Clerkships

A judicial clerkship is a short-term position with the Supreme Court of Canada, a federal court, or one of the levels of court within a province.

Under the supervision of one or more Justices of the court, law clerks research legal issues, prepare memoranda of law, edit draft judgments, and attend court proceedings.  A judicial clerkship is a prestigious way to fulfill some or all of your articling requirements, though in some jurisdictions law school graduates may clerk after their call to the bar.  Be sure to check with the Law Society in the jurisdiction you plan to get your call to the bar to ensure the clerkship meets their requirements for admission to the profession.

Obtaining a clerkship

Most Law Clerks are recent law school graduates who performed at or near the top of their class.

Successful candidates for all clerkships are usually selected based on a distinguished academic record, academic recommendations, strong research and writing skills and interviews with judges.

Most Canadian courts accept applications for judicial clerkships from graduating law students or experienced lawyers who have already been called to the Bar in Canada or abroad. Most provincial superior and appellate courts hire at least one clerk for each judge. Typically students in their last two years of law school are eligible to apply for these positions, but increasingly, experienced practicing lawyers are also considered for these positions. The term typically lasts a year.

 

Federal Court of Appeal presentation

Judicial clerkship opportunities

A judicial clerkship offers recent law graduates the chance to work closely with a judge, providing valuable experience in legal research, writing, and courtroom procedures.

CourtApprox. # of Clerks per yearApplication Deadline
Supreme Court of Canada27January 19th, 2024 23:59 PM EST
Federal Court of Appeal16January 16th, 2024 5:00 PM EST
Federal Court of Canada44January 16th, 2024 5:00 PM EST
Tax Court of Canada18January 5th, 2024 23:59 PM EST
Court of Appeal for Ontario21January 22nd, 2024 23:59 PM EST
Ontario Superior Court of Justice27January 19th, 2024 5:00 PM EST
British Columbia Court of Appeal12January 8th – 24th, 2024
British Columbia Supreme Court22January 8th – 24th, 2024
Nova Scotia Court of Appeal1-3TBA

For both the Supreme Court of Canada and the Quebec Court of Appeal, being able to work in both English and French is strongly preferred.

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