Dressing for Judicial Internship Forum

[Anonymous User]

Does it have to be the conservative of the conservative, since you're in the courthouse in and out? I understand there are varying degrees depending on the chamber, so I'm curious what are the range of sartorial choices permitted by people who have experienced that environment.

To cut to the chase: Shoes. I love them, so can I wear anything other than boring black pumps to court? Specifically I'm thinking about red platform pumps, orange ballet flats, the likes.

Thanks!

[eth3n]

!

[02122015]

Conservative business attire on the first day; do as the clerks do after that.

[paratactical]

To cut to the chase: Shoes. I love them, so can I wear anything other than boring black pumps to court? Specifically I'm thinking about red platform pumps, orange ballet flats, the likes.

Thanks!

While I think you can get some leeway in shoes in court, I don't think orange ballet flats or red platform pumps fit within the allowable range.

Edit: This is based on my experiences in court as a paralegal accompanying attorneys - I'm sure there are other clerks and people who've worked in the court that will know more.

[XxSpyKEx]

Not sure about your shoe situation, but generally, some chambers have much more liberal dress codes than others. For example, one judge I interviewed with for clerkships was wearing a wrinkled, faded polo shirt and some wrinkled khakis, and made the point that the dress code in his chambers is really liberal (and the past clerks I talked to, prior to the interview, also indicated the same). The court I'm actually clerking for next year, on the other hand, is much more conservative, and even business casual there is fairly business (for guys it's pretty much a suit and tie ordeal without the jacket). The best things you can do is (1) ask ahead of time about the dress code, and (2), as someone already indicated, dress conservatively the first day (e.g. if they say business casual when they ask, dress on the business side of business casual), and then do as the clerks do after that. It's better to be overly conservative on the first day, than under dressed. (In other words, don't wear your fancy shoes on the first day.)