University of Oregon School Of Law
Judicial Clerkship Guidebook
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Table of Contents
GENERAL'INFORMATION' 3!
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BUILDING'YOUR'APPLICATION' 5!
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INTERVIEWING' 9!
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General Information
Foreword
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The Basics: Judicial Clerkship Defined
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Why You Should Consider a Judicial Clerkship
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Basic Qualifications
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Building Your Application
How to Choose a Court
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The Hard Part: Preparing Your Application
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Students'will'gain'access'to'OSCAR'on'February'5,'2020'to'register'for'an'
account,'upload'documents,'search'for'clerkship'positions,'and'build'online'
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The Nitty Gritty: Your Application Up Close
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The Cover Letter:!!*PTW![TIJW!RPJ!SGQ[J!PTW!DL!PJL!XTLWR!T]KLJWWTDC!DX!RPJ!NKKOTUNCRZ!!
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ELTRTC[!J\KJLTJCUJF!NCQ!LJUJCR!NCQ!LJOJINCR!EDLV!J\KJLTJCUJZ!!+T[POT[PR!SDGLCNO!
]J]MJLWPTKF!KGMOTUNRTDCWF!NCQ!LJWJNLUP!KLDSJURWZ!!&ONMDLNRJ!DC!LJOJINCR!EDLV!J\KJLTJCUJF!
WGUP!NW!WG]]JL!TCRJLCbJ\RJLCWPTKWZ!
Transcripts: (D!CDR!XDL[JR!RD!TCUOGQJ!NC!GCDXXTUTNO!RLNCWULTKR!ETRP!JNUP!NKKOTUNRTDCZ!!
.JCQ!NC!DXXTUTNO!RLNCWULTKR!TX!RPJ!SGQ[J!LJYGJWRW!DCJZ!
Letters of Recommendation:!!2GQ[JW!GWGNOOB!LJYGTLJ!"a)!OJRRJLW!DX!
LJUD]]JCQNRTDCZ!!*PJWJ!WPDGOQ!MJ!XLD]!KLDXJWWDLW!EPD!VCDE!BDG!EJOO!NCQ!UNC!ELTRJ!
NMDGR!BDGL!WKJUTXTU!WVTOOW!NCQ!NUPTJIJ]JCRWZ!!6LDXJWWDLW!EPD!BDG!PNIJ!LJWJNLUPJQ!DL!
ELTRRJC!XDL!NLJ![DDQ!J\N]KOJWZ!!-!RPTLQ!OJRRJL!]NB!MJ!XLD]!N!WGKJLITWTC[!NRRDLCJBZ!!*D!
DMRNTC!OJRRJLW!DX!LJUD]]JCQNRTDC!XLD]!BDGL!KLDXJWWDLWF!KOJNWJ!XDOODE!RPJ!TCWRLGURTDCW!
TCUOGQJQ!DC!RPJ!2GQTUTNO!0OJLVWPTK!%JUD]]JCQNRTDC!4JRRJLW!%JYGJWR!#DL]!NINTONMOJ!TC!RPJ!
QDUG]JCR!OTMLNLB!DC!.B]KOTUTRBZ!!6OJNWJ!CDRJ!RPNR!LJYGJWRW!UNC!RNVJ!GK!RD!RPLJJ!EJJVW!RD!
KLDUJWWZ!!
! Writing Sample:!!8DGL!ELTRTC[!WN]KOJ!WPDGOQ!MJ!BDGL!MJWR!EDLVZ!!/R!UNC!MJ!N!KNKJLF!
ONE!LJITJE!CDRJF!NLRTUOJF!DL!]J]DLNCQG]Z!!8DGL!WN]KOJ!WPDGOQ!MJ!MJREJJC!XTIJ!RD!RJC!
KN[JWZ!!/X!RPJ!KTJUJ!BDG!ENCR!RD!GWJ!TW!ODC[JLF!GWJ!NC!J\UJLKR!NCQ!ONMJO!TR!NW!WGUPZ!!/X!BDG!ETWP!
