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Print pageJudicial Law Clerk Program - Frequently Asked Questions
- What do the courts look for in their law clerks?
- How do typical clerking experiences at Supreme Court and Court of Appeal differ?
- Is there a difference between clerking at the Supreme Court in Victoria, New Westminster, Kamloops, or Kelowna as opposed to in Vancouver?
- What are the benefits of clerking with the Courts?
- How are clerks assigned to judges?
POSITIONS AVAILABLE
How many law clerks are hired?
Court of Appeal
The Court of Appeal hires 12 law clerks, and they are all assigned to Vancouver. The term for a Court of Appeal clerk is 12 months. There are no law clerks assigned to the Court of Appeal of Yukon, and there is no travel to Yukon.
Supreme Court
The Supreme Court hires 23 law clerks. Two are assigned to Victoria, three are assigned to New Westminster. Of the remaining clerks, there is the opportunity to assign one clerk to Kelowna or Kamloops. Otherwise, clerks will be assigned to Vancouver. The term for all Supreme Court clerkships is 12 months.
Are there any positions available for 2025 - 2026?
All clerkship positions for 2025 - 2026 have been filled.
Are there any summer clerkship or internship positions available with the courts?
The courts do not offer summer clerkship or internship positions.
THIRD-YEAR APPLICANTS
A third year law student may apply for a clerkship position, provided they will not have been called or admitted to the bar in any jurisdiction prior to their application.
Yes, third year law students who were interviewed but not hired in their second year may reapply in their third year. Third year students are eligible to re-apply at the court they interviewed with, the other court, or both.
APPLICATION PACKAGES AND PROCESS
Do I need to submit all parts of my application by the application deadline?
Yes. Clerking applications consist of three parts: (1) a short online questionnaire about your credentials accessed through the BC Public Service website; (2) your cover letter, resume, and transcripts submitted via a single email; and (3) two letters of reference submitted directly by referees via email. We cannot accept any late applications.
The steps you need to follow in preparing and submitting your application package are reviewed in detail in this overview of the application process.
Should I include a writing sample in my application?
Do not submit a writing sample. It will not be read. Candidates selected for a first interview with legal counsel will be required to complete a brief writing assignment on a date after the interview. More details about the writing assignment will be provided during the interview process.
If you do not have an official transcript of your most recent term, you must submit a copy of the unofficial transcript of your most recent grades as part of your transcript PDF document. Please submit your grades as soon as they are available.
If you are selected for an interview, we ask that you provide an official copy of your most recent transcript at that time.
INTERVIEWS
When and where do interviews take place?
Legal Counsel Interviews
The first interviews are conducted by the courts’ legal counsel and will take place by video conference in early February. Dates of the first interview week will be posted in November. Each interview lasts about 30 minutes. Applicants selected for a first interview are required to complete a short writing assignment after the interview.
Writing assignment
Candidates selected for a first interview with legal counsel will be required to complete a brief writing assignment on a set date and time after the interview. Candidates are typically given three hours to complete the assignment. The writing assignment does not involve prior research or knowledge of specific areas of the law. The assignment is reviewed as part of a global assessment of each Candidate’s application package and first interview and may assist in determining whether a Candidate is invited to interview with judges.
Judges’ Interviews
Applicants shortlisted for a second interview are interviewed by a panel of judges who are members of either the Court of Appeal Law Clerks Committee or the Supreme Court Law Clerks Committee. These interviews last approximately 20 to 30 minutes and will take place by video conference. The Court of Appeal will complete its interviews in late February or early March. The Supreme Court will complete its interviews the week after the Court of Appeal interviews are complete. Dates of the interview weeks with judges will be posted in November.
Do you pay moving expenses if I need to relocate to accept a clerkship position?
No. The courts will not pay any expenses you incur to relocate to accept a clerkship position.
What types of questions are asked at the interviews?
The first interview with legal counsel is quite structured. The questions are designed to allow legal counsel to assess your general suitability for the role of law clerk and the work it entails. Judges’ interviews are less structured and may cover some substantive legal issues.
Will both courts consider my application?
In selecting candidates for first round interviews, all applications are considered jointly by both courts. To assist with the selection process for final interviews, applicants are encouraged to state in their cover letter and on their questionnaire if they prefer to clerk for the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court (including preferred location for the Supreme Court) or if they have no preference.
