Judicial Clerkships

A large percentage of our graduates secure a judicial clerkship following graduation, working directly with a judge at the state or federal level to gain valuable legal skills and practice knowledge. These prestigious positions lead our graduates to national employment with private firms, federal and state government, and nonprofits.

To support students and alumni in securing judicial clerkships, the law school provides a: 

• Faculty-led Clerkship Committee, focused on strategy and building relationships to promote clerkship opportunities; 
• Judicial Clerkship Advisor to create programs that educate students on judicial clerkship opportunities, assist students with federal and state appellate clerkship applications, build connections with federal and state judges, manage faculty letters of recommendation, and navigate clerkship hiring trends;
• Judicial Clerkships Resources Google Site (accessible to only Minnesota Law students), with judicial hiring trends, resources on applications and hiring processes, and research and interview preparation information;
• Judicial Writing Course, designed to develop the writing abilities and practical knowledge of prospective judicial law clerks;
• Judicial Field Placement Course, which allows students to extern with state and federal judges, gain practical experience in a judge’s chambers, improve their skills as prospective judicial law clerks, and develop relationships with judges and current law clerks;
• Judicial Clerkship Pipeline Program, created in coordination with local federal judges, the Clerkship Committee, and the Career Center, provides students and judges with added support in transitioning from law school to a clerkship. In this program, the selected student will participate in an externship with the judge during their last semester of law school and enroll in the Judicial Writing Course.
• Career Center team of experienced counselors who provide programming, application feedback, and interview preparation. 

January 2014–March 2023 Reported Judicial Clerkships

• Federal Courts - 164 clerkships (U.S. Supreme Court, and federal circuit, district, magistrate, bankruptcy, trade and immigration courts)
• State Appellate Courts - 128 clerkships (state supreme courts and state courts of appeals)
• State Trial Courts - 234 clerkships
• Graduates have secured clerkships in over 36 states and territories, including clerkships in California, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, Wisconsin, and Washington D.C.

More information on annual NALP and ABA reporting for judicial clerkships can be found in annual Career Facts and Statistics under Where Grads Go.