News » Judicial Clerkship Opportunities: Consider Federal Staff Attorney Positions

Third-year law students may wish to consider staff attorney positions at the U.S. Circuit and District courts as most staff attorneys are hired directly from law school. Staff attorneys are hired by the judges and concentrate their work on cases that are decided on the merits: a) cases decided on the basis of the briefs and record alone, and b) cases decided on special oral argument days.

Staff attorneys prepare bench memoranda, which are distributed to judges in advance of oral argument. Staff attorneys attend the arguments and assist the judges in drafting a final order of opinion. Staff attorneys may focus a considerable amount of their time on motions. They review every substantive motion and applicable portions of the record, and presents the motion to the judges, and assists the judges in drafting an order disposing of the motion. They may also work on special substantive projects for the court and act as floating law clerks who work for any individual judge in need of extra help.

To determine hiring needs, please contact the individual judicial officer in courts of interest to you. For additional assistance, please see Carly or Gail in Career Services. Thanks!