Job Profile: Law Clerk

The Job

• Law clerks assist lawyers or judges by researching or preparing legal documents and proofreading a judge's orders and opinions.
• They may also

  Law clerks spend most of their time at their offices or in legal libraries doing research and referencing past cases.

  meet with clients or assist lawyers and judges in court.
• Many law clerks also store, catalog and maintain legal volumes.

Skills

• Clerks must be able to write and speak effectively, research, analyze complex information and think logically.
• They must possess the ability to work cooperatively with chambers staff and court personnel. The employing judge must be confident that the law clerk can professionally interact with counsel, litigants and the public.
• Clerks must also be motivated, intelligent and demonstrate a deep interest in the law.

Education

Many former law clerks find the prestige and experience of such service broadens their future employment prospects.

• Law clerks typically must be law school graduates or certified as having completed all law school studies and requirements, merely awaiting conferment of degree. This includes a four-year college degree and three years in law school.
• Strong preparation in traditional bar courses with an emphasis on litigation-related courses is recommended.

Related Careers

As a young man, British author Charles Dickens worked as a law clerk.

• Legal training is useful in many other occupations, including paralegal and legal assistant, title examiner and abstractor, court clerk, legislative assistant, FBI special agent, legal secretary, municipal clerk, and licensing examiner and inspector.

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Sources: Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2000-01 Edition, Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Department of Labor; O*NET OnLine, US Department of Labor; and Federal Law Clerk Information System, Administrative Office of the US Courts