Judicial Clerkships

Judicial Clerkships: A Practical Guide is a comprehensive guide to working as a judicial clerk. The book explains (1) the role and duties of judicial clerks, (2) how to adapt the writing style used in law school classes and journals for use in the judicial clerkship setting, and (3) the form and content of specific documents written by judicial clerks. The book discusses how to write bench memoranda, opinion drafts, orders, findings of fact and conclusions of law, jury instructions, and letters and other professional correspondence.

In addition to explaining how to write specific documents, the book reviews the fundamentals of good writing, research, and citation. It also features chapters on how to apply for clerkships, the different kinds of clerkships, and the ethical responsibilities of clerks. The document-specific chapters all include document review checklists and sample documents. The book is a great resource for law students taking a judicial internship or externship class, law school graduates considering judicial clerkships, and current judicial clerks.

This guide is clear and well-organized. . . . As an inexpensive and comprehensive resource, Judicial Clerkships: A Practical Guide is recommended to both recently hired clerks and law students considering clerkships."
— Legal Information ALERT

The text as a whole is well organized and highly readable. . . . Judicial Clerkships is recommended for all law school and court libraries. Law students will appreciate the information on how to obtain a clerkship and, once hired, can use the book to prepare for their new positions. The book will also make an excellent reference tool for current judicial clerks at both the trial and appellate court levels."
— Law Library Journal