Law school clinics versus externships
A clinic is run by the law school itself. A supervising clinical professor directly oversees your work on real client matters, and many jurisdictions' student-practice rules allow a supervised clinic student to appear in court or before an agency on the client's behalf under the professor's license.
An externship works differently. It instead places you at an outside organization — a prosecutor's or public defender's office, a judge's chambers, a government agency, or a nonprofit — where supervision comes primarily from attorneys or judges at that placement instead of a law school clinical professor, typically for academic credit instead of pay.
| Pathway | Who supervises you | Where the work happens |
|---|---|---|
| Law clinic | A clinical professor from the law school | Real client matters handled through the school |
| Externship or field placement | A licensed attorney at the placement, plus a faculty member | An outside organization such as a prosecutor's office or public defender |
| Judicial clerkship | The judge | A court; federal hiring runs through OSCAR, state courts hire on their own timelines |
How the federal clerkship hiring process actually works
Federal judicial clerkship hiring runs largely through OSCAR. It's a centralized online system where applicants search open positions, submit applications, and route recommendation letter requests electronically to their recommenders. Timing is coordinated nationally: for the class graduating in 2027, OSCAR access opened in January 2026, and the federal hiring plan set specific dates before which judges could not accept applications or contact applicants.
Dates shift by class. Confirm the current OSCAR hiring plan directly before building your own clerkship application timeline instead of relying on a prior class's dates.
State and other clerkships
Many state and local courts hire law clerks outside the federal OSCAR system entirely, often on their own timeline and through direct application to individual judges or a state judiciary's own portal. If you're targeting a state clerkship, confirm that specific court's own application process and timeline separately from the federal OSCAR schedule.
How the ABA Standards define the pathways
ABA Standard 304 defines a law clinic as substantial lawyering experience that involves advising or representing one or more actual clients or serving as a third-party neutral. A field placement is substantial lawyering experience outside a law clinic, under a faculty member's supervision and, at the placement, the supervision of a licensed attorney or an individual otherwise qualified to supervise. It requires a written understanding among the student, faculty member and a person in authority at the placement. Clinics use real clients; placements use site supervisors.
Standard 303 requires every student to complete experiential courses totaling at least six credit hours. It also requires a school to provide substantial opportunities for law clinics or field placements and for pro bono service. Ask which of these your school counts toward the six credits. Count your credits early.
Federal clerkship timing, from OSCAR's own plan
OSCAR's Federal Law Clerk Hiring Plan, updated December 16, 2025, applies to students with two full years of grades. For the class of 2027, judges would not accept applications before noon EDT on June 8, 2026. They would not contact applicants before June 9 or interview and offer before June 10. An offer must stay open at least 24 hours, during which the applicant may interview with other judges. Watch the exact times.
For the class of 2028 the plan lists June 14, 2027 for applications and June 15, 2027 for contact, interviews and offers. For the class of 2029 it lists June 12, 2028 and June 13, 2028. OSCAR access opens for the class of 2028 on January 19, 2027 at 8 am EST. The plan says the dates do not apply to law school graduates, and judges may hire graduates on their own schedule. OSCAR's homepage says a video on its site challenges the myth that judges hire only from the top 14 law schools. Check OSCAR's dates yearly.
| Step | Date |
|---|---|
| Judges may accept applications | Not before noon EDT on June 8, 2026 |
| Judges may contact applicants | Not before June 9 |
| Judges may interview and make offers | Not before June 10 |
| Offer must stay open | At least 24 hours |
How many graduates land judicial clerkships: the ABA's class of 2024 counts
Of the class of 2024 graduates in the ABA's employment report, 1,158 held federal clerkships and 2,110 held state or local clerkships, 3,268 in all. That is 9.0% of the 36,208 graduates reported.
State and local clerkships outnumber federal ones by about 1.8 to 1.
| Clerkship type | Graduates |
|---|---|
| Federal | 1,158 |
| State or local | 2,110 |
| All clerkships | 3,268, which is 9.0% |
Common questions
What is a law clinic under ABA Standard 304?+
Substantial lawyering experience advising or representing one or more actual clients, or serving as a third-party neutral, supervised by faculty.
What is a field placement, or externship?+
Substantial lawyering experience outside a law clinic, supervised by a faculty member and by a licensed attorney or other qualified supervisor at the placement site.
What paperwork does a field placement require?+
A written understanding among the student, faculty member and a person in authority at the placement, describing the experience, feedback and each party's supervisory role.
How many experiential credits must every JD student complete?+
At least six credit hours in simulation courses, law clinics or field placements, according to ABA Standard 303.
When can federal judges accept clerkship applications from the class of 2028?+
Not before noon EDT on June 14, 2027, according to OSCAR's Federal Law Clerk Hiring Plan updated December 16, 2025.
How long must a federal clerkship offer stay open?+
At least 24 hours, during which the applicant is free to interview with other judges, according to the Federal Law Clerk Hiring Plan.
Does the OSCAR hiring plan apply to law school graduates?+
No. The plan says its dates do not apply to graduates, and judges can accept applications, interview and hire graduates on their own schedule.
When does OSCAR access open for the class of 2028?+
January 19, 2027 at 8 am EST, according to the hiring plan. For the class of 2027 it opened January 20, 2026.
What to do next
- 1
Decide between a clinic and an externship based on whether you want direct client contact or broader placement exposure.
- 2
Confirm the current OSCAR hiring plan dates directly before building your own clerkship timeline.
- 3
Ask recommenders early — OSCAR routes letter requests electronically, but recommenders still need lead time.
- 4
Research each target state court's own clerkship process separately if you're not limiting your search to federal judges.