Talk about prestige. A clerkship is one of the highest honors in the legal profession and there are numerous places you can clerk. Almost every law clerk has lots of positive things to say about their clerkship experience. There is a reason that clerks like their jobs so much: clerking is the way to see how the legal system operates from the inside.

A little know fact is that you can be a clerk at any point in your career. Clerkships are not just for recent graduates - they are also for people who have been practicing for quite a while and are seeking the opportunity to give something back to the legal system.

There are four main types of clerkships:

Federal court clerkships - Federal court clerkships are typically considered the most prestigious.

State Court Clerkships - Clerking for a state court will give you important and meaningful local roots and contacts.

Trial and Appellate Court - A trial court clerkship typically requires less writing and research than an appellate clerkship. The trial level involves more in-court work such as hearings and sentencings.

Specialized Courts - If you work or would like to work in a specialized field such as tax, probate, international trade, or bankruptcy, you may consider clerking for a specialized state court. This carries a high level of prestige as well; for example, clerks from the US Tax Court are very attractive to legal employers of all types.

There are a few legal myths that surround getting a position as a law clerk. Some of the more common ones are addressed below. The biggest misconceptions is that clerkships are only available to the very best and brightest students. This is simply not true (but don't feel that you have to tell anyone about this after you have clerked - let them think what they will).