Judicial Law Clerk Position in Hamilton for the 2026-2027 Articling Year

The Superior Court of Justice is hiring a judicial law clerk for Hamilton for the 2026-2027 articling year. This hiring is outside the regular recruitment cycle.

This contract position is limited to candidates seeking to fulfill the articling requirements of the Law Society of Ontario. The contract runs from July 30, 2026 to July 31, 2027.

Clerking at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice

The Superior Court of Justice is the largest superior trial court in Canada, both in terms of the volume of cases it hears and the number of sitting judges. The Court presides in 52 locations across Ontario. With jurisdiction over criminal, civil, administrative, and family matters, the Superior Court of Justice touches the lives of countless Ontarians. A clerkship in the Superior Court of Justice is the best training possible for a career in litigation.

Law Clerk’s Responsibilities

The successful candidate will work closely with judges and will become involved in many aspects of the trial process, in all areas of the Court’s jurisdiction. Law clerks are encouraged to attend trials, motions court, jury selections, sentencing hearings, case conferences, bankruptcy hearings, summary conviction appeals, and family proceedings. The duties of law clerks include providing judges with oral opinions and written memoranda of law on a broad range of legal topics, reviewing pleadings, preparing case summaries, assisting in drafting jury charges, and editing decisions. Law clerks may also be invited to assist judges in preparing scholarly work, speeches, and presentations on law-related topics.

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Supporting the Divisional Court

All clerks will have an opportunity to support the work of the Divisional Court during their clerkship. This experience allows clerks to develop expertise in administrative, labour, constitutional, judicial review, and appellate legal issues.  Providing legal research assistance to the judges assigned to the Divisional Court and preparing pre-hearing bench memoranda provides a great opportunity for an articling student to observe the argument of appeals and judicial review applications in court and to consult directly with the judges involved.

Qualifications

The Court seeks applicants who possess strong academic records, excellent legal research and writing skills and the ability to produce high-quality work under strict deadlines. Bilingualism is a strong asset.

A clerkship is a 12-month contract position reserved for student candidates seeking to fulfil the articling requirements of the Law Society of Ontario (or analogous students from Lakehead University or Toronto Metropolitan University who are enrolled in the Integrated Practice Curriculum). Only candidates who are currently completing their last year of law school are eligible to apply. Candidates must have a valid social insurance number and be permitted to work in Canada.

The Office of the Chief Justice in the Superior Court of Justice is committed to building a diverse workforce that reflects the public we serve. We are dedicated to fostering a respectful, inclusive, and equitable workplace. The Court encourages people from diverse backgrounds, with varied life experiences and who are members of equity-seeking groups to apply. This includes those who self-identify as Indigenous, racialized, LGBTQ+ or as having a disability.

The SCJ is an accessible employer and offers accommodation in all aspects of employment, including in the recruitment process. If you are contacted for an interview, please let the Court know of any accommodation that may be required to support your full access and participation in a fair and equitable manner. Information received relating to accommodation measures will be treated confidentially.

Candidates are asked to submit the following materials to SCJ.clerkship@ontario.ca by Wednesday February 18, 2026:

• a cover letter ;
• a current curriculum vitae;
• one legal writing sample (maximum 10 pages);
• two letters of reference referring to your research and communication skills (please note: if a referee has requested that a letter of reference remain sealed, it can be sent to SCJ.clerkship@ontario.ca)
• Official transcripts of law school and undergraduate grades

Your writing sample must not exceed 10 pages (it is permissible to submit an excerpt from a longer document). We do not recommend submitting a factum or other legal submissions as a writing sample.

We anticipate conducting interviews on Tuesday March 3, 2026 and notifying the successful candidate soon afterward.

Deadline

All application materials must be received by the court by 5:00 pm on Wednesday February 18, 2026.

Additional Questions?

More information is available through the following website: http://www.ontariocourts.ca/scj/clerkship/