Top Law Schools

I am trying to get a sense of the real life style of clerk - I know it probably varies by judge but is it a good lifestyle or a sleep on the couch in your office lifestyle. Can you bring work home instead of being stuck in chambers all night?

Anonymous User wrote:I am trying to get a sense of the real life style of clerk - I know it probably varies by judge but is it a good lifestyle or a sleep on the couch in your office lifestyle. Can you bring work home instead of being stuck in chambers all night?

Varies widely by judge. I interned for a COA judge who was much more concerned with output than input and the clerks worked 40-50 hour weeks (closer to 40 most weeks - 10-6 most days, stay late one night or come in on the weekend if you have a big opinion/bench memo due). But, one of the clerks had previously clerked for a district court judge where he claimed to have worked upwards of 80 hours per week - basically until midnight or 1am every day during the week plus Saturdays.

I think these are the extremes, and most will fall somewhere in the middle - maybe 50-55 hours a week or so.

I'm clerking for a COA judge (2/9/DC) and typically work 55-65 hours/week. Sometimes more, sometimes less, depending on the calendar.

imchuckbass58 wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:I am trying to get a sense of the real life style of clerk - I know it probably varies by judge but is it a good lifestyle or a sleep on the couch in your office lifestyle. Can you bring work home instead of being stuck in chambers all night?

Varies widely by judge. I interned for a COA judge who was much more concerned with output than input and the clerks worked 40-50 hour weeks (closer to 40 most weeks - 10-6 most days, stay late one night or come in on the weekend if you have a big opinion/bench memo due). But, one of the clerks had previously clerked for a district court judge where he claimed to have worked upwards of 80 hours per week - basically until midnight or 1am every day during the week plus Saturdays.

I think these are the extremes, and most will fall somewhere in the middle - maybe 50-55 hours a week or so.

I talked to several past clerks, who are alumni from my school, and 50-55 hours sounds high for most. I'd say it's probably going to be closer to 45 hours /week on average (obviously there will be some weeks where you will have to work more, but I don't think it'll be 55 hour a /week, every week, at the typical clerkship).

I generally work 45-50 HPW with a few 55 HPW weeks here and there (and a few 40 HPW weeks, as well). Whether working from home is an option will depend on your judge (and especially appellate vs. trial).

I am not a federal clerk but when I interned in federal district court, the 3 clerks worked 40-45 hours, and this particular chambers routinely had the highest 'docket clearing rate' or whatever you'd like to call it (apparently the judges secretly or not so secretly like to compete about who churns out the most opinions, etc). I live on one of the coasts fwiw.

Similar to above poster--I interned in a fairly high profile district ct last summer, and the clerks worked 45-50 hrs/week usually.