These law schools were tops for federal clerkships in 2024
By Karen Sloan
April 25 (Reuters) - The University of Chicago Law School sent the highest percentage of 2024 graduates into federal clerkships, marking the fourth time in five years that the school was tops for those coveted positions, American Bar Association data shows.
Chicago sent more than 28% of its 2024 juris doctor graduates into federal clerkships — 10 percentage points higher than all other law schools but one — according to a trove of law school employment data released on Wednesday by the ABA.
Yale Law School was next with a little over 26% of its 2024 graduates landing federal clerkships, followed by Harvard Law School at just over 18% and Stanford Law School at 17.59%. The University of Notre Dame Law School rounded out the top five, sending 17.11% of its most recent graduating class into federal clerkships.
Federal clerkships are prestigious, year-long positions considered as a key credential for other sought-after jobs, including judgeships and law professorships. Clerks assist judges with legal tasks such as research and drafting opinions.
The Trump administration eliminated or froze more than 2,000 law student internships and entry-level lawyer positions at the U.S. Department of Justice and other federal agencies in January, but those cuts did not impact the federal judiciary or federal clerkships.
Judicial clerkships are difficult for law grads to secure. The ABA data shows that just 3.36% of 2024’s JD graduates landed those positions, which means that just 1,310 federal clerkships were available for 38,937 law graduates last year. And the bulk of those jobs go to graduates of a small number of law schools.
The 10 law schools with highest percentage of 2024 JDs in federal clerkships produced more than a third of all such clerks nationwide. At 112, Harvard Law School had the largest number of federal clerks in 2024 — nearly twice its number from the previous year — but that represents only 18% of the graduating class of 622.
Both Chicago and Yale are aided by their relatively small class sizes, with 199 and 215 JD graduates, respectively.
Read more:
These law schools posted highest employment rates of 2024
Law grad job rates surged to historic highs in 2024, ABA data shows
2024 JDs in federal clerkships 
Related Articles
Costco Closes 2025 with a Bang: Membership Loyalty Drives Profit Surge
TradingKey - In a complex macroeconomic environment, Costco delivered robust revenue growth, improved profit margins, and exceeded earnings per share expectations, concluding its 2025 fiscal year on a high note. The company’s membership-driven business model demonstrated enduring resilience.
U.S. August PCE: Inflation Remains the Market's Greatest Risk
Our baseline forecast anticipates sustained asset price increases. However, if inflation surpasses market expectations in the coming months, it could hinder further rate cuts and pose the greatest risk to financial markets.
Fed Rate Cuts: Will the Russell 2000 Outperform the S&P 500?
TradingKey - On 17 September, the Federal Reserve cut interest rates by 25 basis points, marking the official restart of the rate-cutting cycle. In theory, small-cap stocks, compared to large-cap stocks, benefit more from Fed rate cuts. This is because they are more reliant on external financing...
What to Expect From Microsoft Q4 FY2025 Earnings: The King of AI Monetization — A $4 Trillion Market Cap Within Reach?
TradingKey - Cloud giant Microsoft (MSFT.US) will report its fiscal fourth-quarter 2025 earnings (calendar Q2) after the U.S. market close on July 30. Wall Street is bullish, expecting strong results from Azure cloud services and AI-driven growth to propel Microsoft’s market capitalization toward
Bitcoin Price Forecast: Trends and Investment Outlook from 2025 to 2030
From $0.01 in 2009 to $120,000+ in 2025, Bitcoin has evolved from obscurity to a globally recognized financial asset. While institutions and governments increasingly embrace it, investors must remain vigilant against volatility, security risks, and scams.
