Specialized Clerkships Directory: Every Type of Clerkship Beyond Article III Chambers
Most applicants only know circuit and district chambers clerkships. This directory maps every other clerkship and clerkship-like position we could verify, from Article I courts to court-wide roles, state specialty courts, agency adjudication, and international tribunals. Each entry links to a full guide or an official source and to the TLS threads where applicants discuss it.
Specialized federal courts
- U.S. Tax Court (Article I): fall Interview Days, GS-11 start, and some judges prefer a tax LL.M. Read the Tax Court guide.
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims (Article I): 16 judgeships; chambers set their own hiring lead times (CFC FAQ). Read the CFC guide.
- Office of Special Masters (CFC vaccine program): eight special masters decide Vaccine Act claims (OSM). Covered in the CFC guide.
- U.S. Court of International Trade (Article III): customs and trade jurisdiction; terms of one to four years (CIT). Read the CIT guide.
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit: patent, trade, and federal personnel appeals; OSCAR has a Federal Circuit rule letting professional experience count toward pay grade (OSCAR qualifications). Read the Federal Circuit guide. Discussion: Federal Circuit clerkships, Why clerk at Federal Circuit?.
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces: check the court's employment page for law clerk openings (CAAF employment). Read the CAAF guide.
- U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims: not yet verified from an official hiring page. It will be added once we confirm current hiring information.
- Magistrate judge clerkships: Read the magistrate guide.
- Pro se, death penalty, and BAP law clerks; appellate staff attorneys: court-wide roles posted under the chief judge (OSCAR FAQ). Read the pro se and staff attorney guide.
- Bankruptcy judge clerkships: bankruptcy judges serve 14-year terms and are appointed by the court of appeals (U.S. Courts). Read the bankruptcy guide. Discussion: I clerk in bankruptcy court. AMA., Will a bankruptcy court clerkship help me get a district court clerkship?, District clerkship vs. Bankruptcy clerkship, Bankruptcy clerkship to state clerkship? Bad idea?.
- Career and temporary chambers clerks: career clerks serve four years or more; temporary clerks have fixed end dates (OSCAR qualifications). Discussion: Can I clerk many years (6-9) after grad?, Temporary Clerkship, Temporary Clerk? Pros/cons?.
- Delaware Court of Chancery: clerkships with the Chancellor, Vice Chancellors, and Magistrates in Chancery; the 2027-28 application window ran November 1, 2025, to May 1, 2026 (Delaware Courts). Read the Delaware guide. Discussion: Delaware Chancery Court Clerkship 2024-25, Delaware Court of Chancery 2025-2026, Chancery Court: Competitiveness+Bonuses, DE Chancery Clerks Working 3900 Hours?!?!.
- D.C. local courts: D.C. Superior Court and the D.C. Court of Appeals. Read the D.C. courts guide. Discussion: DC Superior Court Clerkship, Do DC Court Clerkships Count Toward 4 Year Limit?.
- State business, tax, and specialty courts: see the 50-state clerkship directory for Delaware's Complex Commercial Litigation Division, the New Jersey Tax Court, the New York Commercial Division, the Maine Business and Consumer Docket and the Massachusetts Land and Housing Courts.
- Immigration courts (EOIR) judicial law clerks: hired through the DOJ Attorney General's Honors Program (DOJ Honors participating components). Read the EOIR careers guide and the DOJ Honors guide.
- Tribal court clerkships: see the NARF National Indian Law Library clerk guide (NILL tribal court clerk guide).
- International Court of Justice Judicial Fellows: school-nominated fellowships with ICJ judges (Cambridge LCIL program page). Discussion: ICJ Clerkship.
- Supreme Court Fellows: a one-year fellowship in judicial administration, not a chambers clerkship (Supreme Court Fellows Program). Read the Supreme Court Fellows guide.
- Want tax practice? Tax Court first, then a tax LL.M. if needed.
- Want government contracts or federal litigation? Court of Federal Claims.
- Want trade, customs, or sanctions work? Court of International Trade or the Federal Circuit.
- Want corporate litigation? Delaware Court of Chancery.
- Want long-term federal court work? Pro se, death penalty, staff attorney, or career clerk roles.
- Want a path to a district or circuit clerkship? Magistrate or bankruptcy clerkships, then reapply. Start with How to get a federal clerkship.
