The job market for judicial law clerks in the United States

There are currently an estimated 14,500 judicial law clerks in the United States. The judicial law clerk job market is expected to grow by 2.5% between 2024 and 2034.

How employable are judicial law clerks?

CareerExplorer rates judicial law clerks with a F employability rating, meaning this career should provide poor employment opportunities for the foreseeable future. Over the next 10 years, it is expected the US will need 400 judicial law clerks.

Are judicial law clerks in demand?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects minimal demand and employment growth for judicial law clerks through 2022. Jobs in this sector have always been few in number, with robust competition for each position among law students. Following the 2008 economic recession, federal judges began to receive applications for term clerk and career clerk positions from lawyers with substantial experience. This led to increased hiring of seasoned lawyers in these roles because they have more to offer judges than law students or recent graduates. These trends indicate that the already-intense competition for judicial law clerk jobs will increase. Newly graduated candidates typically enhance their employability by involving themselves in law-related extracurricular activities and by finishing at the top of their academic class. Turnover in this popular field is low. Advancement depends on experience, skill in handling assigned responsibilities, additional education, and test performance. Some law clerks become chief deputy clerks or advance from city or county courts to state or federal courts.

What’s the supply of judicial law clerks?

The judicial law clerk industry is concentrated in California, Florida, Pennsylvania

Judicial Law Clerk job market by state