Occupation · SOC 23-1012
Judicial Law Clerks
Assist judges in court or by conducting research or preparing legal documents.
Median wage
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Projected growth
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Annual openings
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per year
Employed (US)
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Job Zone 5
Typical preparation
Extensive preparation
Stackable credential programs
70 mapped
Core skills
Reading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingActive ListeningWritingSpeakingActive LearningComplex Problem SolvingTime ManagementJudgment and Decision MakingSocial PerceptivenessMonitoringLearning StrategiesCoordinationPersuasionNegotiationService OrientationInstructingSystems EvaluationSystems AnalysisMathematicsQuality Control AnalysisManagement of Personnel ResourcesTechnology DesignProgrammingOperations MonitoringOperations AnalysisManagement of Material ResourcesTroubleshootingScienceRepairingOperation and ControlManagement of Financial ResourcesInstallationEquipment SelectionEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
Law and GovernmentEnglish LanguageAdministrativeComputers and ElectronicsPublic Safety and SecurityAdministration and ManagementCommunications and MediaCustomer and Personal ServiceHistory and ArcheologyEconomics and AccountingMathematicsPhilosophy and TheologyPsychologyTelecommunicationsPersonnel and Human ResourcesGeographyEducation and TrainingForeign LanguageSociology and AnthropologyTransportationDesignTherapy and CounselingMedicine and DentistryBiologySales and MarketingBuilding and ConstructionMechanicalChemistryPhysicsProduction and ProcessingFood ProductionFine ArtsEngineering and Technology
Technology & tools
Aderant CompuLawAdobe AcrobatAdvanced Technologies Class ActAmerican Legalnet Smart DocketsAmerican Legalnet eDocketsCanyon Solutions JcatsCompugov DocketViewCorel WordPerfect Office SuiteInfocom JACSJustice Systems FullCourt EnterpriseLegal Files softwareLevare Center CourtLexisNexisLexisNexis CourtLink Strategic ProfilesLexisNexis Lexis AdvanceLexisNexis SmartLinxMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft WordMicrosoft operating systemNew Dawn Technologies JustWare CourtOracle JavaServer Pages JSPOrion Law Management Systems OrionPTS Solutions WinJuris Court SolutionsPublic Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER)Syscon Court ClerkThomson Reuters Elite ProLawThomson Reuters WestlawThomson Reuters WestlawNextWeb browser softwareWord processing softwareWordPerfect
Representative tasks
Getting InformationAnalyzing Data or InformationCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProcessing InformationIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsWorking with ComputersMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsThinking CreativelyDocumenting/Recording InformationAssisting and Caring for OthersProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersPerforming Administrative ActivitiesMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicSelling or Influencing OthersControlling Machines and ProcessesTraining and Teaching OthersScheduling Work and ActivitiesCoaching and Developing OthersDeveloping and Building TeamsCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationHandling and Moving ObjectsStaffing Organizational UnitsRepairing and Maintaining Electronic EquipmentGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentRepairing and Maintaining Mechanical EquipmentPerforming General Physical Activities
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Legal memoranda and case briefs — draft under judicial supervision using established court formats and citation conventions.Statutory texts and prior court decisions — research and retrieve using legal databases and information retrieval software under attorney or judge guidance.Complaints, petitions, and motions — review and summarize key procedural issues and relief sought under close direction from the presiding judge.Judicial opinions and orders — proofread for citation accuracy and typographical errors using document management software in a chambers environment.Docket entries and case schedules — monitor and flag upcoming deadlines using calendar and scheduling software under supervisory direction.Oral arguments and court proceedings — attend and record relevant case information accurately for judicial reference.Legal search databases and office suite software — navigate and apply to locate statutes, regulations, and case law relevant to assigned matters.Recent statutory amendments and published decisions — identify and bring to the judge's attention changes potentially affecting pending cases.Legal writing conventions and citation standards — apply consistently when preparing initial drafts of case documents under close review.Judicial instructions and assigned research tasks — interpret and execute with attention to detail, demonstrating dependability in a high-stakes chambers setting.
developing
Legal memoranda on complex procedural and substantive issues — prepare with reduced oversight, synthesizing multiple sources of authority into coherent recommendations.Pending case dockets — review systematically to assess litigation progress and flag cases requiring judicial attention using project management software.Judicial opinions and written decisions — draft initial versions incorporating accurate legal reasoning, appropriate citations, and clear language for judge review.Evolving areas of law — track through ongoing research and proactively inform the judge when doctrinal shifts affect matters on the docket.Motions, pleadings, and supporting briefs — analyze for legal sufficiency, identify controlling precedent, and prepare concise issue summaries for judicial decision-making.Judge's questions and legal construction concerns — address through targeted conference discussions, offering well-supported interpretive analysis of statutes and documents.Analytical and scientific software tools — apply to organize and assess complex legal data sets or legislative histories supporting judicial research.Oral arguments — observe and synthesize key contested points into structured notes that assist the judge in post-argument deliberation.Multiple simultaneous research assignments — prioritize and manage using time management practices appropriate to a fast-paced appellate or trial court environment.Bench memoranda for pre-argument preparation — compose with independent judgment, accurately representing both parties' positions and applicable legal standards.
proficient
Complex legal questions spanning multiple jurisdictions or unsettled doctrine — resolve through autonomous, comprehensive research and deliver well-reasoned judicial memoranda.Draft judicial opinions — author from initial concept through final polish, integrating precedent, statutory construction, and policy analysis with minimal judge revision.Substantive conferences with the presiding judge — lead on questions of legal interpretation, document construction, and order-granting criteria, providing authoritative recommendations.Entire case files including complaints through post-judgment motions — review and evaluate independently, identifying controlling issues and recommending dispositions with sound judgment.Chambers research protocols and document management workflows — design and maintain to ensure consistent accuracy and efficiency across all assigned cases.Legal developments affecting pending matters — monitor proactively through continuous active learning and deliver timely, actionable briefings to the judge.Nuanced written and oral communication — produce and deliver when representing the judge's analytical needs in interactions with court staff, counsel, and administrative personnel.Non-routine or novel legal issues without clear precedent — analyze with inductive reasoning and intellectual curiosity, constructing well-supported frameworks for judicial consideration.High-volume oral argument sessions — attend, synthesize, and evaluate advocacy quality and legal merit, producing detailed post-argument analyses that inform final decisions.Sensitive case information and confidential judicial deliberations — manage with demonstrated integrity and rigorous attention to ethical obligations in a federal or state court environment.
advanced
Chambers research and opinion-drafting standards — establish and continuously refine to reflect best practices across an entire judicial office or court unit.Junior law clerks and externs — mentor and develop by modeling analytical rigor, writing excellence, and professional judgment in a demanding judicial environment.Jurisprudential trends and systemic legal issues — identify and synthesize into strategic briefings that inform the judge's long-term approach to complex litigation areas.Cross-chambers collaboration on court-wide procedural initiatives — lead by coordinating with fellow clerks, court administrators, and judicial officers to improve docket management.Highly complex, precedent-setting opinions — drive from conceptual development through final issuance, ensuring doctrinal coherence and lasting institutional impact.Judicial education and knowledge-transfer programs — design and facilitate for incoming clerks, embedding chambers norms, legal methodology, and professional ethics from day one.Strategic case management priorities — advise the judge on at an organizational level by analyzing docket patterns and recommending systemic workflow improvements.Relationships with court librarians, bar associations, and academic experts — cultivate and leverage to enrich the judge's access to cutting-edge legal scholarship and emerging doctrine.Ethical and professional standards for the chambers — model and uphold at the highest level, shaping a culture of integrity, cautiousness, and achievement orientation.Institutional memory and best-practice documentation — develop and preserve through comprehensive knowledge-management systems that benefit the court long after individual clerks depart.
Also known as
27 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Appellate Law ClerkAttorney Law ClerkCareer Judicial Law ClerkCareer Law ClerkChancery ClerkCourt of Appeals Law ClerkDistrict ClerkDistrict Court Law ClerkFamily Law AssociateFederal Appellate ClerkFederal Appellate Law ClerkFederal Court of Appeals Law ClerkFederal District ClerkFederal District Law ClerkFederal Judicial Law ClerkFederal Law ClerkJudicial AssistantJudicial ClerkJudicial Law ClerkLaw AssociateLaw ClerkLaw Firm ConsultantLaw ResearcherLegal ClerkPro Se Law ClerkState Appellate ClerkTerm Law Clerk