Law Clerk resume examples
This page has 6 one-page law clerk resume examples: a law clerk at a litigation firm, judicial clerks at trial, federal and appellate courts, a pro se law clerk and a career law clerk with nine years in chambers. Each sample counts the research and writing in memos, opinions, motions and docket size, and the note under it explains what the hiring attorney or judge checks first. For resumes from the bench itself, see the judge resume examples.
Law Clerk Resume Example
Law clerk postings name legal research, writing skills, attention to detail and Westlaw most often, and each one shows up in the summary or a bullet with a real volume behind it. Microsoft Office tools like Word and Excel, which employers also list, appear in the work itself, and three years as a legal assistant cover the two years of experience these postings typically ask for.
Why this resume works:
- Research and write 30+ memos on contract, fraud and Illinois procedure questions using Westlaw.
- Draft motions to compel and discovery responses for 12 active cases, most filed with light partner edits.
- Complete document review on 15,000+ records in Relativity, logging privilege calls in Excel.
Judicial Law Clerk Resume Example
Judges hiring a law clerk want a recent J.D. with strong research and writing, so the resume leads with the monthly bench memo load, drafted opinions and bar admission. A judicial internship shows the candidate already knows chambers work, and Westlaw and Lexis+ appear in the bullets rather than only in the skills list.
Why this resume works:
- Analyze 25+ motions a month in bench memos, including summary judgment, discovery and dismissal motions.
- Draft 40 written opinions and orders for the judge's review, applying the New Jersey Court Rules and civil procedure.
- Manage the motion calendar and case management conferences for a docket of about 600 civil cases.
Federal Law Clerk Resume Example
Federal judges hire clerks for top research and writing and a working command of the federal rules, so the bullets show opinions drafted under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, sentencing memos and trial support with real counts. The law review editorship, bar admission and an appellate brief from the summer associate role back up the writing record judges look for.
Why this resume works:
- Write bench memos and draft opinions on 60+ dispositive motions under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
- Research sentencing guidelines issues and prepare memos for 35 criminal sentencing hearings.
- Review habeas corpus petitions and Social Security appeals, drafting 20 proposed orders.
Appellate Law Clerk Resume Example
Appellate judges look for clerks who can master a long record and write clean opinions fast, so the resume puts the yearly appeal volume, bench memos and drafted opinions first. A prior trial court clerkship and Georgia Bar admission show the candidate understands how the cases arrive on appeal.
Why this resume works:
- Review appellate records and briefs in about 110 civil and criminal appeals a year, with a bench memo for each.
- Draft 30+ opinions on standards of review, preservation of error and harmless error for the judge's edits.
- Build oral argument outlines and question lists for 4 panel sessions a month.
Pro Se Law Clerk Resume Example
Federal courts hire pro se law clerks to screen prisoner and habeas filings quickly and accurately, so the bullets lead with screening volume, the adoption rate of report and recommendations and the drop in screening time. Bar admission and a prior appellate clerkship meet the licensing and judicial experience these staff attorney roles require.
Why this resume works:
- Screen 700+ prisoner civil rights complaints and habeas corpus petitions a year under the Prison Litigation Reform Act.
- Draft report and recommendations on Section 1983 claims for 4 magistrate and district judges, with 95% adopted.
- Prepare orders on fee waivers, service and dismissal under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
Career Law Clerk Resume Example
A judge hiring a career law clerk wants someone who can run chambers for years, so the resume shows nine years of opinion drafting, a clean CJRA record and the training of term clerks. Three years as a federal litigator and Pennsylvania Bar admission show the trial and motion experience behind that judgment.
Why this resume works:
- Draft opinions and orders in 250+ civil and criminal matters, including class actions and patent disputes.
- Supervise and train 2 term law clerks and 4 externs each year on bench memos, Bluebook citation and chambers procedure.
- Track motions on a 400-case docket, keeping zero motions on the CJRA report for 18 straight reporting periods.
Check your law clerk resume against a real job posting
- Paste a law clerk job posting into the job match score tool to see which of its skills your resume is missing.
- Upload your resume to the ATS resume checker to read the text an applicant tracking system gets from it.
Law Clerk resume sample (text you can copy)
This is the text of the Pro Se Law Clerk example above. Paste it into the resume builder and replace the details with your own.
Pro Se Law Clerk resume sample
MEGAN ALBRIGHT
Pro Se Law Clerk
Tallahassee, FL · (850) 555-0164 · [email protected] · linkedin.com/in/meganalbright
SUMMARY
Pro se law clerk in a federal district court for 4 years, screening prisoner civil rights complaints and habeas corpus petitions for magistrate and district judges. Writes report and recommendations under the Prison Litigation Reform Act and built the screening checklists the court now uses.
EXPERIENCE
Pro Se Law Clerk, United States District Court, Tallahassee, FL | 10/2022 - Present
- Screen 700+ prisoner civil rights complaints and habeas corpus petitions a year under the Prison Litigation Reform Act.
- Draft report and recommendations on Section 1983 claims for 4 magistrate and district judges, with 95% adopted.
- Prepare orders on fee waivers, service and dismissal under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
- Wrote standard orders and checklists that cut time to initial screening from 90 to 40 days.
Judicial Law Clerk, State District Court of Appeal, Tallahassee, FL | 08/2020 - 09/2022
- Drafted bench memos in 150 criminal and postconviction appeals.
- Researched postconviction relief motions and wrote 25 opinion drafts using Westlaw.
