Preparing for a Federal District Clerkship

• Semester: Spring 2025
• Course ID: 284T
• Credit Hours: 2
• Unique: 28995

Special Instructions

Description

Co-taught with Judge Richard Farrer.

 This course is for 3Ls who will be clerking for a federal district or magistrate judge.

On your first day in your new clerkship, you will inherit the responsibility of overseeing a docket of 100 or more cases, all of which have ongoing motion practice, upcoming trial dates, and a lot for a law clerk to do.  And most of the things you will need to do are things you have never done before, like preparing a bench memo for a hearing, or an order denying a 12(b)(6) motion.  The first few months in a clerkship can be pretty overwhelming. This class is intended to provide you with enough knowledge and insight into the nuts and bolts of a district or magistrate judge clerkship to allow you to hit the ground running on your first day.  It covers everything from how to read a docket sheet and find the pleadings in your cases, to drafting a memorandum opinion.  It is a  two-credit, pass/fail, small and collaborative class.  

Permission to enroll must be acquired prior to registration. Students must have a verified federal district clerkship. Before the registration period begins, email: clerk-admin@law.utexas.edu to request verification and departmental access to register online.