Law Clerks

Career summary

#no matching wois occ

Law clerks research and analyze legal data to find support for cases. They research previous court rulings. They check facts of cases and make sure their arguments are valid. They may deliver subpoenas to witnesses to testify about certain facts. They may also take sworn statements from witnesses.

Law clerks prepare and organize the information they collect. They write a rough summary and argument for lawyers to read and review. They file pleadings with court clerks once the drafts are approved.

Some law clerks are completing internships before they become lawyers. They can do almost everything a lawyer does. There may be other duties that they cannot do depending on the state.

Law clerks in firms that work with real estate may assist with house sales agreements. They may communicate with both parties and help them reach an agreement.

Law clerks who work in patent law firms may search to make sure that inventions have not been patented earlier.

Some clerks work in firms that do estate planning. They may inventory clients' property and hire appraisers to document its worth.

Clerk positions with judges are called judicial clerkships. Judicial clerks generally work with just one judge. They read legal arguments from lawyers on both sides of a case. They attend court proceedings, such as court trials or meetings with lawyers for both sides. They may direct meetings where parties are updated about where the case stands. They may arrange transportation and housing for important witnesses and jurors in some cases.

Judicial clerks may advise judges on court decisions. They may write a bench ruling once a judge has made a decision on a case. These are summaries of judges' thoughts and the legal evidence that led to their decision. They may work for a court that specializes in a particular topic, such as bankruptcy. They may also work for:

• State courts
• Federal courts
• Trial courts

Related careers

This career is part of the Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security cluster of careers.

Related careers include:

• Accountants and Auditors
• Actuaries
• Arbitrators and Mediators
• Budget Analysts
• Insurance Underwriters
• Judges and Hearing Officers
• Lawyers
• Paralegals
• Regulatory Affairs Managers
• Regulatory Affairs Specialists

Military careers

• Legal Specialists and Court Reporters

Job duties

Task list

The following list of tasks is specific to law clerks.

• Research and analyze laws or decisions that were made on similar cases.
• Investigate facts and laws and decide how to prepare cases.
• Prepare rough drafts of briefs and arguments for review and approval by lawyers.
• Direct delivery of subpoenas to witnesses.
• Prepare legal documents and maintain document files.
• File pleadings with court clerk.
• Appraise and inventory property for estate planning.
• Communicate with both parties who are involved in a case.
• Prepare real estate closing statements. Help during the closing process.
• May help arrange transportation for witnesses and jurors.

Common work activities

Law clerks perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.

• Get information needed to do the job
• Evaluate information against standards
• Make decisions and solve problems
• Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates
• Explain the meaning of information to others
• Update and use job-related knowledge
• Analyze data or information
• Use computers
• Process information
• Identify objects, actions, and events
• Organize, plan, and prioritize work
• Establish and maintain relationships
• Document and record information
• Perform administrative tasks
• Think creatively

Work requirements

Working conditions

In a typical work setting, law clerks:

Interpersonal relationships

• Have a medium level of contact with others. Clerks talk to lawyers or judges, but also spend time alone conducting research.
• Communicate by telephone, e-mail, letters, memos, and in person on a daily basis.
• Are somewhat responsible for the work done by other clerks.
• May work in a group or as part of a team.

Physical work conditions

• Always work indoors.
• May share the same office space with other clerks or judicial employees.

Work performance

• Must be exact in their work. Errors could cause evidence to be thrown out or clients to lose their cases.
• Make decisions that affect other clerks and claimants on a weekly basis. They make some of their decisions without consulting a supervisor first.
• Set some of their daily tasks and goals without talking to a supervisor first.
• Abide by strict daily deadlines.
• Repeat the same activities, such as writing briefs.

Hours/travel

• Usually work at least 40 hours per week.
• Generally work a set schedule.
• May work nights and weekends to meet deadlines on cases.

Physical demands

Law clerks frequently:

• Sit for long periods of time.

It is important for law clerks to be able to:

• Understand the speech of another person.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for law clerks to be able to:

• See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.
• See differences between colors, shades, and brightness.
• Use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble very small objects.
• Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.
• Hear sounds and recognize the difference between them.

Skills and abilities

Law clerks need to:

Communicate

• Read and understand work-related materials.
• Understand written information.
• Understand spoken information.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Listen to others and ask questions.
• Write clearly so other people can understand.

Reason and problem solve

• Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
• Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions.
• Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
• Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.
• Understand new information or materials by studying and working with them.
• Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
• Judge the costs and benefits of a possible action.
• Develop rules that group items in various ways.
• Recognize the nature of a problem.
• Concentrate and not be distracted while performing a task.

Manage oneself, people, time, and things

• Manage the time of self and others.
• Check how well one is learning or doing something.

Work with people

• Be aware of others' reactions and understand the possible causes.

Education and training

Educational programs

The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.

