This directory is the central guide to judicial clerkships on Top-Law-Schools. It links verified guides built from official court sources with the most useful discussion threads in the TLS archive. Start here, pick your court type, and follow the links.
Key 2026-27 dates
- Class of 2027 (Federal Law Clerk Hiring Plan): applications from 12:00 p.m. EDT on June 8, 2026; judges may contact applicants from June 9; interviews and offers from June 10. Offers stay open at least 24 hours (OSCAR hiring plan).
- Class of 2028: applications open at 12:00 p.m. EDT on June 14, 2027 (OSCAR hiring plan).
- Graduates: hiring plan dates do not apply; judges hire graduates on their own schedules (OSCAR hiring plan).
- U.S. Tax Court: 2026 Interview Days applications closed September 1, 2026 (Tax Court portal).
- Delaware Court of Chancery: the 2027-28 window ran November 1, 2025, to May 1, 2026 (Delaware Courts).
Federal core guides
- How to get a federal clerkship
- OSCAR and the Federal Law Clerk Hiring Plan
- Federal law clerk salary and JSP grades
- Cover letters, resumes, writing samples and recommendations
- Clerkship interviews and offers
- Clerkship bonuses and post-clerkship hiring
- Bankruptcy court clerkships
- Federal Circuit clerkships
- CAAF clerkships
- Supreme Court clerkships
- State court clerkships: 50-state directory
- Delaware: Chancery, Supreme and Superior Court
- New Jersey
- New York Court of Appeals and state courts
- California
- Texas
- Colorado
- Massachusetts
- D.C. Court of Appeals and Superior Court
- Alaska
- Washington
- Virginia
- Legal fellowships directory: deadlines and pay
- Bristow Fellowship (DOJ Solicitor General)
- Skadden, Equal Justice Works, Justice Catalyst and Liman
- Conservative, libertarian and progressive fellowships
- Supreme Court Fellows Program
- Public defender careers: federal and state
- Legal aid careers, pay and PSLF
- Government attorney jobs directory
- DOJ Honors Program 2026-27
- Non-DOJ honors programs: SEC, IRS, OCC, FTC, FINRA
- How to become an AUSA
- EOIR judicial law clerks and immigration courts
- JAG Corps: all five services
- AD vs GS pay: 2026 federal attorney salaries
- Specialized Clerkships Directory (start here for non-Article III and court-wide roles)
- U.S. Tax Court clerkships
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims clerkships
- U.S. Court of International Trade clerkships
- Pro se law clerks, death penalty clerks, and staff attorneys
- Magistrate judge clerkships
- Hiring cycle and applications: 2025 Clerkship Hiring Movement | 2024-2025 Clerkship Application Thread | Getting Clerkships Purely Through OSCAR | Obtaining a federal court clerkship as a practicing attorney | Where Am I Competitive for a District Clerkship? | How many clerkship should I apply to?
- Choosing judges and courts: Best and worst judges to clerk for | Rank these courts in order of prestige? | Who are the up and coming liberal feeder judges? | What does it take to be the kind of candidate who gets feeder/competitive clerkships? | Best conservative judges to clerk for? | Feeder Judge Ratings OT 2016 - 2020 (and a bit beyond)
- Circuit-by-circuit discussion: Let's talk 2nd Circuit! | Let's Talk 3rd Circuit! | Let's Talk 4th Circuit! | Let's talk 6th Circuit! | Let's Talk 7th Circuit! | Let's Talk 8th Circuit! | Let's Talk 9th Circuit! | Let's Talk 10th Circuit! | Let's talk 11th Circuit! | Let's Talk DC Circuit!
- Cover letters, resumes, and writing samples: Fed Clerkship Cover Letters/Writing Samples | Let's talk cover letters | Second Clerkship Cover Letter | Describing Clerkship on Resume | How to put a clerkship on a resume | Writing sample length?
- Interviews: What to ask a Judge during the interview | Good questions to ask in clerkship interviews? | Clerkship Interview - What to expect? | Just landed an interview with a district judge. Any advice?
- Pay and benefits: Law Clerk Salary | JSP Steps | JSP-14 eligibility | Clerkship Salary Post-Big Law | Supreme Court clerk salary
- Post-clerkship jobs and bonuses: Clerkship bonus update | Post-Clerkship Comp Thread (2nd Yr Bonus, Class Credit, etc) | Latest Clerkship Bonus Market | 2024-2025 post clerkship hiring | 2025-2026 Post-Clerkship Hiring | Cover Letter for Firms After Clerkship
- Supreme Court clerkships: What do most SCOTUS clerks end up doing? | Path to SCOTUS clerkship? | SCOTUS Clerkship Movement?
- State clerkships: 50-state directory | Is a State Supreme Court Clerkship Worth It? | NJ Supreme Court | NY Court of Appeals: Worth it? | Questions about California Supreme Court | UT, TX, and CO State Supreme Court Clerkships | Mass SJC + Superior Court Clerking Competitiveness? | Delaware Supreme Court Clerkship | Alaska clerkships
- Fellowships and government: Fellowships directory | Government jobs directory | DOJ Honors guide | AUSA guide | How does one get a Bristow? | 2024 Public Interest Fellowships (Skadden, EJW, JC, etc.) | DOJ Honors Program 2025-2026 | Best Public Defender Offices to Try Cases | What are the top 5 most prestigious USAOs?
- Guide topics are locked so they stay clean and current. Each guide links to the open discussion threads for questions.
- Post new questions in the Judicial Clerkships forum.
- The broader TLS Judicial Clerkships hub covers feeder schools, clerkship data, and career impact.
- After your clerkship, compare firm offers and clerkship bonuses with a recruiter at BCG Attorney Search.
