Judicial Clerkships: Federal vs. State

The prestige, the process, and the long-term career impact of clerking for a judge.

A judicial clerkship is an apprenticeship with a judge, typically lasting one or two years. In the legal profession, prestige is closely tied to the level of court where an attorney clerks.

Federal vs. State Clerkships

Federal Article III clerkships (District Court, Court of Appeals, Supreme Court) carry immense weight. BigLaw firms currently pay a $50,000 to $75,000 signing bonus to incoming associates with a federal clerkship, recognizing the intense competition required to secure these roles.

State court clerkships vary. Clerking for a state Supreme Court can be highly valuable for local appellate practice, whereas state trial court clerkships are primarily useful for networking with local prosecutors and defense attorneys.