2025 – 2026
The Superior Court of Justice hires 27 law students each year to fill clerkship positions throughout the province; three of these positions are dedicated to the Divisional Court in Toronto, and two positions (one in Ottawa and one in Toronto) require oral and written fluency in English and French. Please note that law clerks are contract employees of the Ministry of the Attorney General.
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 an asset in all regions. Only those candidates who are currently completing their second year of law school are eligible to apply.
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.
See Program Information for details on law clerk duties, position locations, and terms of employment.
How to Apply
Clerkship applications are due by 5:00 pm on Friday, January 19, 2024.
Candidates are strongly encouraged to submit their application through the VI Law Portal (www.vilawportal.com). In the VI Portal, select “Superior Court Clerkship” for location. This posting will be active as of December 4 2023. Do not submit any application materials until after this date. If applicants are unable to submit their application materials through the VI Law Portal, please email your materials to SCJ.clerkship@ontario.ca. Please do not send any materials by regular mail.
Candidates are asked to submit the following materials with their application:
- a cover letter indicating your preferred court location(s) (or the order of preference if you are applying for more than one location);
- a current curriculum vitae;
- one legal writing sample(maximum 10 pages);
- two letters of reference referring to your research and communication skills.
- official transcripts of law school and undergraduate grades (including first semester of second-year law). Originals are not required as these can be uploaded later to VI Law Portal.
Cover letters and letters of reference should be addressed “To the Honourable Justices”.
Your writing sample should not exceed 10 pages (it is permissible to submit an excerpt from a longer document). We suggest that your writing sample should demonstrate your knowledge of legal issues within or related to the court’s jurisdiction.
If official transcripts for the fall term are not available by the application deadline of January 19, please indicate in your cover letter when they will be available and forward a copy once they have been released. Students may wish to include an unofficial copy of any mid-term marks. Students must forward an updated copy of their transcript to complete their application.
If a referee has requested that a letter of reference remain sealed, you may send it by email to SCJ.clerkship@ontario.ca. We recommend that at least one of your reference letters is from a law professor who can speak to your legal abilities.
If you are applying for one of the bilingual positions in Ottawa or Toronto, please submit your materials in both French and English.
Candidates may apply for positions in multiple locations. If you are applying for positions in various regions, please submit one application and indicate in your cover letter your location order of preference. The applications for each region are considered separately; your chances of receiving your first choice will not be affected by applying for more than one location.
Candidates may apply for Superior Court of Justice and Divisional Court positions. If you are applying for both clerkship positions, please submit one application, clearly indicate that you are applying for both positions, and list your order of preference.
Interviews
Interviews will take place in person. However, video conferencing will be available if required.
If candidates indicate in their applications that they are willing to clerk in multiple regions, they may also be invited to interview in more than one region. Applications are considered separately for each region, and each region conducts interviews on a different date.
Interviews are typically conducted by at least one judge and counsel from the Office of the Chief Justice and last approximately 30 minutes.
If you have questions about the clerkship program, please contact the Manager of Program Support by e-mail at SCJ.clerkship@ontario.ca.