From Classrooms to Chambers: The Role of Law Schools in Diversifying the Judicial Clerkship Applicant Pool

 The judicial clerkship application and selection process is, to be sure, complex and nuanced, as many scholars have shown. Although the availability of demographic data on the placement of federal law clerks has been growing, there is still little empirical research on the actual clerkship application and selection process. Few studies explore who is applying for clerkships and why; or what law schools are doing to identify, assist, and mentor students interested in clerkships. And there is even less knowledge – beyond anecdotal reflections by judges and applicants – about the criteria and selection process used by judges in hiring their clerks.The presentation proceeds in four parts. Part I describes in greater detail the historical continuity of racial and gender disparities among federal law clerkships by providing additional empirical evidence of the puzzle and problem. Part II describes the methodology of our qualitative research study of law schools. Part III contains the results of our surveys and interviews. Part IV provides interpretations and implications of our findings.