Clerking at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice

Clerking at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice gives students an unparalleled experience in trial litigation and deep insight into the ways judges reason.

The Ontario Superior Court of Justice is the largest superior court in Canada, both in terms of the volume of cases it hears and the number of judges. The court presides in 52 locations across the province. With jurisdiction over criminal, civil, administrative and family matters, the Superior Court of Justice touches the lives of countless Ontarians.

Twenty-eight law students will be selected to work as judicial law clerks at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice for the 2028–2029 articling year. These contract positions are intended for candidates seeking to fulfil the articling requirements of a provincial law society (or analogous students from Lakehead University or Toronto Metropolitan University enrolled in the Integrated Practice Curriculum). The court only considers applicants who are in their second year of a 3-year program or their third year of a 4-year program.

Responsibilities of a Judicial Law Clerk

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, assisting in drafting jury charges, and editing judgments.

However, clerking at the trial level is about more than legal research. Law clerks attend hearings and discuss their observations with the presiding judges. This opportunity provides law clerks with invaluable insight into judicial decision-making. Law clerks observe as outstanding counsel bring to life all aspects of trial advocacy, including jury selections, opening addresses, direct examinations, cross-examinations, and closing arguments.

The Superior Court of Justice includes, as one of its branches, the Divisional Court. The Divisional Court is the main forum for administrative and constitutional law challenges to actions of the Ontario government. It handles appeals from some civil and family judgments in addition to judicial reviews of decisions dealing with human rights, securities regulation, social assistance, municipal law, landlord and tenant issues, and professional discipline. All clerks will provide legal research assistance to the judges of the Divisional Court and prepare pre-hearing bench memoranda.

Education during the Clerkship Year

The Superior Court of Justice offers its clerks a singular training experience.

Starting from their orientation, clerks participate in seminars on legal research, writing, editing, and ethics. Throughout the year, judges from the Superior Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal for Ontario offer panel discussions addressing all aspects of trial and appellate advocacy. Clerks attend judicial conferences and benefit from many educational programs offered to judges. Each clerk is also assigned a mentor judge who provides one-on-one tutoring and career advice.

Details on the Position

The term of the contract is 12 months, with a start date of Thursday July 27, 2028, and an end date of Thursday August 2, 2029.

The pay and benefits of a judicial law clerk are $1,608.23 per week and 4% in lieu of insured benefits. Additionally, clerks will have the opportunity to purchase insured benefits. Clerks also have the opportunity to contribute to the Public Service Pension Plan, at their election and expense. Judicial law clerks are articling students with the Ministry of the Attorney General and Articling are represented by the Association of Law Officers of the Crown (ALOC).

Post-Clerkship Employment

Employers, and particularly those who practice litigation, highly value clerks from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. Our clerks have gone on to pursue a variety of legal and non-legal opportunities, including:

• Private practice in Canada and the United States in large, medium and small law firms;
• Public service careers in the federal and provincial civil service (e.g., Assistant Crown Attorneys, litigation counsel, and advisory and policy counsel);
• Public interest work in the legal aid system and for regulatory or non-profit organizations;
• Legal researcher and consulting careers; and
• Graduate studies at universities in Canada and abroad. 

Clerks are also included in the Ministry of the Attorney General’s Hire Back Pool for two years following the end of the clerkship. They can apply to restricted lawyer competitions as if they had articled with the Ministry of the Attorney General.

Information on how to apply is here.