Clerkship Opportunities

Home Clerkship Opportunities

The Court of Appeals, New York State’s highest Court, offers two types of clerkship opportunities: clerkships with individual Judges of the Court and with the Court’s Central Legal Research Staff. In each of these roles, clerks hone their legal research and writing skills, gain valuable experience and insight into the important work of the Court, and contribute to the delivery of equal justice under the law. Both clerkships require graduation from an accredited law school and admission to the New York State Bar within eighteen months of appointment. To learn more about each opportunity, click on the links below.

Two Year Clerkship with the Court's Central Legal Research Staff

Personal Law Clerks to Judges of the Court

About the Court

The Court of Appeals is composed of its Chief Judge and six Associate Judges who are each appointed by the Governor to a 14-year term. The primary role of the Court is to unify, clarify, and pronounce the law of the State of New York. Under the New York Constitution and by statute, there are limited grounds for appeals as of right. The Court of Appeals, therefore, like the Supreme Court of the United States, hears most appeals by its own permission, granted upon civil motion or criminal leave application. Appeals by permission typically present novel and difficult questions of law that have statewide importance or involve issues on which the holdings of the lower courts in the state conflict.

The individual Judges of the Court have home chambers in locations throughout the state. When the Court is in session, the Judges convene in the historic Court of Appeals Hall, located in downtown Albany. During Court sessions, the Court hears oral argument and conferences and decides pending appeals, motions, and administrative matters.

For more information about the history of the Court and its Judges, you may wish to visit the Historical Society of the New York Courts website at: Historical Society of the New York Courts.

Careers in Public Service

The mission of the New York Unified Court System is to deliver equal justice under the law and to achieve the just, fair, and timely resolution of all matters before the courts. It is the dedicated judges and non-judicial employees who carry out that important mission, ensuring the successful operation of the courts and delivering outstanding service to the public in one of the busiest court systems in the world. The court system is committed to operating with integrity and ensuring that all who serve the courts are treated with respect and professionalism. In addition to a collegial environment, the court system offers competitive salaries and outstanding benefits, examples of which are listed below.

Salary and Benefits

Competitive Salaries
Regular Work Schedule
13 Paid Holidays
20 Paid Vacation Days in the First Year
27 Paid Vacation Days by the Seventh Year
Excellent Retirement Benefits Including New York State Pension and Deferred Compensation Option
Comprehensive Health Insurance
Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and NYS-Ride
Location Pay Differential for New York City-Metropolitan Area
Professional Growth and Development

The New York State Unified Court System is an equal opportunity employer, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender (including pregnancy and gender identity or expression), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, age, membership in an employee organization, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.