Applicants selected for a final interview will meet with a panel of judges from the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court. In some limited cases an applicant may be invited to interview with judges of the Supreme Court after offers have been made by the Court of Appeal.CLERKING AT THE BC SUPREME COURT OR BC COURT OF APPEAL
What do Courts look for in their law clerks?
The Courts look for candidates with:
- a strong academic record
- excellent research, writing and editing skills, preferably demonstrated in an employment setting
- maturity, good judgment, and the self-confidence to engage with judges in discussions of law
- the ability to work well with a variety of people
- good time management skills and ability to adapt to changing deadlines and work flows
The Courts encourage people from diverse backgrounds and with varied life experiences that reflect the diversity of our society to apply and to self-identify in their cover letters.
The Supreme Court seeks to hire candidates with the ability to work on French trials and may give preference to candidates who can do legal work in both English and French. If you are capable of doing legal work in French, please provide details of your level of French in your application.
How do typical clerking experiences at the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal differ?
Overall, the two clerkship experiences are very similar: all law clerks attend much of the same orientation training; all clerks work closely with judges by providing research, drafting and editing support; law clerks participate together in most of the educational activities offered during the course of the year (e.g. training, seminars, etc.); and all law clerks attend hearings to observe proceedings, in addition to working independently on assignments.
The Supreme Court is a trial court, and therefore its clerks have more exposure to the fact-finding process.
Clerks not only work on reasons for judgment in final dispositions, but also provide support to their judges on interlocutory applications, sometimes with a relatively fast turnaround. Clerks may be asked to sit in court to observe submissions and giving of evidence in court. Clerks may work closely with judges throughout the process of producing reasons for judgment, but most work is done after submissions have been made by the parties. Each Supreme Court clerk works with a group of 4-5 judges.
The courthouses in Victoria, New Westminster, Kamloops, and Kelowna are smaller and have fewer clerks than the Vancouver Law Courts (only one clerk at a time is placed in Kelowna or Kamloops). Clerks outside Vancouver therefore have a much smaller clerk peer group and do not have the same opportunities to engage in social and educational events as Vancouver clerks. They also work in a tighter-knit environment and may have more opportunities to interact with judges and other staff. COVID-19 has changed workplace dynamics somewhat, as more interaction is now possible through video conferencing.
While all courts hear a variety of cases, New Westminster tends to get more criminal files and Victoria more Aboriginal law files. Vancouver sees more corporate and complex multi-party litigation files. The Kelowna and Kamloops court sees a range of files, but less corporate litigation.
What are the benefits of clerking with the Courts?
As well as being a highly respected path to becoming a lawyer, clerking provides a unique vantage point from which to observe and learn about litigation.
Clerking is an excellent way to further develop legal research and writing skills and to become well versed in court procedures.
Clerks work in an environment where they can interact regularly with judges and get to know them. They have the opportunity to engage in discussion of legal principles with some of the most respected legal minds in the province.
How are clerks assigned to judges?
In the Supreme Court, each clerk works for 4-5 judges. When selecting judges for each grouping, efforts are made to balance workloads and to ensure that each clerk has a chance to work with judges of different genders, backgrounds, working styles, and seniority. Â One judge is designated as the clerk’s principal judge. When possible, attempts are made to match clerks with principals who have similar practice interests or backgrounds.
In the Court of Appeal, each clerk generally works for two judges, often one full-time judge and one supernumerary (part-time) judge. One judge is designated as the clerk’s principal judge. In creating the clerk-judge pairings, the Court aims to ensure a balanced workload and, where possible, a complementary matching of interests and backgrounds. Over the summer clerks have the opportunity to work with a number of judges with whom they were not originally paired.
ARTICLES
Do clerkships satisfy the articling requirement for call and admission to the BC bar?
The Law Society of BC recognizes judicial clerkships as an alternative path to call and admission. To be eligible, law clerks need to successfully complete PLTC before or after their clerkship term and serve as a law clerk for a minimum of nine months. Law clerks have the option of also completing a period of articles prior to their call and admission, but there is no longer a minimum articling term required. Law clerks should contact the Law Society of BC directly for more information.
Can I be called to the bar while I am continuing to clerk?
If you have successfully completed PLTC before starting your clerkship, you will be eligible to apply for call and admission in BC while continuing as a law clerk. Upon being called, you must opt for a non-practising membership with the Law Society until you have completed your clerkship term.
All clerkships commence in September and take place over 12 months. If you are called to the bar before clerking, you must choose a non-practising membership with the Law Society until you have completed your clerkship term.
