Occupations · Legal
Judicial Law Clerks
Assist judges in court or by conducting research or preparing legal documents.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 23-1012.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 52% between 2010 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $54,040 | 560 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $55,790 | 450 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $55,910 | 410 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $58,410 | 400 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $85,340 | 370 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $76,410 | 330 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $80,260 | 310 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $53,640 | 280 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $47,950 | 240 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $86,090 | 180 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $54,230 | 170 |
| Tallahassee, FL | $50,480 | 170 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: Doctoral or professional degree · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- Prepare briefs, legal memoranda, or statements of issues involved in cases, including appropriate suggestions or recommendations.
- Research laws, court decisions, documents, opinions, briefs, or other information related to cases before the court.
- Draft or proofread judicial opinions, decisions, or citations.
- Confer with judges concerning legal questions, construction of documents, or granting of orders.
- Review complaints, petitions, motions, or pleadings that have been filed to determine issues involved or basis for relief.
- Keep abreast of changes in the law and inform judges when cases are affected by such changes.
- Attend court sessions to hear oral arguments or record necessary case information.
- Enter information into computerized court calendar, filing, or case management systems.
- Verify that all files, complaints, or other papers are available and in the proper order.
- Review dockets of pending litigation to ensure adequate progress.
- Communicate with counsel regarding case management or procedural requirements.
- Respond to questions from judicial officers or court staff on general legal issues.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2021-08
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2021-08
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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What changed since 2015
Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning. 4 entries that were only relabelled between releases are left out.
Now listed 7
Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.
Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| court clerk | 3411.5 | exact |
| legal assistant | 3411.7 | close |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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