Judicial Clerkships: What Are They? Should I Clerk?

I recently finished my one-year clerkship at the federal district court level and I'm here to talk about it (in general terms, of course---I won't be discussing any particular cases or specific work that I did while there). Deciding whether to apply for a clerkship, and actually going through that process, can be a source of immense anxiety and pressure. Like a lot of things in law school, you're often asked to make a decision about it before you're aware of what you're agreeing to do. And the commitment can sometimes be years out---I applied for and accepted the clerkship that I just finished more than three years ago! Hopefully this discussion of what a clerkship might entail can help you with that decision-making process, or just provide some background information if you're curious but not quite there in your journey yet. And of course, doing a clerkship is absolutely not necessary! Like all law-school "gold-stars" it has its upsides and downsides.

As always, this is my personal opinion, based on my limited and specific personal experience. Take it as a data point but not as a comprehensive guide! If you're interested in applying to a clerkship your best resources are your school's clerkship application office and alumni who have clerked.

Also, good luck to all my viewers currently slogging through bar exam prep and getting ready to take the bar. It's an awful experience but it will be over soon. You got this!

[AngelaVorpahl]

I love this! There aren't many videos out there about clerkships, so it's fantastic that you're sharing a look into your experience :)

[Alexisknm]

Great video! I saw on your Instagram you are pregnant ! Congratulations! Could you make a video on pregnancy and your clerkship, as a young lawyer? I personally would love to start a family soon after I finish law school (or maybe in my 3L year) and sometimes am afraid that my ambitions as a future lawyer might be at odds with this desire for a successful family. I would love to know your thoughts regarding this matter and your pregnancy experience thus far! Congrats again! Excited to see your videos again!

[hoosiercardy]

Thank you so much for making this. It’s far and away the best video/post I’ve seen about clerking (I’ve been digging for a long time)

Sincerely,

A clueless 1L

[psylentknight]

Thank you for this. I'm looking forward to working in this field.

[Kazandra]

Happy to see you back! Thanks for the informative video ☺

[mangoesandgrapes]

thank you so much for this super informative video. Can you talk more about how this clerkship supports your future professional goals? (are you going into litigation?) does it help specific fields more than others? is it useful for transactional lawyers? how was the experience in terms of work-life balance?

[mayxu]

Thank you for information! It is very helpful!

[censoredvids]

Thank you so much for your valuable insight! 🤍