Judicial Law Clerks
Assist judges in court or by conducting research or preparing legal documents.
Also known as: Appellate Law Clerk, Attorney Law Clerk, Career Judicial Law Clerk, Career Law Clerk, Chancery Clerk, Court of Appeals Law Clerk, District Clerk, District Court Law Clerk, ...
Annual Salary
Median annual wage (May 2024)
Job Outlook
Projected growth, 2024–2034 (About average)
What You'd Do
- Attend court sessions to hear oral arguments or record necessary case information.
- Communicate with counsel regarding case management or procedural requirements.
- Confer with judges concerning legal questions, construction of documents, or granting of orders.
- Draft or proofread judicial opinions, decisions, or citations.
- Keep abreast of changes in the law and inform judges when cases are affected by such changes.
- 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.
- Review complaints, petitions, motions, or pleadings that have been filed to determine issues involved or basis for relief.
- Review dockets of pending litigation to ensure adequate progress.
- Respond to questions from judicial officers or court staff on general legal issues.
- Participate in conferences or discussions between trial attorneys and judges.
- Verify that all files, complaints, or other papers are available and in the proper order.
- Coordinate judges' meeting and appointment schedules.
- Enter information into computerized court calendar, filing, or case management systems.
- Maintain judges' law libraries by assembling or updating appropriate documents.
- Perform courtroom duties, including calling calendars, administering oaths, and swearing in jury panels and witnesses.
- Prepare periodic reports on court proceedings, as required.
- Supervise law students, volunteers, or other personnel assigned to the court.
Top Skills
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Knowledge Areas
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Education Level Distribution
Percentage of workers in this occupation by education level
Technology & Tools
Software and tools commonly used in this role
In-Demand Technologies
Other Tools
Work Styles
Personality traits and work styles important for this career
Key Abilities
Cognitive, physical, and sensory abilities important for this role
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Work Activities
General types of job behaviors occurring on this job
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Work Environment
Physical and social factors that influence the nature of work
Related Careers
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Salary data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Outlook data: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license.