope to each reference and ask that he or she seal the letter of recommendation inside the envelope and sign the seal. Once an applicant has made the resume cut and is selected for an interview, the focus shifts from the applicant's credentials to issues of "fit. Interviews are typically conducted in the judge's chambers, allowing the judge and all support staff to form impressions about the candidate.
It is critical that candidates treat all members of the judge's staff with respect. Clerks come and go, but permanent staff members that have a long-standing relationship with the judge are often viewed as indispensable and can have a great deal of influence on the judge's decision. Interviews will last anywhere from a few minutes to an hour or longer.
Some judges will ask candidates to speak about two or three legal issues about which they feel strongly. Become familiar with recent or noteworthy cases that have either gained national attention or have come from the judge's court. Get familiar with the judge's opinions, dissents, and personal history to try to anticipate areas that the judge may be interested in discussing. If possible, talk to people who have interviewed with the judge before to get a sense of what the judge might ask.
Candidates should expect questions on how a clerkship fits into their long-range career goals. Before interviewing, candidates should give some thought to why they are interested in a clerkship, why they are interested in the particular court, and why they are interested in the particular judge, and be prepared to answer questions about these choices.
Answers should express a genuine interest in the specific clerkship for which the candidate is interviewing and should show that the candidate has done some research on the court and on the judge. Approach the judicial clerkship interview with a game plan. Prepare ahead of time and identify the key personal characteristics to highlight in the interview. Focus on things such as writing ability, ability to meet deadlines, research ability, time management skills, ability to work independently and as part of a team, judgment, and ability to take constructive criticism.
Candidates should be prepared to ask questions of the judge. Remember that this, like all interviews, is a conversation. Candidates might ask questions about the scope of a judicial clerk's responsibilities, working conditions, the nature of the docket, and how responsibilities are delegated.
Questions should be thoughtful and should illustrate a genuine interest in the position. Travel and lodging expenses incurred during the interview process are the candidate's responsibility. Carefully select courts to apply to and be sure not to take on too much in terms of travel time and expense. Once a candidate has scheduled an interview, if he or she has multiple applications in the same geographic area, it is appropriate to contact several judges to let them know that he or she will be in the area.
This might help to reduce expense and time spent on the road. Offers for judicial clerkships are not like other job offers. Many judges expect an answer on the spot. At most, expect to have twenty-four hours in which to accept. Be aware that requests for an extension might not be looked upon favorably by the judge. Applicants should only apply to and interview with a judge if they are willing to immediately accept an offer from that judge.
If a candidate interviews with a judge and does not think that he or she would accept an offer from that judge, the candidate should call or write to have his or her name removed from consideration as opposed to waiting until an offer is accepted and then declining that offer. Once a candidate has accepted an offer, he or she has made a commitment that must be honored.
It is personally unprofessional and bad for the reputation of the candidate's law school to back out of an accepted offer to pursue another opportunity. Once a candidate has accepted an offer with one judge, that candidate should contact the other judges to whom he or she has submitted applications to have his or her name removed from consideration.
M c Kinney School of Law. Plan Your Career.
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