RD!GWJ!N!KTJUJ!XLD]!EDLVF![JR!KJL]TWWTDC!NCQ!]NVJ!WGLJ!NCB!UDCXTQJCRTNO!TCXDL]NRTDC!TW!
LJ]DIJQZ!!8DGL!WN]KOJ!WPDGOQ!MJ!WJOXaJQTRJQ!NCQ!KLDDXLJNQZ!!hNCB!SGQ[JW!UDCWTQJL!BDGL!
UDIJL!OJRRJL!BDGL!]DWR!NUUGLNRJ!ELTRTC[!WN]KOJ!NCQ!LJUD[CTeJ!RPNR!RPJ!ELTRTC[!WN]KOJ!BDG!
WGM]TR!PNW!MJJC!ELTRRJCF!JQTRJQF!NCQ!LJELTRRJCZ!!,J!NENLJ!RPNR!WD]J!SGQ[JW!LJYGTLJ!]DLJ!
RPNC!DCJ!ELTRTC[!WN]KOJ!WD!TR!TW![DDQ!KLNURTUJ!RD!VJJK!N!ODC[JL!WN]KOJ!^NKKLD\T]NRJOB!@A!
KN[JW_!NCQ!N!WPDLRJL!WN]KOJ!^NKKLD\T]NRJOB!;!KN[JW_!DC!PNCQZ!
!
?!
Interviewing
Preparing for the Interview
! 2GQTUTNO!UOJLVWPTK!TCRJLITJEW!NLJ!JIJC!]DLJ!T]KDLRNCR!RPNC!RPJ!NKKOTUNRTDCZ!!2GQ[JW!
DCOB!TCITRJ!WRGQJCRW!EPD!RPJB!NLJ![JCGTCJOB!TCRJLJWRJQ!TC!XDL!TCRJLITJEWF!WD!CDR!IJLB!]NCB!
NLJ![TIJCZ!!8DG!WPDGOQ!MJ!KLJKNLJQ!RD!NUUJKR!NC!TCRJLITJE!KLD]KROBZ!!/X!BDG!PNIJ!NKKOTJQ!XDL!
UOJLVWPTKW!DGR!DX!WRNRJF!BDG!UNC!KDOTRJOB!LJYGJWR!TCRJLITJEW!RD!MJ!WUPJQGOJQ!TC!RPJ!WN]J!RT]J!
XLN]JF!MGR!MJ!KLJKNLJQ!RD!]NVJ!]GORTKOJ!RLTKWZ!!.D]J!DGRaDXaWRNRJ!SGQ[JW!ETOO!NOODE!
TCRJLITJEW!DIJL!RPJ!KPDCJ!DL!MB!ITQJD!UDCXJLJCUTC[Z!!8DG!WPDGOQ!RNOV!ETRP!RPJ!SGQ[J!NCQ!RPJ!
0NLJJL!0JCRJL!MJXDLJPNCQ!RD!]NVJ!NLLNC[J]JCRWZ!!!!
! /CRJLITJEW!RBKTUNOOB!ONWR!MJREJJC!@;!]TCGRJW!NCQ!"!PDGLWZ!!8DG!WPDGOQ!KLJKNLJ!N!OTWR!
DX!YGJWRTDCW!RD!NWV!RPJ!SGQ[J!NCQ!MJ!KLJKNLJQ!ETRP!NCWEJLW!RD!YGJWRTDCW!RPJB!]NB!NWV!BDGZ!!
,J!JWKJUTNOOB!KLJKNLJQ!RD!QTWUGWW!BDGL!ELTRTC[!WVTOOWF!KNLRTUGONLOB!NCBRPTC[!]JCRTDCJQ!TC!
BDGL!LJWG]J!DL!UDIJL!OJRRJLF!NCQ!BDGL!ELTRTC[!WN]KOJZ!!,LGWP!GK!DC!BDGL!VCDEOJQ[J!DX!RPJ!
