Behind the Bench: The Guide to Judicial Clerkships
3rd edition
AVAILABLE NOW! Debra M. Strauss, Behind the Bench: The Guide to Judicial Clerkships, Third Edition (West Academic Publishing 2023)
As an entrée into the world of the courts, this is an indispensable handbook for every law student, lawyer, judge, and potential judicial clerk. A must-have resource for colleges, law schools, courthouses, and legal organizations!
They say that behind every great judge is his or her law clerk. A clerkship offers a unique opportunity to glimpse behind the scenes into the practical workings of a judge's chambers and courtroom, to impact the law through the judge’s decision-making, and, ultimately, to gain a lifelong mentor. A key credential for future law practice in any area, a judicial clerkship is itself a valuable life experience.
With all of the courts and clerkship opportunities out there, where do you begin? This comprehensive guide for law students, lawyers, faculty, and career services professionals takes the reader on an incredible journey through the maze of courts and clerkships, and helps you to assess the factors that are most important to potential law clerks in choosing the best court and judge for each one.
Author Debra M. Strauss, J.D. explains all aspects of clerkships in this newly revised edition. The book provides updated information and resources as your go-to source on judicial clerkships, focusing on what clerkships are, what kind of work clerks do, why you should apply, how to find and apply for the type of clerkship that would be right for you, how to give a strong interview, and why clerkships give you stellar credentials that prospective employers will actively seek out.
Drawing on the author’s substantial experiences as a former federal law clerk, founding director of the judicial clerkship program at Yale Law School, and director/author of the National Judicial Clerkship Study, Professor Strauss presents useful data for the legal profession and valuable advice for prospective judicial clerks. Also included are insights drawn from multitudes of interviews with other former law clerks, legal practitioners, and judges across the country.
Behind the Bench: The Guide to Judicial Clerkships is filled with nuts and bolts advice on all elements of the application process, including building a successful application, interviewing, etiquette of offers and acceptances, and special strategies designed to help you in your quest for the perfect clerkship. To further lay the groundwork for a positive experience, this title also features an exclusive section on how to prepare for your clerkship.
The third edition adds current developments such as remote interviews and the virtual clerkship experience; recent data on women and minorities in clerkships; new Supreme Court feeder judges along with statistical analysis on the trends; and extra resources for further reading.
As an essential component for courses and judicial intern/externships, this book also contains information for professors advising students and writing letters of recommendation to judges on their behalf. Career services offices will find particularly helpful the section geared towards building their law school's resources and successful clerkship programs for their students.
Students and graduates, here's the guide to navigate your journey through the courts!
- Publisher: West Academic Publishing; 3rd edition
- Publication Date: 02/01/2023
- Language: English
- Length: 408 pages
- ISBN-10: 1636593593
- ISBN-13: 978-1636593593
- Softbound: $32.00 (US$)
- Kindle / eBook: $24.00
- Ordering:
- Phone: 1-877-888-1330
- www.westacademic.com
- Amazon
- Faculty Accounts:* West Academic
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More info:
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New for the 3rd edition:
- Updated information throughout this most recent edition
- The latest developments on the timing, policies, and procedures of clerkship applications in Chapters 2 and 7
- New section on the Virtual Clerkship experience in Chapter 3, including material on virtual hearings, remote conferences, current trends, how the pandemic has affected clerking, and predictions for the future
- New section on Remote Interviews in Chapter 8, including adaptive strategies and tips
- Updated salary and financial information, including clerkship bonuses, in Chapter 9
- Expanded section on preparing for your clerkship in Chapter 10
- New and exclusive Supreme Court feeder judges lists in Chapter 11, with statistical analysis on the trends and a pie chart of U.S. Supreme Court clerkship feeder patterns
- Updated comprehensive list and description of new and expanded resources, in print and online, in Chapter 13
- A special focus on Minorities and Women in Clerkships and the Courts in Chapter 14, presenting recent data and trends, diversity inclusion initiatives, and additional dedicated resources
- A new end-notes section for additional current resources corresponding to each chapter — “Appendix G. Going Above and Beyond… Resources for Further Reading!”
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See also the 2nd edition of the book -- and these other published resources from Debra Strauss [Click here]
*Professors may request a review copy and make personalized arrangements for orders by contacting their West Academic Account Manager --
Higher Ed Faculty at 800-360-9378 or college@westacademic.com
Law School Faculty at 800-313-9378 or accountmanager@westacademic.com
