A clerkship is a unique chance to develop a mentoring relationship with a judge, to observe lawyers in action in court, and to reflect and write on novel legal issues. Clerking is therefore often considered a capstone of a lawyer s education. In addition, a clerkship provides an important credential for an academic career. For these reasons, a specially designated faculty committee and the Office of Career Services assist our students throughout the clerkship application process. U.S. Supreme Court clerkships are the most sought-after clerkships.
Graduates apply to the nine justices following an initial clerkship with another judge.
Taking into account the size of the typical entering class, Chicago and Yale are the most successful in placing their graduates in Supreme Court clerkships. For some Chicago graduates, their first job as a lawyer is in public service, either at a government agency or at a non-profit organization. The Office of Career Services, together with the Careers in Public Service student group, sponsors special programs that help students locate and obtain public service jobs. Because entry into the public sector poses some financial hurdles for most graduates, The Law School established a Loan Repayment Assistance Program more than a decade ago to help our alumni enter public service careers. Many alumni choose to move into public sector employment after a few years of experience at a law firm.