Judicial clerkships provide unique opportunities for new lawyers to see litigation from the judges’ side of the bench. Law clerks work closely with their judges and co-clerks, reviewing written briefs and evidentiary records, conducting legal research and assisting their judges in writing opinions. They gain valuable experience participating in the day-to-day work of their judges’ courts and learning how judges make decisions on a wide variety of legal issues. At the same time, they sharpen their legal research, analysis and writing skills in preparation for law practice. 

These clerkships are awarded through a competitive application process. In recent years, more than 30 Cumberland School of Law graduates have served as law clerks to federal and state court judges in Alabama and the southeast. Graduates have worked for judges on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and the United States District Courts for the Middle, Northern and Southern Districts of Alabama. Others have worked for justices on the Supreme Court of Alabama and judges on the Court of Civil Appeals and state trial courts in Birmingham, Huntsville, Mobile and Tuscaloosa. 

Learn More About Seeking Clerkships

Cumberland School of Law encourages qualified students to consider applying for clerkships with federal and state court judges in Alabama and elsewhere. The Career Development Office has prepared a Judicial Clerkship Handbook that describes various kinds of clerkships available, the qualifications of students who have obtained clerkships and the application process. 

For more information about judicial clerkship opportunities, contact the Career Development Office or any of the following faculty: