Empowering the next generation of law clerks

Although clerking for a judge is often a stepping stone to appellate work, judicial clerkships too often fail to reflect the diversity of our communities. That’s why we’re thrilled to launch our inaugural Clerkship Handbook!

At The Appellate Project (TAP), we believe every law student should have the information and encouragement they need to pursue appellate opportunities, including clerkships.

By providing comprehensive clerkship support to the students who often miss out on this information, our Clerkship Handbook helps level the playing field and create a stronger, more representative legal system for all of us.

About The Benefits of Clerking

Clerking is a valuable experience for future appellate advocates. Clerks get exposed to a wide range of legal issues, strengthen their legal research and writing skills, and receive insight into judicial decision-making. Judges also benefit from a diverse chambers as they seek their clerks’ perspectives on the complex legal issues before them.

3 Benefits of Clerking

Yet law clerks of color remain consistently underrepresented in chambers. Too often, law students of color are discouraged from pursuing clerkships. Many are told to not even bother applying, or self-select out after not seeing people that look like them in these spaces. And too many students simply do not even know about clerkships or their value. Our goal is to change that.

Our Clerkship Handbook targets underrepresented students and demystifies the clerkship process for them.

About TAP’s Clerkship Handbook

In the 51 pages of the Clerkship Handbook PDF, you’ll find information including:

✔ An overview of what to expect when clerking, what clerking entails, the benefits and potential challenges of clerking, and why it’s important that clerkships reflect the diversity of our communities.

✔ A breakdown of state and federal courts and clerkship opportunities therein, including how the clerkship application process differs from court to court.

✔ Advice on how to create the strongest clerkship application; selecting which judges to apply to and what the application entails; guidance on tailoring your cover letter, identifying recommenders, and selecting the best writing sample.

✔ Concrete advice on receiving and preparing for clerkship interviews, accepting and declining offers, and being successful as a clerk.

✔ Insights from judges on what they look for in clerks and advice from current and recent clerks on how they navigated the clerkship process.

✔ A glossary of common clerkship-related terms, as this terminology can often feel intimidating for those hearing it for the first time.

We hope the handbook will empower more students, particularly those most underrepresented, to pursue clerkships. Our judicial system will be better with you in it!

Thank You to Our Contributors

We are tremendously grateful to our volunteers who spent countless hours developing the Clerkship Handbook, as well as to the law clerks, attorneys, and judges who shared their valuable advice and perspectives on clerking.