SGQ[J!ETRP!EPD]!BDG!NLJ!TCRJLITJETC[!NCQ!RPJ!UDGLR!TC!EPTUP!RPJB!KLJWTQJZ!!-OWD!MJ!
KLJKNLJQ!RD!UPNR!ETRP!RPJ!DRPJL!UOJLVW!NCQ!RPJ!WJULJRNLB!MJXDLJ!DL!NXRJL!RPJ!TCRJLITJEZ!!7DR!
DCOB!UNC!RPJB!DXXJL!PJOKXGO!NQITUJF!MGR!RPJ!SGQ[J!ETOO!UDCWTQJL!RPJTL!DKTCTDC!DX!BDGF!RDDF!
MJUNGWJ!BDG!ETOO!MJ!EDLVTC[!ETRP!RPJ]!TX!BDG!NLJ!PTLJQZ!!*PJ!QNB!MJXDLJ!RPJ!TCRJLITJEF!UNOO!
RD!UDCXTL]!RPJ!QNRJF!RT]JF!ODUNRTDCF!NCQ!QGLNRTDC!DX!BDGL!TCRJLITJEZ!!#DL!NQQTRTDCNO!
KLJKNLNRTDCF!WUPJQGOJ!N!]DUV!TCRJLITJE!ETRP!RPJ!0NLJJL!0JCRJLZ!
The Interview
! -LLTIJ!JNLOBZ!!-W!ETRP!NCB!TCRJLITJEF!RT]JOTCJWW!TW!ITRNOZ!!<TIJ!BDGLWJOX!RT]J!XDL!RLNXXTUF!
[JRRTC[!ODWRF!NCQ!DRPJL!OTXJ!INLTNMOJWZ!!,LTC[!NC!J\RLN!UDKB!DX!BDGL!LJWG]JF!UDIJL!OJRRJLF!
RLNCWULTKRF!NCQ!ELTRTC[!WN]KOJ!ETRP!BDGZ!!*LB!RD!LJON\Z!!2GQ[JW!GCQJLWRNCQ!RPNR!RPJ!KLDUJWW!
TW!PNLLDETC[Z!!*PJB!ENCR!RD![JR!RD!VCDE!BDG!]DLJ!RPNC!EPNR!BDG!VCDEF!WD!QD!CDR!EDLLB!
NMDGR![JRRTC[![LTOOJQ!DC!OJ[NO!VCDEOJQ[JZ!!,J!KLJKNLJQ!RD!NUUJKR!DL!QJUOTCJ!NC!DXXJL!XDL!RPJ!
UOJLVWPTK!NR!RPJ!JCQ!DX!BDGL!TCRJLITJEZ!!/X!NC!DXXJL!TW!J\RJCQJQF!BDG!]NB!CDR!MJ![TIJC!RPJ!
!
@A!
DKKDLRGCTRB!RD!RPTCV!NMDGR!TRF!DL!ENTR!RD!PJNL!XLD]!N!KLJXJLLJQ!UDGLRZ!!*PTW!TW!EPB!BDG!
WPDGOQ!CDR!NKKOB!XDL!N!UOJLVWPTK!RPNR! BDG !QD!CDR!NURGNOOB!ENCRZ!
After the Interview
! 6LD]KROB!WJCQ!N!RPNCVaBDG!CDRJ!RD!RPJ!SGQ[J!XDL!PTW!DL!PJL!UDCWTQJLNRTDC!DX!BDG!NW!N!
UNCQTQNRJZ!!*PJ!CDRJ!WPDGOQ!MJ!LJWKJURXGOF!XONEOJWWOB!ELTRRJCF!NCQ!KLDXJWWTDCNO!TC!RDCJF!NCQ!
WPDGOQ!WTCUJLJOB!UD]]GCTUNRJ!BDGL!DC[DTC[!TCRJLJWR!TC!RPJ!KDWTRTDCZ!
