A clerkship is a post-graduate position with a judge or justice, where you will build skills essential to your legal practice and also forge foundational professional relationships.
Every year, Columbia Law School students and alumni obtain some of the most coveted judicial clerkship positions in the country—ranging from the U.S. Supreme Court,federal courts of appeal, and federal district courts to a broad array of state, specialty and international courts.
Why Should I Clerk?
Make an Impact
Clerks play a significant role in researching and drafting bench memoranda, judicial opinions, and orders. Under the apprenticeship of a jurist, clerks have the opportunity to work on important issues very early on in their legal careers.
Distinguish Yourself
A clerkship provides you with the additional training, experience, and judgment that employers seek in their top attorneys. Private and public sector employers alike value clerkships.
Gain Clarity and Perspective
Clerking provides unique insight into the legal system, how cases proceed from start to finish, and what a judge believes constitutes strong research, writing and advocacy skills. Whether you pursue a transaction or litigation-based career, understanding how a judge thinks and how a court operates is essential to your legal judgment and increases your value as a lawyer. A clerkship will also expose you to various areas of the law, potentially shaping your professional aspirations and goals following the clerkship.
Sharpen Your Legal Skills
Your research, writing, and editing skills will be significantly strengthened in a clerkship where you are required, from day one, to keep pace with the demands of your judge’s docket.
Create a Clerk Network
Clerks typically develop strong, long-lasting relationships with their judges and co-clerks. Many judges host annual reunions with their clerks. As new clerks join the “family,” the network grows a little larger every year. You may also develop a network of lawyers who clerked for different judges in the same city or courthouse. You will also get to know, and appreciate the role of, key administrators in the courthouse, who, too, can be lifelong friends and mentors.
When Should I Clerk?
In short, it depends. Some students still follow the traditional path of applying for clerkships during law school and starting work a few months after graduation. Many feel the experience is a bridge between law school and practice and a wonderful jumping-off point for their legal careers.Increasingly, however, students are opting to apply for clerkships that begin a year or more after graduation, and many judges now require clerks to have post-law school work experience. Moreover, applicants often view a clerkship as a potential pivot opportunity from private to the public sector, or a path to change an area of expertise or practice level (for example, appellate vs. trial work).
Clerkships that begin after an applicant has worked are sometimes secured well in advance—during 2L summer, 3L year, or at some point right after graduation. Other opportunities, including with recently-confirmed judges, may be obtained only a few weeks or months before the clerkship starts. Ensure you’re speaking with an OJC clerkships advisor to plan the best time for you to apply to a clerkship. If you decide to continue or begin your application process after you graduate, OJC is available to help. Reach out to us at [email protected].
Clerkship Placements by Class Year
The map below highlights the more than 955 clerkships our graduates in the JD classes of 2016-2024 have reported securing as of October 2024. Details about the clerkships reported in each jurisdiction can be seen by hovering over the map.
Office of Judicial Careers
OJC offers advising, placement, and processing services; collaborates with faculty, students, and staff to promote a clerkships-oriented culture; and creates meaningful opportunities for candidates and clerks to network with—and learn from—the judiciary and each other through innovative programming and events.
