Access Restricted to Northwestern Law CommunityJudicial Clerkships
Important Information About Clerkships
Northwestern Law supports the federal judges' hiring plan. Under this plan, student applications and faculty recommendations
may not be received September 3, 2008, for clerkships that begin in 2009. Law school graduates are not
subject to the law clerk hiring plan, and may apply for federal clerkships at any time. For more detailed information on the plan,
see the information posted at the D.C. Circuit's law clerk Web site.
Judges at almost all levels of the state and federal judiciaries employ recent law school graduates as clerks to assist them in their duties. In addition, some state supreme courts and federal courts of appeals employ recent graduates as staff attorneys who work for the court as a whole on such matters as preliminary motions and pro se appeals. Most clerkships are for one- or two-year terms. Applicants for federal court clerkships must be third-year students or law graduates and most state judges seek to hire third-year students or law graduates as well.
The nature of a law clerk’s work varies with the court and with the individual judge. In general, however, judicial clerks research legal issues in cases, observe and participate in various judicial proceedings, and write draft opinions and/or advisory memoranda for their judges. If you are interested in applying for a clerkship or would like to learn more about clerkships and the application process, download a copy of the Judicial Clerkship Handbook.
Judicial Clerkship Application Information
Application Materials |
Information About Judges & Courts |
Judicial Clerkship Handbook |
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Family Education Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA) Consent Form (pdf) |
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| Clerkship Application Questionnaire, Updated 04/09/08 |
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| Clerkship Interview Questionnaire Updated 04/09/08 |
U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee |
| U.S. Supreme Court Hiring Timetable (pdf) |
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Online System for Clerkship Application & Review (OSCAR) |
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| OSCAR Applicant User Manual (pdf) Updated 07/20/07 |
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| OSCAR Explanation and Support | State Courts |
Mail Merge Documents |
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Cover Letter Instructions (pdf) |
|
Information Session - April 2008 |
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| Information Session PowerPoint Slides Updated 04/09/08 |
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Information Session Video (high bandwith)
Updated 04/21/08 |
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Information Session Video (low bandwith)
Updated 04/21/08 |
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| You will need Windows Media Player to watch the video. |
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| 2008 Application Calendar | |
| Student deadlines in BOLD. All times listed are CDT. | |
| April - June | Select Recommenders/Meet with Clerkship Advisor |
| June 9th @ 5:00 PM | Report Recommenders to judicial-clerkships@law.northwestern.edu |
June |
Work with a Allison Heverin and a Clerkship Committee Advisor to develop your strategy and identify judges and courts |
July 7th @
8:59 AM |
Email clerkship application spreadsheet for Letters of Recommendation to
judicial-clerkships@law.northwestern.edu; fill out on-line Judicial Clerkship application survey and email to judicial-clerkships@law.northwestern.edu |
July 14th @ 5:00 PM |
Deadline for Receipt of all letters, both third party and faculty |
July - August |
Compile Application Materials |
| August 24th & 25th | Student Application Package Stuffing Period |
August 29th |
Career Services will mail out Applications for receipt by September 3rd |
Faculty Clerkship Committee
If you have not already
spoken to a Clerkship Committee member and would like advice regarding
the clerkship process please see the following person based on the first
letter of your last name:
| A - F | James Pfander |
| G - Le | Kenworthey Bilz |
| Li - T | Lisa Huestis |
| U - Z | Eugene Kontorovich |
| Allison Heverin - Associate Director, Career Center | |
Northwestern Law Historical Clerkship Data
| Historical Clerkship Data (xls) Updated 04/09/08 |
