[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-1-en-105":3,"doc-seo-286933-105":53,"doc-detail-286933-en":126},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,14,19,24,29,34,39,44,49],{"id":8,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":11,"show_sort_weight":12,"slug":13},11,1,"Template","Presentations",90,"presentations",{"id":15,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":16,"show_sort_weight":17,"slug":18},12,"Resumes",80,"resumes",{"id":20,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":21,"show_sort_weight":22,"slug":23},14,"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":25,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":26,"show_sort_weight":27,"slug":28},15,"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":30,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":31,"show_sort_weight":32,"slug":33},16,"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":35,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":36,"show_sort_weight":37,"slug":38},17,"Forms",40,"forms",{"id":40,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":41,"show_sort_weight":42,"slug":43},18,"Letters",30,"letters",{"id":45,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":46,"show_sort_weight":47,"slug":48},21,"Paper Templates",5,"papers-templates",{"id":50,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":51,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":52},158,"General","general-158",{"code":4,"msg":54,"data":55},"ok",{"site_id":56,"language":57,"slug":58,"title":59,"keywords":60,"description":61,"schema_data":62,"social_meta":119,"head_meta":121,"extra_data":123,"updated_unix":125},105,"en","writing-a-judicial-clerkship-cover-letter","WRITING A JUDICIAL CLERKSHIP COVER LETTER","","Judicial clerkship cover letters are presented as clear, concise, and error-free introductions for application packets, with an emphasis on avoiding excessive detail. A suggested structure is provided: Paragraph 1 covers the applicant’s identity, law school details, clerkship term (including correct two-year versus one-year timing), geographic ties, and specific reasons for selecting the judge. Paragraph 2 (optional) explains why prior research, writing, and litigation experience align with the judge’s court.",{"@graph":63,"@context":118},[64,80,101],{"@type":65,"itemListElement":66},"BreadcrumbList",[67,71,74,77],{"item":68,"name":69,"@type":70,"position":9},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":72,"name":10,"@type":70,"position":73},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/",2,{"item":75,"name":41,"@type":70,"position":76},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/letters/",3,{"item":78,"name":59,"@type":70,"position":79},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/writing-a-judicial-clerkship-cover-letter/286933/",4,{"url":78,"name":59,"@type":81,"image":82,"author":87,"headline":59,"publisher":90,"fileFormat":93,"inLanguage":57,"description":61,"dateModified":94,"datePublished":95,"encodingFormat":93,"isAccessibleForFree":96,"interactionStatistic":97},"DigitalDocument",{"url":83,"@type":84,"width":85,"height":86},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/writing-a-judicial-clerkship-cover-letter/286933.png","ImageObject",442,249,{"name":88,"@type":89},"Ivy","Person",{"url":68,"name":91,"@type":92},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-09-21","2026-09-17",true,{"@type":98,"interactionType":99,"userInteractionCount":9},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":100},"ViewAction",{"@type":102,"mainEntity":103},"FAQPage",[104,110,114],{"name":105,"@type":106,"acceptedAnswer":107},"What is the main purpose of a judicial clerkship cover letter?","Question",{"text":108,"@type":109},"It should make a strong introduction to a judge without excessive detail, using clear and concise writing that is free of errors.","Answer",{"name":111,"@type":106,"acceptedAnswer":112},"What should be included in Paragraph 1 (“The What/The Who”)?",{"text":113,"@type":109},"Include your name, law school, year, the clerkship term you’re applying for, whether it is two-year or one-year as requested, any geographic tie, and brief, specific reasons for your interest in that judge.",{"name":115,"@type":106,"acceptedAnswer":116},"What does Paragraph 2 (“The Why,” optional) focus on?",{"text":117,"@type":109},"It highlights how prior experience prepared you for clerking, especially research and writing experience and prior litigation experience relevant to the judge’s court.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":78,"og:type":120,"og:title":59,"og:site_name":91,"og:description":61},"article",{"robots":122,"canonical":78},"index,follow",{"doc_id":124,"site_id":56},286933,1790024172,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":127},{"doc_id":124,"user_id":128,"nickname":88,"user_avatar":129,"doc_module":9,"category_id":40,"category_name":41,"doc_title":59,"doc_description":61,"doc_content":130,"file_id":131,"file_url":132,"file_type":133,"file_size":134,"view_count":73,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":9,"is_downloadable":9,"audit_status":9,"page_count":135,"language":136,"language_code":57,"site_id":56,"html_lang":57,"table_of_contents":137,"faqs":138,"seo_title":139,"seo_description":61,"update_tm":140,"read_time":76},549758252649,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/8000253669c5317157?