Judicial Law Clerks
Also called: Appellate Law Clerk, Attorney Law Clerk, Career Judicial Law Clerk, Career Law Clerk, Chancery Clerk, Court of Appeals Law Clerk, District Clerk, District Court Law Clerk
Assist judges in court or by conducting research or preparing legal documents.
What judicial law clerks do
Typical tasks
- Prepare briefs, legal memoranda, or statements of issues involved in cases, including appropriate suggestions or recommendations.
- Research laws, court decisions, documents, opinions, briefs, or other information related to cases before the court.
- Draft or proofread judicial opinions, decisions, or citations.
- Confer with judges concerning legal questions, construction of documents, or granting of orders.
- Review complaints, petitions, motions, or pleadings that have been filed to determine issues involved or basis for relief.
- Keep abreast of changes in the law and inform judges when cases are affected by such changes.
- Attend court sessions to hear oral arguments or record necessary case information.
- Review dockets of pending litigation to ensure adequate progress.
- Communicate with counsel regarding case management or procedural requirements.
- Respond to questions from judicial officers or court staff on general legal issues.
- Enter information into computerized court calendar, filing, or case management systems.
- Verify that all files, complaints, or other papers are available and in the proper order.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Judicial Law Clerks salary
The median annual wage for judicial law clerks is $64,920 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $46,180 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $113,140. The mean annual wage is $72,950.
The mean hourly wage of $35.00 is 4.8× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Judicial Law Clerks (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $64,920 → in 3 years $69,200 → in 5 years $72,100 → in 10 years $80,200 (10-year range $68,900–$93,100). The model assumes pay growth of +2.1% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Judicial Law Clerks
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Judicial Law Clerks? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Judicial Law Clerks
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
Skills, education and requirements for Judicial Law Clerks
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 5 — extensive preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★★☆☆ Moderate (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become judicial law clerks
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as judicial law clerks
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.