!/X!BDG!NUUJKR!NC!DXXJL!XDL!N!UOJLVWPTKF!BDG!CJJQ!RD!CDRTXB!NOO!SGQ[JW!ETRP!EPD]!BDG!
PNIJ!TCRJLITJEJQ!DL!NUUJKRJQ!NC!TCRJLITJE!WD!RPJB!UNC!RNVJ!BDGL!NKKOTUNRTDC!DXX!RPJ!RNMOJZ!!
-OWD!MJ!WGLJ!RD!OJR!RPJ!0NLJJL!0JCRJL!VCDE!NMDGR!BDGL!CJE!UOJLVWPTKZ!
!
!
@@!
Appendix: Resources
Clerkships Generally
7DLRPEJWR!0DCWDLRTG]!2GQTUTNO!0OJLVWPTK!(NRNMNWJ1!*PJ!QNRNMNWJ!XDL!RPJ!EJWR!UDNWR!
NCQ!%DUVB!hDGCRNTCWZ!!/R!TW!NC!J\UJOOJCR!LJWDGLUJ!XDL!SGQTUTNO!DKJCTC[WZ!
PRRK1bbONEZMBGZJQGbCDLRPEJWRaUDCWDLRTG]bSGQTUTNOaUOJLVWPTKaTCXDL]NRTDCZKPK!
!
*PJ!-]JLTUNC!,JCUP1!2GQ[JW!DX!RPJ!7NRTDCZ!!!
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!
0:!6LJWW!#JQJLNO!j!.RNRJ!2GQTUTNO!0OJLVWPTK!(TLJURDLB1!<JCJLNO!TCXDL]NRTDC!NMDGR!
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-INTONMOJ!TC!RPJ!0NLJJL!0JCRJL!
!
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PRRKW1bbMNOODRKJQTNZDL[b2GQ[JKJQTN!!
!
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!
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!
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UDGLRF!NCQ!PDE!RD!T]KLDIJ!BDGL!NKKOTUNRTDCZ!!(JWKTRJ!RPJ!CN]JF!RPJ!NQITUJ!TW![JCQJL!
CJGRLNOZ!
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NKKOTUNRTDCb!
!
.B]KOTUTRB1!!/C!RPJ!(DUG]JCR!4TMLNLB!BDG!UNC!XTCQ!RPJ!QTLJURTDCW!NCQ!XDL]!XDL!
LJYGJWRTC[!LJUD]]JCQNRTDC!OJRRJLWZ!!hNCB!$LJ[DCaMNWJQ!WRNRJ!NCQ!XJQJLNO!
UOJLVWPTKW!NLJ!NOWD!KDWRJQ!TC!.B]KOTUTRBZ!
Federal Judicial Clerkships
$.0-%1!!*PTW!WPDGOQ!MJ!DCJ!DX!RPJ!XTLWR!WTRJW!BDG!ITWTRZ!! 8 DG!UNC!WJNLUP!XDL!UOJLVWPTKWF!
XTCQ!T]KDLRNCR!QJNQOTCJWF!NCQ!JQTR!NCQ!WGM]TR!NKKOTUNRTDCWZ!
PRRKW1bbDWUNLZGWUDGLRWZ[DIbQLGKNObUDCRJCRbXJQJLNOaONEaUOJLVaPTLTC[aKONC!
!
7-461!+JOKXGO!TCXDL]NRTDC!NMDGR!CNIT[NRTC[!RPJ!UOJLVWPTK!KLDUJWWZ!!
PRRK1bbEEEZCNOKZDL[bSGQTUTNOUOJLVWPTKW!!
!
@"!
!
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! !
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!
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!
Behind'the'Bench:'The'Guide'to'Judicial'Clerkships!MB!(JMLN!hZ!.RLNGWW!
-INTONMOJ!TC!RPJ!0NLJJL!0JCRJL!
State Judicial Clerkships
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!
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!
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!
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