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Law Clerkship Program Court Registry and Administration Judicial Support Services

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Law Clerkship Program

APPLICATION FOR CLERKSHIP - 2025-2026

Candidates are invited to apply for the position of law clerk to a Judge of the Federal Court of Appeal, the Federal Court and the Court Martial Appeal Court of Canada.

There are 61 positions available: 16 with the Federal Court of Appeal, 44 with the Federal Court and 1 with the Court Martial Appeal Court of Canada.

PLACE OF WORK

Ottawa, Ontario.

PERIOD OF EMPLOYMENT

August 5, 2025 to July 24, 2026

SALARY AND BENEFITS

The current salary is $68,666 per annum.

  1. Leave
  2. Other benefits
    • Relocation allowance (amount depends on distance and number of dependents)
    • Dental Plan
      (premiums presently covered by employer)
    • Public Service Health Care Plan (optional - employee and employer contribute)
    • Long Term Disability Insurance (mandatory)
    • Death Benefits (mandatory)
    • Pension Plan (mandatory)

DUTIES

Under the direction of the Judges to whom they have been assigned, law clerks conduct legal research, prepare legal memoranda and generally assist Judges. At the Federal Court, law clerks also assist Associate Judges.

Working long hours and weekends may be required.

QUALIFICATIONS

  1. Education
    Bachelor of Laws or Juris Doctor or equivalent completed before August 5, 2025. If you went to law school outside of Canada, please visit the following site: www.cicic.ca.
  2. Essential Qualifications
    • Analytical skills
    • Ability to synthesize
    • Ability to conduct research
    • Ability to communicate effectively in writing
  3. Varying language requirements
    Proficiency in one of Canada's official language is mandatory. Proficiency in both official languages is required for certain positions.
  4. Assets
    See Annex A.
  5. Pool
    A pool of qualified candidates may be established as a result of this selection process.
  6. Valid email
    Our preference is to communicate with candidates by e-mail. Therefore, you must include in your application a valid e-mail address that is functional at all times and accepts messages from unknown users.
  7. Employment Equity
    The Public Service of Canada is committed to building a skilled, diverse workforce reflective of Canadian society. As a result, it promotes employment equity and encourages you to indicate voluntarily on your application if you are a woman, an Aboriginal person, a person with a disability or a member of a visible minority group.

    The Public Service of Canada is also committed to developing inclusive, barrier-free selection processes and work environments. If contacted in relation to a job opportunity or testing (including interview), you should advise us in a timely fashion of the accommodation measures which must be taken to enable you to be assessed in a fair and equitable manner. Information received relating to accommodation measures will be addressed confidentially.
  8. Conflict of Interest

    Outside employment or function during the clerkship will be reviewed by a Member of the Court via the Executive Legal Counsel and their consent is necessary in order to continue or accept outside employment. This information should be disclosed prior to signing the letter of offer. By accepting the job offer, you agree to abide by this condition.

  9. Operational Requirements
    1. Willing and able to work overtime on short notice.
    2. Willing and able to work outside of core hours.
  10. Conditions of Employment
    1. Enhanced secret security clearance. Some positions require top security clearance.
    2. The work may require overtime on short notice.
    3. The work may require to work outside of core hours.
    4. Law clerks must reside in the National Capital Region during the clerkship term.

WHO CAN APPLY

Canadian citizens and permanent residents

HOW TO APPLY

Applicants must use the on-line application system which will be available as of November 24, 2023, on the Federal Court of Appeal and Federal Court web sites:

www.fca-caf.ca

www.fct-cf.gc.ca

Candidates must submit their application by 5pm EST on January 16, 2024.

The application must include:

  1. A curriculum vitae;
  2. Copies of transcripts for all your post-secondary studies (except the law school transcript);
  3. A letter explaining why you are seeking the position; and
  4. One sample of legal writing which you have entirely written yourself (maximum of 15 pages).

In addition, we must receive:

  1. Official law school transcripts - the university must send them directly to the administrators of the Law Clerkship Program.
  2. Three letters of reference - Applicants will be prompted within the online application system to enter the contact coordinates for their three referees. The referees will then be emailed with instructions on how to upload their reference letter. Reference letters should not be emailed or mailed to the administrators of the Law Clerkship Program unless referees are unable to use the online system.