Programs of study directly related to this occupation

• Law

Other programs of study to consider

• Paralegal Studies
• Pre-Law

Training

To work as a law clerk, you typically need to:

• have a high school diploma or equivalent;
• have a bachelor's degree;
• have completed at least your first year of law school; and
• apply and be selected.

There are three types of appointments for law clerks:

• Temporary. This is like an internship and is usually for law students. The appointment is for one year or less. Students usually do these appointments during the summer when law school is not in session.
• Term. This appointment is for law students or graduates. The appointment usually is for one or two years.
• Career. This appointment is usually for law school graduates. The appointment usually is for four years or more. These clerks usually work for judges.

Education after high school

Most law clerks have a law degree or are working toward one. Many colleges and universities offer professional degrees in law. To apply to law school, you must have completed a bachelor's degree. However, a few law schools accept students who have completed only three years of college.

Together, college and law school usually take seven years of full-time study. This includes four years of undergraduate study followed by three years of law school. Law school graduates receive a juris doctor (JD) degree.

Your bachelor's degree does not have to be in a specific area for you to apply to law school. You should consider a rigorous course of study, including the sciences.

Work experience

Individual judges and law firms set the requirements for their law clerks. Requirements vary by the type of appointment. In general, judges or law firms require legal or other kinds of work experience and a license to practice law.

On-the-job training

For law students, clerkships are a way to learn by doing. You work with experienced lawyers as you perform legal research, draft contracts, and examine documents. You also observe legal proceedings. Some clerkships offer limited, classroom-based training that lasts a few months.

Helpful high school courses

In high school, take classes that prepare you for college. A college preparatory curriculum may be different from your state's graduation requirements.

You should also consider taking some advanced courses in high school. This includes Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses if they are available in your school. If you do well in these courses, you may receive college credit for them. Advanced courses can also strengthen your college application.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:

• Business Law
• Computer Applications
• Law Studies
• Legal System

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups that may be available in your high school or community.

Things to know

Individuals who are employed by an experienced judge or lawyer may participate in a four-year law clerk apprenticeship program  administered by the Law Clerk Board of the Washington State Bar Association. Only eight other states currently offer this law clerk program which is an alternative to attending law school. 

# added 1/28/19 lh

Many employers require a law degree. Some employers prefer to hire law clerks who have passed their state bar exam. Passing the bar exam gives lawyers their license.

Many lawyers hire second-year law students for internships during the summer before their third year. These internships, or clerkships, allow both employers and students to test their working relationship. Many times, law clerks are offered full-time jobs at the firm where they completed their clerkship.

Employers look for clerks who have a good understanding of the law. Employers also look for law clerks with good moral character. In addition, employers look for clerks who have good communication skills and who work well on teams. Employers prefer to hire clerks who can analyze and organize information.

Job listings

Listed below are links to job categories from the National Labor Exchange that relate to this career. Once you get a list of jobs, you can view information about individual jobs and find out how to apply. If your job search finds too many openings, or if you wish to search for jobs outside of Washington, you will need to refine your search.

• Law Clerks 

To get a listing of current jobs from the WorkSource system, go to the WorkSource website .

Wages

#In Washington, the average entry-level wage for judicial law clerks is $3,666 per month ($21.15 per hour).

#Updated ES wage info 07.16 sd

Wages vary by state and by the clerk's level of experience.

Law clerks who work full time may receive benefits. These may include health insurance, sick leave, and paid vacation. 

Employment and outlook

Washington outlook

#Between 2014 and 2024, it is estimated that for judicial law clerks there will be five openings annually due to new positions and 11 openings annually from workers leaving this career.

#Updated outlook 06.16 sd

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

National employment

Major employers:

• Law firms
• Local, state, and federal government courts

National outlook

Growth will grow about as fast as average for this occupation. 

Competition for law clerk positions will continue to be strong. This is because law schools are graduating more lawyers than there are jobs available.

Other resources

American Association of Law Libraries 
105 West Adams Street, Suite 3300
Chicago, IL 60603
312.939.4764

American Bar Association 
321 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60654
312.988.5000

American Judges Association 
300 Newport Avenue
Williamsburg, VA 23185
757.259.1841

National Lawyers Guild 
132 Nassau Street, Room 922
New York, NY 10038
212.679.5100

US Department of Justice 

Washington State Bar Association 
1325 Fourth Avenue, Suite 600
Seattle, WA 98101
800.945.9722
206.443.9722

Washington State Law Library 
360.357.2136

References

Career cluster

• Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security

Career path

• Conventional (Business Operations)

O*Net  occupation

• Judicial Law Clerks (23-1012.00) 

O*Net job zone 

• Job Zone 5 - Extensive preparation needed. Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience.

DOT occupation

• Paralegal (119.267-026) 

Holland occupational cluster

• Conventional/Enterprising/Investigative

COPSystem

• Communication