- Checked legal writing and citations in 60 panel opinions before release.
EDUCATION
Juris Doctor (J.D.), Law, Florida State University College of Law, Tallahassee, FL | 05/2020
SKILLS
Prisoner Civil Rights, Section 1983, Habeas Corpus, Prison Litigation Reform Act, Report and Recommendations, Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Legal Research, Legal Writing, Westlaw, CM/ECF
CERTIFICATIONS
Admission to The Florida Bar, The Florida Bar (10/2020)
How to write a law clerk resume
Write a law clerk resume summary
- Open with your clerk role, the court or practice area and how long you have held it.
- Add your law school and graduation date, or expected graduation if you are still a student, and your bar admission once you have it.
- Name the writing you produce most, such as bench memos, draft opinions or discovery motions, with a monthly or yearly count.
- For judicial clerkships, mention law review, moot court or a judicial internship if you have one.
Law Clerk summary (entry level)
Law clerk at a commercial litigation firm for 17 months, handling legal research, legal writing and discovery for partners, after three years as a legal assistant. Third-year J.D. candidate at Loyola University Chicago School of Law, graduating in May 2027. Plans to sit for the Illinois bar exam in July 2027.
Pro Se Law Clerk summary (mid level)
Pro se law clerk in a federal district court for 4 years, screening prisoner civil rights complaints and habeas corpus petitions for magistrate and district judges. Writes report and recommendations under the Prison Litigation Reform Act and built the screening checklists the court now uses.
Career Law Clerk summary (senior level)
Career law clerk to a U.S. district judge for 9 years, running chambers research, opinion drafting and docket management on a busy civil and criminal caseload. Trains each year's term clerks and keeps the chambers off the six-month CJRA motions report.
Write law clerk experience bullets
- Count the writing: memos researched, motions with bench memos, opinions drafted, appeals reviewed.
- Give the docket size and the calendar work you own, such as a 600-case civil docket or the chambers motion calendar.
- Show accuracy and review outcomes: report and recommendations adopted, record and Bluebook cites checked, filing deadlines met.
- For firm clerk roles, add discovery and document review volume and the platform, such as Relativity.
Pro Se Law Clerk experience bullets
- Screen 700+ prisoner civil rights complaints and habeas corpus petitions a year under the Prison Litigation Reform Act.
- Draft report and recommendations on Section 1983 claims for 4 magistrate and district judges, with 95% adopted.
- Prepare orders on fee waivers, service and dismissal under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
- Wrote standard orders and checklists that cut time to initial screening from 90 to 40 days.
Pick the skills for a law clerk resume
- Name your research platforms (Westlaw, Lexis+) and the citation system you check (Bluebook).
- List the rules you work under: Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Federal Rules of Evidence, state court rules, sentencing guidelines.
- Include Microsoft Word and Excel and e-discovery tools such as Relativity, but keep legal research and writing at the front.
Do's and don'ts
Do this
- Put your J.D., class year and bar status near the top.
- Have a writing sample ready that matches the court or practice area.
- Use the exact court and judge title for clerkships, such as U.S. district judge or state intermediate court of appeals.
- Keep earlier legal assistant work; it shows you already know firm deadlines and procedure.
Avoid this
- Don't name confidential matters or describe chambers deliberations.
- Don't write 'assisted with research' without saying what you researched and what it fed into.
- Don't list first-year courses; every hiring attorney knows what they cover.
- Don't let a citation or typo error through; for a writing job, the resume is the first writing sample.
Related resume examples
- Attorney
- Paralegal
- Claims Adjuster
- Office Clerk
- Compliance Officer
- Court Clerk
- Regulatory Affairs Specialist
- Judge
Law Clerk resume questions
How do I write a law clerk resume?
Lead with your current clerk role, law school and graduation date, then bullets that count research and writing: memos, motions, opinions and the docket you support. Name Westlaw or Lexis+ and the Bluebook inside the bullets. The samples here follow that order from a firm clerk to a career clerk.
How much experience do law clerk jobs ask for?
In the postings behind the law clerk sample, employers ask for 2 years of experience at the median. Law students and recent graduates fill many of these roles, so earlier work as a legal assistant or summer associate counts. Judicial clerkships go mostly to recent J.D. graduates and weigh writing ability more than years.
What skills should be on a law clerk resume?
Law clerk postings name legal research, writing skills, attention to detail and Westlaw most often, with Microsoft Office tools such as Word and Excel also listed. Add the rules you work under, such as the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, and the citation format you check. Show each skill in a bullet, not only in the list.
What should a judicial law clerk resume include?
Bench memo volume, opinions and orders drafted, the type and size of the docket, and trial support such as jury charges and exhibits. The judicial law clerk sample shows 25+ bench memos a month and 40 drafted opinions and orders on a docket of about 600 civil cases. Put law review, moot court and judicial internships next to your education.
How do I write a resume for a federal clerkship?
Federal judges look for top research and writing and a working command of the federal rules, so show opinions drafted under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, sentencing memos and trial work with counts. A law review editorship and bar admission belong near the top. Pair the resume with your strongest brief or opinion draft as the writing sample.
What is a pro se law clerk or a career law clerk?
A pro se law clerk is a staff attorney who screens prisoner civil rights complaints and habeas petitions for a federal court and drafts report and recommendations; the sample screens 700+ filings a year. A career law clerk stays with one judge for years and runs chambers research, opinion drafting and term clerk training. Both resumes show volume, adoption rates and years in chambers rather than law school details.