Applying for a Judicial Clerkship

Qualifications

Judges are independently elected or appointed officials who decide as individuals how to hire their clerks, and what qualifications they will seek. However, there are some standard qualifications the vast majority of judges look for: Class rank in the top 25% (this is a general rule of thumb); U.S. citizens or eligible to work in the federal government; and very strong research and writing skills (most judges look for law review and/or moot court experience). State trial court clerkships tend to be less competative, and graduates with a variety of experiences and class ranks have been successful.

Application Time

It is extremely important to research the hiring time of the individual judges you are applying to, and there are resources that can help you. Know that some judges’s hiring time can vary substantially from those described below. However, the general times are as follows:

State Trial Courts:

These courts generally hire 3rd year students in the final semester of law school to start in the fall after the bar exam; another popular hiring time is right after the bar exam results are published.

State Appellate Courts:

State appellate courts (supreme and courts of appeal) in Oregon and generally in other states seek applications from students in the second semester of their second year in law school; although, several states have moved their hiring closer to the September of a student's final year timing of federal courts.

Federal Courts:

Most federal judges follow the Federal Law Clerk Hiring Timeline, which specifies that hiring will take place no sooner than fall (September) of a student's final year. However, some judges do not hire according to this plan and may hire earlier.

Where to Apply

Again, research the individual judges you are applying to is very important. Many judges want clerks who are interested in practicing in the geographic area in which the court is located. Others have no such expectation, allowing you to take a clerkship away from Portland and return when your time is done.

Materials

Always pay attention to the application materials requested by the particular judge as judges differ on what they request. For any clerkship, however, you should expect the judge to require at least the following: cover letter, resume, transcript (unofficial unless an official one is asked for), writing sample of 7-12 pages maximum, and three letters of recommendation. Some judges also request undergraduate transcripts and LSAT scores, so be prepared.