Frequently Asked Judicial Clerkship Interview Questions

The Most Frequently Asked Questions:

·    Why do you want to clerk?

·    Why do you want to clerk for this court?

·    What do you hope to get out of clerking?

·    What are your career plans?

·    How does clerking play into your career plans/ambitions?

·    What do you have to contribute to chambers?

Other Questions about Clerking:

·    Why did you apply to me specifically?

·    How did you choose the judges that you applied to?

·    What would you do if you found that you disagreed with me on a case?

·    Would it bother you to work for a judge with whose judicial philosophy you did not agree?

     ·     Political leanings?

·    Do you consider yourself a strong legal writer?

·    How have you honed your legal research skills in law school?

Personality Fit Questions:

·    What do you consider your greatest weakness? Strength?

·    What do you like to do with your free time?

·    What is your favorite movie?

·    What is the last book you read?

·    How would you describe yourself?

·    What do you feel is most important in choosing a place to live?

School Questions:

·    Why did you go to law school?

·    What was your favorite class?

·    What was your least favorite class?

·    Who was your favorite professor?

·    What is the most important thing you have learned in law school?  How will it help you in your professional career?

·    What areas of the law do you find most interesting?

·    Have you/do you plan to write a note?

·    How much criminal law have you had?

Work Questions:

·    What sort of work did you do during your summer internship?

·    What is the most important thing you learned there?

·    What are your 10-year career plan?

·    In what area of the country are you interested in practicing?

·    What public service you have done?

·         How would you describe your work style?

Legal Questions (these are the least common types of questions):

·    Have you read any of my opinions?  Which ones?

·    From a judicial standpoint, how do you feel about the death penalty?

·    What do you think about judicial activism?

·    What do you think the constitution intends as the role of Article 3 judges?

·    How would you describe federal jurisdiction to someone who doesn’t know about it?

·    Which justice’s legal style do you most admire?

http://www.law.virginia.edu/pdf/careerservices/clerkships/frequently_asked_clerkship_interview_questions.pdf