How to apply for judicial clerkships in Canada and where to find them

Judicial clerkships put legal professionals in the front row of the courtroom, but on the judges' side of the bench. Instead of arguing for or against a case, law clerks help research the law and shape written decisions.

To help you decide if this work is for you, this guide will discuss the basics of this once‑in‑a‑career chance, the Canadian courts that offer law clerk positions, and how to land this job.

What are judicial clerkships in Canada?

A judicial clerkship is a short‑term job, usually a one‑year position, where a law graduate works closely with a specific judge in a court. Law clerks work at many levels of the court, from the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) to the provincial superior courts, courts of appeal, and supreme courts.

These positions are usually salaried, although benefits can differ from regular civil service roles. Benefits may include health and dental plans, pension participation, and paid vacation, depending on the workplace.

Watch this video to see how judicial clerkships work, specifically in the Tax Court of Canada:

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Qualifications for law clerks

Since most clerkships are designed for recent or soon‑to‑be law graduates, the qualifications are not very far removed from what you already have as a law student. Generally, courts require the following when looking for a law clerk:

• legal education: the applicant must have a law degree (e.g., Juris Doctor), or its equivalent, from a designated Canadian university
• academic excellence: while having good grades is a plus, applicants with strong researching and writing skills are especially sought after
• language proficiency: depending on the hiring court, an applicant must be proficient either in English or French; for some courts, proficiency in both languages is an advantage
• legal skills: aside from researching and writing skills, applicants must have strong analytical skills, the ability to synthesize complex material, and good interpersonal skills
• citizenship: applicants must either be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident in Canada with a valid work permit

Other courts may specify what they're looking for in an applicant. For instance, the Tax Court of Canada will look for candidates who demonstrate interest in tax law and commercial transactions. Courts may also require at least one tax law course was taken when the applicant was still in law school. Some courts may look for the applicant's interest in a broad range of legal practice areas.

Responsibilities of law clerks

The core work of law clerks is similar across the different courts that offer judicial clerkships. At most, law clerks do any or a mix of the following:

• attend hearings, trials, and appeals
• prepare materials for judicial education
• prepare written memoranda
• research legal issues
• review or edit draft judgments under the direction of judges
• summarize cases
• support judges with speeches or scholarly writing

Here's another video which shows how judicial clerkship works, this time with the Federal Court:

Head over to our Professional Regulation page for more articles to help law students and new lawyers in their journey in the legal profession.

Why do judicial clerkships matter to legal professionals?

Judicial clerkships are strong opportunities for career growth, especially if you're a recent law school graduate. Here are some of the advantages of being a law clerk in a Canadian court:

• a look into the day-to-day work of a judge: for future litigators, judicial clerkships can give a behind‑the‑scenes view of how judges decide cases and how courts operate every day, which you rarely see as a law student
• daily interaction with a judge: learning directly from a judge can be a valuable experience and can improve your legal skills, including research and writing
• guidance in choosing a career: working as a law clerk can help you decide which path is best for you; former law clerks now follow many paths, including roles in law firms, government, legal aid, corporate roles, and academia

In summary, a judicial clerkship can deepen your legal judgment, improve research and writing, and open doors across many parts of the legal profession.

Clerkship and articling

Judicial clerkships can help with your licensing and early career steps, as it can be used as part of your articling requirements. However, this depends on the rules of your law society. Some law societies, such as the Law Society of British Columbia (LSBC), can partially reduce your articling term when you complete a clerkship with specific courts. For LSBC, these courts include:

• Supreme Court of Canada
• BC Court of Appeal
• BC Supreme Court
• Federal Court of Canada
• Tax Court of Canada
• any superior court in another Canadian jurisdiction

Under LSBC's rules, one-half of the time you worked as a law clerk in these courts can reduce the nine-month articling term. However, the maximum reduction is only up to five months. In any case, you will still be required to attend the Professional Legal Training Course (PLTC) for 10 weeks.

Other workplaces that recognize judicial clerkships may also have strict rules for law clerks who are completing other bar admission requirements at the same time. For example, the SCC says that the law clerks they hire will not be allowed to take any time off to do their bar admission courses or examinations while working as a law clerk.

What Canadian courts currently offer judicial clerkships?

Several federal and provincial courts across Canada offer judicial clerkships. We'll use the SCC and the Federal Court of Appeal to show the qualifications that they're looking for, and the process of applying to become law clerks.

If you're looking for a specific court and its deadlines for judicial clerkship application, see the summary table below.

Supreme Court of Canada (SCC)

The SCC is one of the main workplaces offering judicial clerkships in Canada. Three law clerks are hired for each of the nine SCC judges, for a total of 27 law clerks every year. These law clerks assist the courts in:

• legal research
• preparing legal memoranda
• other related tasks

Annual salary for this position is $85,440 for a one-year term appointment, starting in July or mid-August. There's also a possibility of a one-year extension, if granted.

Qualifications for an SCC law clerk

To qualify as an SCC law clerk, you must:

• education: have a Bachelor of Laws or Juris Doctor degree in Canada or its equivalent; if you received a law degree outside Canada, your certificate and/or diploma must be assessed against Canadian education standards
• citizenship: be a Canadian citizen, have permanent resident status in Canada, or have a work permit for Canada
• language: be proficient either in English or French

If you're not hired for an SCC judicial clerkship, the court notes that qualified candidates may still be considered for similar positions.

Federal Court of Appeal (FCA)

Another federal court that hires law clerks is the FCA, which takes on 17 law clerks under its Law Clerk Program 2027-2028. With a current salary of $77,943 per annum plus other mandatory benefits, this program runs from August 2027 until July 2028.

Qualifications for a law clerk in the FCA

Although the FCA's requirements are similar to those of the SCC, the court has some specific requirements for law clerk applicants:

• citizenship: Canadian residents, Canadian citizens, and permanent residents abroad
• education: Bachelor of Laws or Juris Doctor, or its equivalent, completed before August 3, 2027
• qualifications: analytical skills, and ability to synthesize, conduct research, and communicate effectively in writing
• assets: certain positions may require one or more assets, which are interests, knowledge, or experience in one or several practice areas of law

These details also apply to the law clerk applications to the Federal Court and the Court Martial Appeal Court of Canada.

What are the available judicial clerkship positions in Canada?

Here's a list of the opportunities for judicial clerkships across Canada:

Judicial clerkships: From the bench back to practice

More than a prestigious line on a résumé, a judicial clerkship is a year of close work with judges that can change how you see cases, do research, and write legal documents. For many legal professionals, this experience in the court becomes the reference point for the rest of their career.

Check out our CL Talk podcast if you're interested in hearing more about judicial clerkships and the other work of legal professionals.