If you intend to article after clerking you should consult with your principal lawyer and firm, government body, or other organization about the timing of your post-clerkship articling period.
If you intend to article outside of BC, you should contact the law society in the jurisdiction where you intend to article to determine the effect of a clerkship on the timing of your articles and your call and admission to the bar.
LAW SCHOOL COURSE SELECTION
There are no required courses, though clerkship candidates are selected for an interview based in part on the courses taken and the grades received.
Given the nature of the work that law clerks do, it is expected that they have a good grounding in “black letter” courses including evidence, civil and criminal procedure, administrative law, trusts, family law, and remedies. Applicants for the Supreme Court are strongly encouraged to take family law. Applicants should seek to take these courses in third year, if they have not already completed them in second year.
Advanced legal research courses or other courses and activities that will hone an applicant’s research and writing skills are also highly recommended.
FOREIGN-TRAINED LAW SCHOOL GRADUATES
To work as a law clerk, you must hold a Juris Doctor or Bachelor of Laws from a recognized Canadian university or its equivalent. You are responsible for demonstrating that your degree is equivalent to a Juris Doctor or Bachelor of Laws from a recognized Canadian university (e.g., by demonstrating that you have received training in Canadian law such as may be acquired through an exchange program). Note that you are not required to hold the degree when you apply for the position, but you must have obtained your degree prior to starting your clerkship. Applicants should not be called to the bar at the time of their application.
Do I have to be a Canadian citizen to work as a judicial law clerk?
It is not necessary for judicial law clerks to be Canadian citizens. The only requirement is that the candidate be authorized to work in Canada for the duration of the clerkship.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
What is the salary of a Law Clerk?
Law clerks with the British Columbia courts are regular time-limited employees of the provincial Ministry of Attorney General. Law clerks receive the same salary as articling students with the Ministry and qualify for full medical and dental benefits. In 2024-2025 law clerks’ biweekly pay is $2,564.08 or $66,895.05 per year. Up to date law clerk salaries can be found here.
Are there other terms and conditions of employment?
Once offered a position as a law clerk, candidates will sign a conditional offer of employment. In the period between hiring and commencement of the clerkship, candidates are expected to maintain law school grades comparable to those achieved when hired. As final grades become available at the end of each term, candidates are required to submit unofficial copies of transcripts to show their continued academic standing. A formal official transcript is required at the completion of third year and prior commencement of the clerkship.
Before the commencement of the clerkship, clerks must undergo security screening clearance. Additionally, clerks are required to accept the terms and conditions of employment with the public service of the Province of British Columbia. The first week of their employment, clerks must swear or affirm the standard form public service employment oath. Clerks are also required to abide by the courts’ “Conflicts and Confidentiality Policy” and Standards of Conduct for BC Public Service Employees.
During the clerkship term, clerks are required to devote their time to their work for the courts. Outside engagement, whether remunerated or not, is not permitted. Papers submitted for publication before the commencement of clerkship are usually permissible, but clerks are advised to speak with the legal counsel of their court about them.
There are also some other restrictions on participation in volunteer activities or affiliations during the clerkship term. These restrictions reflect the need for law clerks to act in a manner consistent with the impartiality of the judiciary and the need to uphold public confidence in the courts. They are best discussed as needed on a case-by-case basis with the legal counsel of the Superior Courts Judiciary.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Whom can I contact for more information?
If you have any other questions, please contact the Judicial Law Clerk Program at judiciallawclerkprogram@bccourts.ca.
We ask that candidates do not call or email to check the status of their application.
What does it mean that an alternate list will be established?
Both courts will keep an “alternate list” of applicants who are not hired.
Applicants who achieve a place on the alternate list may be offered a clerkship position if one of the hired clerks is unable to fulfill their clerkship duties when the clerkship term commences (e.g., because of an unanticipated illness or family obligation).
Applicants on the alternate list are not automatically considered for a clerkship in the next hiring cycle; they need to re-apply.
Applicants on the alternate list are welcome to re-apply for a position with the court they previously interviewed with or by the other court.
What happens if I apply to other courts for clerkships?
Many candidates for clerkships at the BC courts also apply to other courts. The BC Courts make offers of employment after the Supreme Court of Canada has completed its hiring. The interview and hiring cycles of the other courts with clerkship programs do not always coincide, though the BC courts make best efforts to coordinate the offer acceptance deadline. It is generally expected that if a candidate accepts a position with the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court in British Columbia, the candidate will stand by the acceptance if subsequently offered a position with a different court.