• Pay and Benefits
• Application for Clerkships

The Federal Court of Appeal and the Federal Court engage 42 law clerks (approximately 12 for the Federal Court of Appeal and 30 for the Federal Court) each year to conduct research on files to be heard by the judges of the Courts.

Each judge of the Courts, except those who have elected supernumerary status, has a law clerk. Supernumerary judges share law clerks.

The work performed by the law clerks includes preparing legal memoranda on court files prior to the hearing of the case, researching specific legal issues, editing judgments and assisting in the preparation of speeches and papers for presentation by a judge. The areas of law to which the law clerks are exposed include administrative law, constitutional law, Crown liability, intellectual property, admiralty, immigration, income tax, human rights, aboriginal and environment law.

The various provincial law societies recognize the service of the law clerks as fulfilling all or part of their articling requirements. Candidates should verify this with the law society of the jurisdiction in which they will seek admission to practice.

Law clerk applicants may apply to the Federal Court of Appeal, the Federal Court or both in the same application. Please specify in your covering letter which Court(s) you wish to have your application considered by.

For the 2007-2008 clerkship term, applications and all supporting documents must be received by January 27, 2006.

Generally, interviews are conducted by judges of the Federal Court of Appeal in February and March and selections are made by early April. Interviews with judges of the Federal Court are conducted from April to June. In the event that applicants are required to travel to Ottawa to attend an interview, reasonable travel expenses are reimbursed.

Where there are new judicial appointments to the Courts, interviews may be held at any time.

Please see the benefits summary and policy concerning law clerks removal.

Throughout the year, judges of the Federal Court of Appeal and the Federal Court and members of the profession speak on various topics of interest to the law clerks.

While employment prospects differ from year to year, a number of our participants in the Courts law clerk program have been successful in securing employment after call to the bar. Some are now counsel at major law firms in Canada and abroad or with the Federal Department of Justice or other agencies, others are in-house counsel with various corporations and organizations. Several former law clerks have pursued graduate studies at prestigious universities in Canada, the United States and Europe.

Following completion of the one year clerkship term, law clerks are permitted to take 12 months leave without pay. During this period, law clerks remain eligible to apply for legal advisory and other positions open only to employees of the Federal Public Service.

For further information, please contact Marc Reinhardt (Federal Courts) at (613) 995-4547 or visit the following websites: Federal Court of Appeal or Federal Court.
Is the opinion of a current law clerk of interest to you? If so, please contact either Maria Mascaro at the Federal Court of Appeal at 992-9298 or by e-mail at maria.mascaro@fca-caf.gc.ca or Michelle Toering-Sanders at the Federal Court at 947-2173 or by e-mail at michelle.toering-sanders@fct-cf.gc.ca