A variety of educational and social opportunities broaden the fellowship experience. Fellows have access to some of the Federal Judicial Center's educational programs, including various colloquia and meetings relevant to their professional interests and specific projects. They also attend special luncheon seminars sponsored by the Administrative Assistant to the Chief Justice and lectures series sponsored by the Supreme Court Historical Society, and share some social and guest speaker activities with the White House Fellows. Most fellows take a sabbatical or leave of absence without pay to participate in the program and return to their professional careers after the fellowship year has ended. Compensation Judicial Fellows become employees of the federal court system and receive salaries commensurate with their education, experience, and salary history.
Fellows are eligible for federal employees' health and life insurance programs.
In 1974, Chief Justice Burger appointed Retired Justice Tom C. Clark the first Chairman of the Judicial Fellows Commission. Annual contributions from Justice Clark's former law clerks, friends, and supporters of the program offset a portion of its educational and operational costs. Each year, in recognition of the Justice's interest in the program, one of the Judicial Fellows is presented with the Tom C. Clark Award.