Judicial Clerkships

Please click here if you are a current Loyola Law School student. 
 

Clerking for a judge can be an invaluable and exciting experience. As a clerk, you will have an opportunity to assist a judge with all aspects of the judicial process. You will conduct legal research, write memoranda, draft opinions, observe judicial proceedings and sit in on conferences. In doing so, you will gain an understanding of the legal process which can only be learned by working as a judge or as a part of a "judge’s chambers." It is a truly unique opportunity to have an impact on the law.

The information provided on this page is for Loyola Law School graduates only. A password is required to access several of the links below. Consult the "Resources" section of the Loyola Law School Symplicity system or contact the Office of Career Services. 

Federal Clerkship

The federal clerkship application process is extremely competitive. Candidates should be or have been in the top 20% of their class and members on law review.  Teacher or research assistant experience, externship experience, and significant prior work experience are required. Applicants must also obtain top letters of recommendation from faculty and previous employers. If you are competitive for a clerkship, please contact Professor Aimee Dudovitz and Professor Jessica Levinson .

Procedure:

• Register with OSCAR

OSCAR Tips

• Applicants:
  • OSCAR Applicant Quick Reference Guide
  • OSCAR Video Training
  • OSCAR Tip Sheets: Find resources on searching for clerkships, selecting recommenders, creating cover letters, and building applications in OSCAR. Once you have logged in, select the "Applicant Resources" tab within the "Resources" section. 
• Recommenders: Find sample recommendation letters, tips on file uploads, and information regarding conversion guidelines in OSCAR. Once you have logged in, select the "Recommenders Resources" tab within the "Resources" section.

Loyola Law School Research Tools

• Overview of Federal Judicial Clerkships

State Clerkship

Employment Opportunities

• Los Angeles Superior Court Law Clerk
• California Judicial Branch Career Opportunities
• National Center for State Courts Employment Opportunities
• Vermont Law School's Guide to State Clerkships
  Consult the "Resources" section of the Loyola Law School Symplicity system or contact the Office of Career Services for the username and password. 
• Insight and Inside Information for Select State Court Clerkships

Loyola Law School Research Tools

• Loyolans Receiving State Clerkships
• State Court Clerkship Panel (Event Recording)

Judicial Clerkship Research Tools

Researching Judges

• Federal Judicial Center
• JudicialClerkships.com
• Tracking Federal Judicial Nominations and Confirmations
  • U.S. Courts Federal Judicial Vacancies
  • U.S. Department of Justice Judicial Nominations
• Almanac of the Federal Judiciary (Rains)
• Daily Journal Judicial Profiles (Rains)
• Judicial Yellow Book (Rains, OCS)

Clerkship Advice

• Building a Successful Application: What a Judge looks for in a Clerk
• Rat Race: Inside Advice on Landing Judicial Clerkships
  by Honorable Ruggero J. Aldisert, Ryan C. Kirkpatrick & James R. Stevens
• Opinion Writing and Opinion Readers
  by Honorable Ruggero J. Aldisert; Meehan Rasch, Law Clerk to Judge Aldisert; and Matthew P. Bartlett, Law Clerk to Judge Aldisert; 31 Cardozo Law Review 1 (2009)
• United States Magistrate Judge: The Utility Fielder of the Federal Courts
  by Honorable Lawrence O. Anderson
• Thinking Like a Writer: A Lawyer's Guide to Effective Writing and Editing (Rains)
  by Stephen V. Armstrong & Timothy P. Terrel
• The Coming Judicial Clerkship Application Crush
  by Dan Filler
• A Guide to the Judicial Clerkship Application Process For People of Color
  Provided by For People of Color, Inc.
• High Court Snatches Up Ninth Circuit Clerks
  by Robert Iafolla
• The Courts: An Excellent Place for Attorneys of Color to Launch Their Careers
  Provided by NALP
• Judicial Clerkships for Everyone
  by Deborah Schneider
• The "Write" Way: A Judicial Clerk's Guide to Writing for the Court
  by Jennifer Sheppard, 38 U. Balt. L. Rev. 73 (2009) 
• Behind the Bench: The Guide to Judicial Clerkships (Rains, OCS)
  by Debra M. Strauss 
• A Shift to Magistrate Judges
  by Zoe Tillman
• Obtaining Good Judicial Clerkship Recommendations
  by Colleen Truden

Questions

Students who have read the guides and resources linked above may consult Linda Wysocky of Faculty Support for questions regarding the federal clerkship application process. Those with state clerkship questions may contact Brooke Loesby of the Office of Career Services.

Rains: Available in the Loyola Law School Rains Library.
OCS: Available in the Office of Career Services Library in Founders 118.