CLERKSHIPS EXPLAINED What is a clerkship? A clerkship is a legal employment experience What to expect? in a law firm or government department over the Your clerkship will give you real work for real summer or winter university breaks. They tend to run clients. This might include sitting in client meetings for between 2 to 4 weeks and are generally paid. and taking notes for your supervisor, attending court, drafting correspondence, researching case What’s in it for me? law or legislation on complex issues and writing Clerkships allow students to gain insight into memorandums detailing your findings. practical legal work and, hopefully, find the Your work will vary from government departments work environment that suits them best. Clerkships to professional service firms. Expect the job to be give students the chance to see how to work in a quite different from university work and embrace it! professional environment. Firms will often offer Don’t forget that a clerkship is also an opportunity graduate positions to high performers. Exposure to for you to figure out whether you want a career with various firms helps you decide your career path. that firm or in that area of law. Students tend to regard clerkships as necessary because many large commercial international and national firms generally only to hire graduates who have completed a clerkship with them. However, completing a clerkship does not guarantee a graduate position at that firm.
What do they expect from you?
Firms do not expect their clerks to know everything. Firms will run training workshops related to research skills, getting to see the firm’s resources, letter writing and drafting memorandums. You with develop Clerkships give you insight into the areas of law valuable tips and skills, which are transferrable into that you have not been exposed to in your degree. the remainder of your studies and careers. Some students may even realise that practising law Be yourself! Firms want to see how you fit in their isn’t for them, which shouldn’t be alarming as a culture and whether they should invest in you. Being law degree provides students with so many other yourself is also important for determining whether opportunities. Regardless, completing a clerkship you see yourself working and thriving there. will still give students invaluable experience which It is also expected that you will work hard and put will help in all career paths. in the effort to meet and get to know the staff. You must be enthusiastic and keen to learn more about Who can apply? the firm, even though the work can sometimes be It is open to all students to apply for clerkships, tedious or difficult. It is also crucial that you’re however, many firms preference penultimate year professional and courteous. students. If you are a non-penultimate year student, explain why you did not apply in your penultimate Buddy System year or why you are applying early. Spend some time and research to determine which firms would Many firms have a buddy system in place, which means they will pair you with a graduate or junior be best to apply for. lawyer throughout your clerkship. Your buddy is there to help you with any questions you may have and assist you when you need it. Don’t be afraid to ask questions – your buddy was in your position not too long ago. Be sure to interact with your buddy and ask them to coffee if they don’t ask first! 12
