Judicial clerkships
What is a judicial clerkship?
A judicial clerkship is a prestigious and competitive postgraduate employment opportunity assisting a judge with conducting legal research, preparing memorandums, drafting legal opinions, and analyzing and concluding legal issues. As a judicial law clerk, you will have the opportunity to learn from a skilled jurist, develop your research and writing skills, learn the intricacies of civil, criminal, or administrative courtroom procedure, and interact with attorneys practicing before the court. Additionally, judicial clerkships can give you a competitive edge when applying for future legal positions. Many law firms will even defer an offer of employment to allow for time to pursue a clerkship.
Judicial clerkships exist at the federal and state level, and can be found in specialty courts and within administrative agencies. The processes and procedures to identify and apply for clerkships vary. Likewise, preferences for clerkship candidates' academic standing, co-curricular experience, and work experience differ from court to court, and sometimes from judge to judge.
How can you apply?
Federal Clerkships. OSCAR (Online System for Clerkship Application and Review). OSCAR is a centralized resource that allows applicants for federal judicial clerkships to search for judicial clerkship positions, select judges to whom they wish to apply, and build and submit their applications online in one place. OSCAR is the online resource for federal judicial clerkships exclusively. Therefore, state and local judicial clerkships do not participate in OSCAR. Also, while most federal judges participate in OSCAR, not all choose to, so it is important to verify the proper method if you are unable to find a specific judge in the system.
State Clerkships. State courts often vary in their application methods, and as such, students should defer to state court website for instructions. Students can share their interview experiences by participating in our survey here – all information goes toward our advising efforts to assist students in acquiring clerkships.
How can I learn more?
The Wayne Law Judicial Clerkship Program assists all current students, recent graduates, and other alumni interested in judicial clerkships. Each academic year, Wayne Law's Office of Career Success conducts and promotes a variety of programs to introduce judicial clerkships and how they can enhance a legal career. We also introduce students to alumni who can offer strong, meaningful mentorship along the way. Our staff is ready and on hand to discuss application processes, timelines, resources, and provide tips for drafting competitive clerkship applications. We also offer individual counseling, review application materials, facilitate submission of letters of recommendation, and help candidates prepare for interviews.
For further details on judicial clerkships, students can access our Wayne Law Clerkship Manual, updated annually, here. For more Wayne Law clerkship resources, including quick guides, alumni directories, and more – visit our Canvas page.
If you have questions about whether a judicial clerkship is right for you or how to pursue clerkships, the Office of Career Success is ready to assist you. You may register your interest in clerkships below or contact Director Dean Michel, to schedule an appointment.
Additional Resources
The following links will also assist in identifying opportunities to gain practical legal experience:
- NALP (National Association for Law Placement) Clerkship Resources
- OSCAR (Online System for Clerkship Application and Review)
- Michigan Courts Homepage
- U.S. Courts Homepage