Federal and state judicial clerkships traditionally are only one- or two-year term positions, though some judges and courts do hire career clerks. Clerkships provide excellent research and writing experience, as well as the opportunity to become familiar with the most popular legal issues before the courts. Judicial clerkships are excellent experience all around, but are also widely regarded as good stepping-stone positions to careers in private practice, government, and academia. Clerkships, especially in the federal courts, are generally highly competitive.
 
Judicial clerkship salaries are often mandated by statute or, in some states, union contracts. According to the NALP Publication Jobs & JD’s: Class of 2008, the national median salary for 2008 graduates entering judicial clerkships was $50,000.

The following is an introductory list of resources the CSO recommends to students who are interested in pursuing employment as judicial clerks. This is not a comprehensive list, but simply a starting point for research:

• Vermont Guide to State Judicial Clerkship Procedures (available via CSO on Blackboard and in hard copy in the CSO Resource Room)
• OSCAR Federal Judicial Clerkship system
• Behind the Bench: Guide to Judicial Clerkships, by Debra M. Strauss, Esq. (available in the CSO Resource Library)
• The Judicial Clerkship Handbook (available in the CSO Resource Room)
• BNA’s Directory of State and Federal Courts, Judges and Clerks (available in the CSO Resource Room)