They are privy to the law before it becomes law. They read the parties' briefs, hear their arguments, and, in turn, enhance their own substantive and procedural legal background immeasurably. Whether someone is planning for a career in ligitation or transactional law, a judicial clerkship is an incomparable entree into the legal profession. Judges play a unique role as a mentor to their clerks. Clerks may engage in lively discussions with their judges about the finer points of cases on their dockets, or perhaps listen to their judges' quieter thoughts about the direction of the court and the legal profession generally.
Clerks are members of small, yet very productive, legal teams.
They work collaboratively with the other team members, but they also have a great amount of individual responsibility and discretion. This mix provides an excellent transition from law school to practice. Clerks are also exposed to a wide variety of cases and legal topics. They often work on several cases at a time and have a unique opportunity to assess both practice areas and firms before starting their own careers. Many former clerks report that their interest in a principal practice area was sparked during their clerkships.