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Judicial Law Clerks

Assist judges in court or by conducting research or preparing legal documents.

What you’d do

  • Prepare briefs, legal memoranda, or statements of issues involved in cases, including appropriate suggestions or recommendations.
  • Research laws, court decisions, documents, opinions, briefs, or other information related to cases before the court.
  • Draft or proofread judicial opinions, decisions, or citations.
  • Confer with judges concerning legal questions, construction of documents, or granting of orders.
  • Review complaints, petitions, motions, or pleadings that have been filed to determine issues involved or basis for relief.
  • Keep abreast of changes in the law and inform judges when cases are affected by such changes.
  • Attend court sessions to hear oral arguments or record necessary case information.
  • Review dockets of pending litigation to ensure adequate progress.

Skills that matter

  • Reading Comprehension
  • Active Listening
  • Critical Thinking
  • Writing
  • Speaking
  • Active Learning

How to get there

Extensive preparation: most need graduate school, such as a master's degree or higher

Also called

  • Judicial Assistant
  • Judicial Clerk
  • Judicial Law Clerk
  • Law Clerk
  • Appellate Law Clerk
  • Career Judicial Law Clerk

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