You will not be penalized if your official law school transcript or letters of reference are received after the application deadline. However, we cannot process your application until we have received all necessary documentation.

NOTE: Law school transcripts and letters of recommendation submitted by applicants will not be accepted. Only the first three reference letters received will be accepted.

VISITS AND INTERVIEWS

Judges of the Courts may visit the law schools to promote the Law Clerkhip Program in the Fall of 20222023. Interviews will take place between February and April 2023 2024.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only the candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

For further inquiries regarding Federal Court of Appeal and Court Martial Appeal Court clerkships, please contact: Mr. Witold Tymowski at 613-897-8534 or by e-mail at clerkship-clericature@cas-satj.gc.ca.

For further inquiries regarding Federal Court clerkship, please contact: Me Mylène Tremblay at (613) 558-4837 (cell) or by e-mail at clerkship-clericature@cas-satj.gc.ca.

You are also welcome to visit the following Websites:

ARTICLING REQUIREMENT

Certain law societies recognize the law clerkship as fulfilling all or part of their articling requirements. Candidates should verify this with the law society of the jurisdiction in which they will seek admission to practice. Being called to the Bar in any jurisdiction is NOT a requirement for the positions.

FAQ

1. Do I submit all my documents online?

As an applicant, you are required to upload the following directly within the online application (cover letter, C.V., writing sample and undergraduate/graduate transcripts). Special characters (à, é, ç, ê, etc) should not be used in document titles.

You can upload your undergraduate/graduate transcripts in the online application.  However, your law school transcript MUST be forwarded to us directly by the University Registrar, at the following address:

Me Mylène Tremblay
CAS - 11th floor
90 Sparks Street
Ottawa Ontario
K1A 0H9

The University may also email your law school transcript to clerkship-clericature@cas-satj.gc.ca.

2. What are the expectations for reference letters?

The Federal Courts’ Law Clerkship Program is now using an online application system. Applicants will be prompted within the online application system to enter the contact coordinates for their three referees. The referees will then be emailed with instructions on how to upload their reference letter. Reference letters should not be emailed or mailed to the administrators of the Law Clerkship Program unless referees are unable to use the online system. Reference letters should be addressed "To the Honourable Justices."

They should be signed and, if possible, submitted on official letterhead. Preferably, your letters of reference will be submitted by professors of law or legal professionals who have supervised your work.

If applying to more than one Court, be aware that the same reference letter will be shared among the Courts. Multiple reference letters written to individual Courts by the same person will not be accepted.

3. If my references or law transcript are received after the deadline, am I disqualified?

You are responsible for submitting a complete online application by 5 pm EST on January 16, 2024. This includes the documents you are responsible for - cover letter, C.V., writing sample and undergraduate transcripts. You will not be penalized if your official law school transcript or letters of reference are late. However, be aware that your application cannot be processed until all necessary documentation has been received, including the official law school transcript and reference letters. Judges and Associate Judges will only access applications that contain all of the necessary documents.

4. Can I, and should I, submit more than one writing sample?

Submitting two writing samples is warranted only if you submit a sample in each official language.

5. Once my application is complete, what happens next?

Once all the necessary documents have been received and it has been determined that you possess all essential qualifications, your application will appear in a database accessible to the Judges. They will make a selection of interviewees, and interviews will be held from February to April. Once the Supreme Court of Canada has made all of its clerkship offers, the Federal Courts proceed with their offers. There is an agreement with courts in Ontario and British Columbia to issue simultaneous offers. In the event that you receive several offers, you will have time to decide between the Courts.

6. Will I be informed if I am not hired?

Once all the law clerks have been hired, you will be informed that the process is complete.

ANNEX A

ASSETS

Some positions may require one or more assets.

Interest, knowledge or experience in one or several of the following areas of law could be an asset:

  • Aboriginal Law
  • Administrative Law
  • Competition Law
  • Constitutional Law
  • Criminal Law
  • Environmental Law
  • Immigration and Refugee Law
  • Income Tax / Taxation
  • Intellectual Property Law
  • Maritime Law
  • National Security Law
  • Privacy / Access to Information Law
  • Labour and Employment Law
  • Human Rights Law
  • Other areas related to the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts

Date modified: 2023-11-24

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