_k=1778319167496531819","WRITING A JUDICIAL CLERKSHIP COVER LETTER∗ 1  \n© 2016 The Writing Center at GULC. All Rights Reserved.  \nClerkship applications are a challenging process to navigate, but one thing you are to certain to need are clear, concise, and error-free cover letters for your application packets.  \nUnlike applying for other types of legal jobs where a more tailored cover letter is often preferred, judicial clerkship cover letters are about making a strong introduction without excessive detail.  \nThe paragraph break down below is a suggested format. It notes where you should include the few specific, relevant details a judge is likely interested in hearing about you IF applicable to you and your application.  \nParagraph 1: The What/The Who  \n• This is where you lay out all the important introductory information:  \no Your name, where you go to school, what year you are, and the clerkship term for which you are applying.  \no Be sure to note if the judge is hiring for a two-year clerkship instead of a one-year clerkship. Expressing interest in the 2018-2019 term when the judge has specifically requested applications for a 2018-2020 position is a careless error that can get you quickly discarded from the pile. If you have more flexibility about when you are able to clerk for a judge you can express general interest in the “next available clerkship position,” rather than a specific term.  \no Note any geographic tie to the judge’s state/jurisdiction (e.g. you are from there, have a significant other who is from there), and/or a specific interest in/plans to practice in that area long-term.  \n∗ By Lauren Kelleher.  \n1 For other helpful resources check out what judges had to say about hiring law clerks including pitfalls to avoid in cover letter writing see: The Law Clerk Hiring Process – An Interview with Judge Thomas Ambro, CONCURRING OPINIONS (Mar. 31, 2014), [https://scholarship.law.marquette.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5219&context=mulr](https://scholarship.law.marquette.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5219&context=mulr); Darhiana Mateo Tellez, Clerkship Confidential: Judges Reveal What it Takes to Get Inside Their Courtroom, ABA STUDENT LAWYER (Mar. 2015), [http://www.americanbar.org/publications/student_lawyer/2014-](http://www.americanbar.org/publications/student_lawyer/2014-)[ ](http://www.americanbar.org/publications/student_lawyer/2014-)15/march/clerkship_confidential_judges_reveal_what_it_takes_get_inside_their_courtroom.html ;See also, Zoe Tillman, Federal Appeals Judges Open up About Clerk-Hiring Preferences, THENAT’L LAW J. (Nov. 16, 2015), [http://www.nationallawjournal.com/id=1202742506773/Federal](http://www.nationallawjournal.com/id=1202742506773/Federal)Appeals-Judges-Open-Up-About-ClerkHiring-Preferences?slreturn=20160320180753 ; David Stras, Diane S. Sykes, & James A. Wynn Jr., Panel Discussion: Judge’s Perspectives on Law Clerk Hiring, Utilization, and Influence, 98 MARQ. L. REV. 441 (2014) .  \n• Finally, note if this is your first choice job and/or if you have a genuine, particular interest in clerking for this judge. Be brief and specific about what that reason is.  \no Possible examples of these types of genuine, particular interest include if a particular professor the judge knows recommended you apply to her, you know one of the judge’s current or former clerks, or you and the judge have shared career interests (e.g.“I would welcome the opportunity to learn from your experience not only as a judge, but also as a former public defender, a career I plan to pursue.”)  \nParagraph 2: The Why (optional)*  \n• If you choose to include this paragraph, this is where you want to highlight why your prior experience has prepared you well for clerking, taking particular care to note:  \no Research and writing experience.  \n􀂃 Were you a Law Fellow? Did you frequently research legislative history, or draft memos, or court documents for a professor as an RA? What kind of writing experience did you get as an intern, extern, judicial i","cbCaif84V3BNI7eS","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaif84V3BNI7eS","pdf",313612,8,"English","# Paragraph 1: The What/The Who\n## Applicant identity and clerkship term\n## Geographic ties and specific interest\n# Paragraph 2: The Why (optional)\n## Research and writing experience\n## Prior litigation experience\n# Paragraph 3: The Closing","[{\"question\":\"What is the main purpose of a judicial clerkship cover letter?\",\"answer\":\"It should make a strong introduction to a judge without excessive detail, using clear and concise writing that is free of errors.\"},{\"question\":\"What should be included in Paragraph 1 (“The What/The Who”)?\",\"answer\":\"Include your name, law school, year, the clerkship term you’re applying for, whether it is two-year or one-year as requested, any geographic tie, and brief, specific reasons for your interest in that judge.\"},{\"question\":\"What does Paragraph 2 (“The Why,” optional) focus on?\",\"answer\":\"It highlights how prior experience prepared you for clerking, especially research and writing experience and prior litigation experience relevant to the judge’s court.\"}]","WRITING A JUDICIAL CLERKSHIP COVER LETTER | PDF",1789631710]