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Do you need to have a JD to clerk (federal)? I understand some judges do not require bar licensee. However, do judges require JD's?

Next semester, I plan to take only one class (through distance learning). I would like to clerk while I take that class.

Edit: sorry, to be more clear. I plan to take only one class, which is the last class i must take to graduate.

it depends entirely on the judge doesn't it? I mean, they have clerks during over the summer and stuff

Guys at my high school did clerking while uop all the time.

Sorry, I meant federal clerkship. Not law firm clerkship.

Anonymous User wrote:Do you need to have a JD to clerk (federal)? I understand some judges do not require bar licensee. However, do judges require JD's?

Next semester, I plan to take only one class (through distance learning). I would like to clerk while I take that class.

What do you mean clerk next semester? At this point the vast majority of 2014-15 federal clerkships have been filled. If you already have a clerkship lined up then just ask your judge.

As for your question: you don't have to pass the bar to clerk so my suspicion is that a J.D. would not technically be a requirement (since what does a J.D. really do other than allow you to sit for the bar?) though I suspect some judges would look at it strangely.

bk1 wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Do you need to have a JD to clerk (federal)? I understand some judges do not require bar licensee. However, do judges require JD's?

Next semester, I plan to take only one class (through distance learning). I would like to clerk while I take that class.

What do you mean clerk next semester? At this point the vast majority of 2014-15 federal clerkships have been filled. If you already have a clerkship lined up then just ask your judge.

As for your question: you don't have to pass the bar to clerk so my suspicion is that a J.D. would not technically be a requirement (since what does a J.D. really do other than allow you to sit for the bar?) though I suspect some judges would look at it strangely.

There are a few 2014-2015 spots (magistrate judges).

According to the US courts website, at the time of appointment a law clerk must be a "Law school graduate or certified as having completed all law school studies and requirements and merely awaiting conferment of degree." (That's listed as a minimum; judges can add requirements if they want.) So I'm presuming that means that if you wanted to be an official employee and get paid, you'd have to have the JD. I don't know if there's any way around it, but even if there is, I think you'd have to check with the specific judge.

Maybe OP means extern? If so, then yeah, no issues with working for a judge (for free) before graduation. Plenty of folks do that as their 1L summer gig.

A. Nony Mouse wrote:According to the US courts website, at the time of appointment a law clerk must be a "Law school graduate or certified as having completed all law school studies and requirements and merely awaiting conferment of degree." (That's listed as a minimum; judges can add requirements if they want.) So I'm presuming that means that if you wanted to be an official employee and get paid, you'd have to have the JD. I don't know if there's any way around it, but even if there is, I think you'd have to check with the specific judge.

I stand corrected.

bk1 wrote:

A. Nony Mouse wrote:According to the US courts website, at the time of appointment a law clerk must be a "Law school graduate or certified as having completed all law school studies and requirements and merely awaiting conferment of degree." (That's listed as a minimum; judges can add requirements if they want.) So I'm presuming that means that if you wanted to be an official employee and get paid, you'd have to have the JD. I don't know if there's any way around it, but even if there is, I think you'd have to check with the specific judge.

I stand corrected.

That is a good point.