A judicial clerkship is a prestigious opportunity to work with judges at the federal, state, or local level.  A clerkship can also open doors to other employment opportunities such as private practice with prestigious law firms or other government positions.

In considering whether to apply for a clerkship, think about whether you prefer to clerk for a trial judge or an appellate judge, and whether you prefer to clerk in a state or a federal court.  Most federal clerkship opportunities exist in the US District Courts or the US Courts of Appeals for each circuit.  Federal clerkships also exist in specialized courts such as the tax courts and military courts.  State court clerkships exist at the trial, appellate, and supreme court level.