If you are considering applying to clerk for a judge, you may find some titles in Tarlton’s collection of interest. A wide range of works have been written on the topic of being a judicial clerk, from very practical overviews of how to apply and what you would do to the history of the role of clerks in the U.S. Supreme Court.
Listed below are a few highlights from Tarlton’s holdings. For more, you can browse Tarlton’s catalog by subject for additional titles related to clerking for a judge:
Judicial Clerkships: A Practical Guide
by Mary L. Dunnewold, Beth A. Honetschlager, Brenda L. Tofte
KF 8807 D86 2010
This work is intended as a comprehensive guide to working as a judicial clerk. The book explains (1) the role and duties of judicial clerks, (2) how to adapt the writing style used in law school classes and journals for use in the judicial clerkship setting, and (3) the form and content of specific documents written by judicial clerks. The book discusses how to write bench memoranda, opinion drafts, orders, findings of fact and conclusions of law, jury instructions, and letters and other professional correspondence. In addition to explaining how to write specific documents, the book reviews the fundamentals of good writing, research, and citation. It also features chapters on how to apply for clerkships, the different kinds of clerkships, and the ethical responsibilities of clerks. The document-specific chapters all include document review checklists and sample documents. The book is a great resource for law students taking a judicial internship or externship class, law school graduates considering judicial clerkships, and current judicial clerks.
In Chambers: Stories of Supreme Court Law Clerks and Their Justices
edited by Todd C. Peppers and Artemus Ward
KF 8744 I53 2012
Written by former law clerks, legal scholars, biographers, historians, and political scientists, the essays in In Chambers tell the fascinating story of clerking at the Supreme Court. In addition to reflecting the personal experiences of the law clerks with their justices, the essays reveal how clerks are chosen, what tasks are assigned to them, and how the institution of clerking has evolved over time, from the first clerks in the late 1800s to the clerks of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Chief Justice William Rehnquist.
In Chambers offers a variety of perspectives on the unique experience of Supreme Court clerks. Former law clerks—including Alan M. Dershowitz, Charles A. Reich, and J. Harvie Wilkinson III—write about their own clerkships, painting vivid and detailed pictures of their relationships with the justices, while other authors write about the various clerkships for a single justice, putting a justice’s practice into a broader context. The book also includes essays about the first African American and first woman to hold clerkships. Sharing their insights, anecdotes, and experiences in a clear, accessible style, the contributors provide readers with a rare glimpse into the inner workings of the Supreme Court.
Two companion, practical works from the ABA:
- Federal District Court Law Clerk Handbook
by Calvert G. Chipchase
KF 8807 C44 2007 - Federal Appellate Court Law Clerk Handbook
by Joseph L. Lemon, Jr.
KF 8807 L45 2007
These books provide instruction to clerks to help them perform their jobs; help law students maximize their chances of getting hired as judicial clerks; and educate law students who are considering clerking but unsure about whether to clerk at the federal trial or appellate level.
