As you begin your legal career, consider gaining valuable experience through a judicial clerkship or staff attorney position with the United States Courts.
The United States Courts are composed of 13 circuits and 94 districts across the country, including appellate courts, district courts, bankruptcy courts, and courts of special jurisdiction, as well as probation and pretrial services offices and federal public defenders' offices. The federal courts have jurisdiction over cases involving the United States government, the Constitution or federal laws, and controversies between states, between citizens of different states, or between the United States government and foreign governments. As a law clerk or staff attorney with the United States Courts, you can play an important role in helping safeguard the constitutional rights and liberties of the public.
Law clerks and staff attorneys:
Current law for employment in the judiciary requires paid employees to be:
To comply with the requirement in the fourth bullet above and for more information, see Citizenship Requirements.
Law clerks work for one judge as a member of the chambers staff, or on behalf of the court for pro se, death penalty, or bankruptcy appellate panel cases.
Staff attorneys work for multiple judges in an appellate staff attorney office in a court of appeals.
Learn more about salaries and benefits for staff attorneys here.
Many former law clerks and staff attorneys find that the prestige and experience associated with service as a law clerk or staff attorney broadens their future employment opportunities.