TESTIMONIALS "Clerking was incredible fun. I never thought I'd work on so many fascinating cases in such a short time. My time as a clerk included cases involving a major domestic terrorism attack, international drug smuggling conspiracies, and a hundred million dollar patent dispute. Every day was a new and engrossing challenge. Sure, clerking is good for your career and prestigious, but do it because it’s fun!” Omar Noureldin ’13, Associate at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP Judicial Clerk 2015-2016 - Honorable Virginia A. Phillips, U.S. District Court, Central District of California
“I would not give up my two years clerking for any amount of money. The experiences that I gained, the friendships that I made, the respect for the legal system that I developed were priceless. I learned not just what kind of lawyer I wanted to be, but what kind of person I wanted to become.” Joel Purles ’08, Associate at Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP Judicial Clerk 2008-2009 – Honorable Johnnie B. Rawlinson, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Judicial Clerk 2009-2010 - Honorable Ferdinand F. Fernandez, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
“When I joined a law firm, I was in position to hit the ground running and contribute from day one. I was able to hone in on arguments that I knew from experience would be persuasive, and I was incredibly familiar with the legal standards facing our clients.” Amy Proctor ’11, Associate at Irell & Manella LLP Judicial Clerk 2011-2012 – Honorable John Kronstadt, U.S. District Judge, Central District of California
“My clerkship was invaluable. It is the foundation of my professional and legal career. The experience was a case study in good lawyering and bad lawyering. Day in and day out I saw what techniques were effective in court and brief writing, and those that were not. Each day we were in trial, presiding over motions and drafting bench memos and orders. And each day I learned from an experienced judge and trial lawyer about how to be a lawyer myself.” Paul Rosen ’05, Chief of Staff for U.S. Department of Homeland Security Judicial Clerk 2005-2006 – Honorable Gary Allen Feess, U.S. District Judge, Central District of California
"Every year, we hire a large number of young lawyers who have clerked for respected judges on various courts ranging from state court judges all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court. They are the young lawyers who are investing in their own future and are headed for success. The training that they receive during their clerkship in legal writing, research and analysis gives them a distinct advantage as they begin their career in private practice. Grappling with real-world, time-sensitive problems has honed their legal instincts and given them an inside perspective on how the law works and decisions are made. There is a reason that we give clerkship bonuses!" Kenneth Doran, ‘81 Chairman and Managing Partner, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, LLP
Board of Councilors Clerkship Committee Chair Dave Walsh ‘85, Partner at Morrison & Foerster Judicial Clerk XX – Honorable Howard B. Turrentine, U.S. District Court of the Southern District of California
USC Gould Clerkship Committee Co-Chairs “Clerking permanently marks you as an elite lawyer. It makes you an insider among federal clerks, who occupy top posts in nearly every domain of the legal profession. Plus, it's the best job around. Clerks see law work at the highest, most sophisticated level. The judges become mentors for life. It’s the one job I’ve never known anyone to regret.” Sam Erman, USC Gould Associate Professor Judicial Clerk 2009-2010 – Honorable Merrick Garland, U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Judicial Clerk 2010-2011 - Honorable Anthony Kennedy and John Paul Stevens, U.S. Supreme Court serman@law.usc.edu | (213) 740-6372 “A year can seem like a big investment but we encourage students to take a longer view. We know that legal careers are long and varied, and that clerking benefits reverberate through an entire career. Aside from getting the law degree in the first place, there is nothing like clerking for paying long term career dividends.” Abby Wood, USC Gould Assistant Professor Judicial Clerk 2012-2013 – Honorable Judge John T. Noonan Jr., U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit awood@law.usc.edu | (213) 740-8012
Career Services Office Elizabeth Armour Associate Dean, earmour@law.usc.edu
Ronald Han Assistant Director rhan@law.usc.edu
| (213) 740-7397
Andrea Chen Ayvazian Assistant Director aayvazian@law.usc.edu | (213) 740-7397
JUDICIAL CLERKSHIP The exceptional way to launch a legal career