Judicial law clerks help judges prepare for court by conducting research and preparing legal documents. Clerks are usually recent law school graduates. They help judges stay on top of the vast body of law and precedent that legal decisions are based on, and assist in communicating with attorneys involved in cases. Law clerks prepare legal briefs, review motions submitted by attorneys, and also perform more routine tasks like proofreading opinions, taking notes, reviewing forms, and entering data. Judicial work generally takes place at courtrooms, in judges’ chambers, and offices, but clerks may also travel to conduct witness interviews or deliver subpoenas. Law clerks often work 40 hours or more per week, as in many movies and shows featuring law professionals, there’s a good chance they will work late into the night more often than workers in most professions. Most judicial law clerks have completed law school, typically a 3-year program after a bachelor’s degree. Many go on to work as lawyers or attorneys, and some pursue a Ph.D. in law as well.
What they do:
Assist judges in court or by conducting research or preparing legal documents.
On the job, you would:
Research laws, court decisions, documents, opinions, briefs, or other information related to cases before the court.
Prepare briefs, legal memoranda, or statements of issues involved in cases, including appropriate suggestions or recommendations.
Confer with judges concerning legal questions, construction of documents, or granting of orders.
Safety and Government
law and government
Arts and Humanities
English language
Engineering and Technology
computers and electronics
Business
administrative services
Basic Skills
reading work related information
listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Problem Solving
noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Verbal
read and understand what is written
communicate by speaking
Ideas and Logic
make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information
use rules to solve problems
People interested in this work like activities that include data, detail, and regular routines.
They do well at jobs that need:
Attention to Detail
Integrity
Analytical Thinking
Dependability
Independence
Initiative
You might use software like this on the job:
Project management software
Canyon Solutions Jcats
Legal Files software
Calendar and scheduling software
Aderant CompuLaw
American Legalnet Smart Dockets
Information retrieval or search software
LexisNexis
LexisNexis Smartlinx
doctoral degree or professional degree usually needed
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