Boost odds of a judicial clerkship.
A judicial clerkship involves legal research and writing and is a great job for recent law school graduates. Though a clerkship typically lasts only a year or two, it can catapult young lawyers into prominent positions and become the foundation of a successful career. While becoming a judicial clerk is no easy task, graduates of some law schools are more likely to obtain a clerkship than their peers at other law schools. Here are the 10 schools where graduates are most likely to become clerks, including the percent of those in federal and state or local clerkships. It’s important to note that other types of clerkships exist within administrative and international court systems.
Roger Williams University (RI)
U.S. News law school rank: 148-194
Total 2018 graduates employed in judicial clerkships: 31.1%
Percent of those clerks in federal courts: 0%
Percent of those clerks in state and local courts: 90.9% (At this law school, 9.1% of grads had clerkships that weren’t in federal, state or local courts.)
Learn more about the Roger Williams University School of Law.
University of Maine
U.S. News law school rank: 122 (tie)
Total 2018 graduates employed in judicial clerkships: 31.3%
Percent of those clerks in federal courts: 25%
Percent of those clerks in state and local courts: 75%
Learn more about the University of Maine School of Law.
University of Nevada–Las Vegas
U.S. News law school rank: 62 (tie)
Total 2018 graduates employed in judicial clerkships: 31.9%
Percent of those clerks in federal courts: 13.3%
Percent of those clerks in state and local courts: 86.7%
More about the William S. Boyd School of Law at University of Nevada–Las Vegas.
University of Maryland (Carey)
U.S. News law school rank: 47 (tie)
Total 2018 graduates employed in judicial clerkships: 35.9%
Percent of those clerks in federal courts: 12.1%
Percent of those clerks in state and local courts: 87.9%
More about the University of Maryland’s Francis King Carey School of Law.
University of Montana
U.S. News law school rank: 122 (tie)
Total 2018 graduates employed in judicial clerkships: 36.2%
Percent of those clerks in federal courts: 28.6%
Percent of those clerks in state and local courts: 71.4%
More about the University of Montana’s Alexander Blewett III School of Law.
University of Baltimore
U.S. News law school rank: 126 (tie)
Total 2018 graduates employed in judicial clerkships: 37.6%
Percent of those clerks in federal courts: 2.9%
Percent of those clerks in state and local courts: 97.1%
More about the University of Baltimore School of Law.
University of St. Thomas (MN)
U.S. News law school rank: 118 (tie)
Total 2018 graduates employed in judicial clerkships: 37.6%
Percent of those clerks in federal courts: 5.7%
Percent of those clerks in state and local courts: 91.4% (At this law school, 2.9% of grads had clerkships that weren’t in federal, state or local courts.)
Learn more about the University of St. Thomas School of Law.
Yale University (CT)
U.S. News law school rank: 1
Total 2018 graduates employed in judicial clerkships: 40.4%
Percent of those clerks in federal courts: 86.9%
Percent of those clerks in state and local courts: 8.3% (At this law school, 4.8% of grads had clerkships that weren’t in federal, state or local courts.)
Learn more about Yale Law School.
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
U.S. News law school rank: 76 (tie)
Total 2018 graduates employed in judicial clerkships: 57.6%
Percent of those clerks in federal courts: 3.7%
Percent of those clerks in state and local courts: 96.3%
Learn more about Rutgers Law School.
Seton Hall University (NJ)
U.S. News law school rank: 62 (tie)
Total 2018 graduates employed in judicial clerkships: 59.4%
Percent of those clerks in federal courts: 2.2%
Percent of those clerks in state and local courts: 97.8%
Learn more about the Seton Hall University School of Law.
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Explore the law schools whose grads were most likely to become judicial clerks.
— Seton Hall University: 59.4%
— Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey: 57.6%
— Yale University: 40.4%
— University of Baltimore: 37.6%
— University of St. Thomas: 37.6%
— University of Montana: 36.2%
— University of Maryland (Carey): 35.9%
— University of Nevada–Las Vegas: 31.9%
— University of Maine: 31.3%
— Roger Williams University: 31.1%
More from U.S. News
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10 Law Schools Whose Grads Get Judicial Clerkships originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 09/22/20: This slideshow was updated to reflect the 2021 Best Law Schools rankings.
