New York Court of Appeals and NY State Clerkships Forum

Post by **TLS** » Tue Oct 27, 2026 7:38 am

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New York Court of Appeals and New York State Court Clerkships

Short answer: The Court of Appeals has seven judges on 14-year terms. Its clerks must be admitted to the New York bar within 18 months (NY Court of Appeals). Chambers clerks work in each judge's home chambers and attend Albany sessions more than 40 days a year (Chambers clerkships). The court also hires two-year Central Legal Research Staff clerks (Central Staff).

Fast facts

Chambers deadlines: set by each judge; write to Court of Appeals Hall, 20 Eagle Street, Albany, NY 12207 (Chambers clerkships).
Central Staff: two-year clerkship; the last posting was for an August 2025 start with a Sept. 15, 2024 deadline. Submit one PDF including a UCS-5 form (Central Staff).
Appellate Division, Third Department: Law Research Department two-year clerkship starting August 2026 (AD3).
Commercial Division: judges post their own clerk openings (Commercial Division).

Commercial Division example

Justice Cohen's chambers lists three clerk positions. The Assistant Law Clerk term is one year, renewable for up to two more, starting Sept. 1 to Oct. 1. Applications go to [email protected] (Hiring information).

Chambers vs. Central Staff

Chambers clerks work for one judge (Chambers clerkships). Central Legal Research Staff clerks serve two years in the court's central research office rather than one chambers (Central Staff). Compare them in NY Court of Appeals: Worth it? and NY Court of Appeals clerkship.

Continuing education

CLE questions for clerks are covered in CLE Requirements as a Clerk (NY).

Discuss on TLS

FAQ

Q: Do Court of Appeals clerks need the NY bar?
Yes, within 18 months (NY Court of Appeals).

Q: Where do chambers clerks work?
In the judge's home chambers, plus Albany sessions (Chambers clerkships).

Q: How long is a Central Staff clerkship?
Two years (Central Staff).

Related guides

Last verified: September 26, 2026, against the official court pages linked in this guide (older or secondary sources are labeled). Hiring status changes often, so confirm on the court or chambers page before you apply. Spot an error? Reply in the linked discussion thread or PM a moderator.