How To Get The Most Out Of A Summer Judicial Clerkship

How To Get The Most Out Of A Summer Judicial Clerkship

Whether you’re unsure about a clerkship after graduation, or you’re all-in for the position, a summer judicial clerkship is a great option for one of your law school summer experiences. As a judicial clerk, you will probably not get paid, but if you do it right, it can be a very worthwhile experience. Below are some key tips to follow so you can be sure to get the most out of a summer judicial clerkship!

How To Get The Most Out Of A Summer Judicial Clerkship

Take on cases on a variety of matters

The judge you are clerking for will likely have both civil cases and some criminal cases on their docket. Be willing to take on both civil and criminal cases and cases from a wide spectrum of issues! By doing so, you will gain valuable experience that you can use to 1)  develop your skillset and discover your interests and 2) gain marketable experience for a wide range of future job opportunities.

Build a network

A clerkship opens the door to a large network of legal professionals. The judge you are clerking for, the full-time clerk(s) in chambers, the attorneys appearing before your judge, and the court staff can all provide you with valuable relationships as you start to embark on your legal career. Introduce yourself to the attorneys and court staff, ask plenty of informed questions to the full-time clerks, and get to know the judge.

Some practical ways to network while a summer judicial clerk include arriving early to the courtroom before a hearing so you can meet the attorneys, eating lunch in the common space in chambers with other clerks and maybe even the judge, regularly asking for feedback on your writing and research, and being the type of employee and co-worker others want around by working hard and being kind.

Observe Court

As a judicial clerk, you will have more opportunities than most summer associates to observe the inner workings of the court system. Show up and witness oral arguments in the court when the judge is presiding (while still getting your assignments done, of course!).

Embrace the feedback

As you draft opinions, you will inevitably get some edits. Don’t settle for simply making the edits until the draft comes back with no more red marks. Ask for substantive feedback on your writing style, your research, and your analysis. Throughout the summer, meet regularly with the clerk on staff and with the judge for progress reports and make every effort to be improving day-by-day.  The writing skills you acquire as a judicial law clerk are invaluable and will assist you no matter where your career takes you!

Leave with a writing sample

Make sure you have at least one assignment that will result in a quality and substantive writing that you can take with you. This may require asking for a specific type of assignment so that you can do original writing and research rather than simply editing someone else’s work. In addition, this will require you to ask the judge for permission to use the writing as a sample. Plan ahead for this so you are not deprived of a writing sample because you ran out of time to go through the protocol for taking a sample with you.

• Looking to Pass the Bar Exam?

  Free Resources:

  • 🌟Bar Exam Free Resource Center: Access our most popular free guides, webinars, and resources to set you on the path to success.
  • Free Bar Exam Guides: Expert advice on the MBE, the MEE, passing strategies, and overcoming failure.
  • Free Webinars: Get insight from top bar exam experts to ace your preparation.

  Paid Resources:

  • 🏆One-Sheets: Our most popular product! Master the Bar Exam with these five-star rated essentials.
  • Bar Exam Outlines: Our comprehensive and condensed bar exam outlines present key information in an organized, easy-to-digest layout.
  • Exclusive Mastery Classes: Dive deep into highly tested areas of the MBE, MEE, MPT, and CA bar exams in these live, one-time events.
  • Specialized Private Tutoring: With years of experience under our belt, our experts provide personalized guidance to ensure you excel.
  • Bar Exam Courses: On Demand and Premium options tailored to your needs.
  • Bar Exam Crash Course + Mini Outlines: A great review of the topics you need to know!

  🔥 NEW! Check out our Repeat Taker Bar Exam Course and our new premier Guarantee Pass Program!