Law Clerk Careers Information
Law Clerks usually work with judges, helping to discuss, prepare, and process decisions. Unlike paralegals and legal assistants, law clerks are law school graduates. As such, clerks have the unique opportunity to discuss and develop cases with judges, and aid in the preparation of written decisions.
Law Clerk Careers & Degrees
Law clerks are not considered administrative aides. Being taken on as a clerk is usually a prestigious distinction, and many clerks are able to gain valuable experience and forge networks which serve them very well in their later legal careers.
Law Clerk Careers Path
As competition for spots is fairly intense, law clerks are traditionally drawn from the ranks of the country’s elite law schools. Passing the bar and a law school degree are necessary prerequisites, and many of the clerks who are selected are among the best students in their class.
Law Clerk Careers: Compatible Personality Traits
Hard-working, idealistic, ambitious, political, intellectual, logical, argumentative, committed, focused.
Law Clerk Careers: Salary Expectations
Clerking is considered a public service position, and involves government employment, so the median salary is often considerably lower than what candidates might earn in entry-level jobs in the private sector. The median annual salary for law clerks is $37,130, although pay does vary widely by position and location.
Law Clerk Careers: Job Outlook
Competition for clerkships at the nation’s courts will remain very intense, as the number of places is unlikely to grow significantly. However, clerks who have finished their traditional one- or two- year service usually can look forward to a very strong employment picture, as clerking is seen as very valuable experience in the legal world. Accordingly, lucrative positions at private firms are often a possibility.
Slightly Off the Footpath
- Attorney
- Private Investigator
- Paralegal
- Politics
Source: bls.gov/oes/current/oes232092.htm
