A career as a court clerk allows you to work in legal administration. Court clerks are responsible for the administrative tasks in the court. They are responsible for the court docket, which is a list of cases being heard at that moment. The court clerk also keeps track of all records of each case and makes sure that everything concerning the case runs smoothly. When you become a court clerk, you will be working closely with judges and lawyers from law firms like The Clark Law Office.
Suppose you are thinking of starting a career in court administration; it makes sense to learn about this role so that you can have an idea of the tasks you’ll be handling when you become a court clerk. A career as a court clerk can be ideal for a person searching for an entry-level job with room for growth.
Steps To Becoming A Court Clerk
Although there are no official application requirements for this position, you must pass a suitability exam and complete on-the-job training to be hired as a court clerk, among other things like:
Get A High School certificate
The least education requirement to be a court clerk is to pass the GCSEs at the end of high school. Also, the minimum age certified to apply for the court clerk position is 18 years old. Due to the age requirement, you could take the opportunity to complete your A-levels exams after secondary school. This will give you an edge over other candidates applying with only GCSE certification. Furthermore, it would be best if you made efforts to take relevant subjects in your A-levels such as psychology, criminology, law, business administration, or sociology.
Get a Bachelor’s Degree
A bachelor’s degree is not a compulsory requirement for anyone interested in becoming a court clerk. However, an undergraduate degree will allow you to apply for a better position in a higher legal institution such as the Supreme Court. The most common courses that are taken by students who want to become court clerks include; administrative law or business administration (or general business). You can also study criminology or criminal justice administration, which could include police training programs; this topic covers other relevant areas like corrections, parole and probation services, the juvenile justice system, and more.
These courses will give you knowledge about the basis of courtroom protocol, administration processes, and legal processes.
Complete Your Internship
After your degree, it’s important to undergo your internship at the court or other legal institutions. This will give you an insight into the daily activities at the court; it’ll give a real-life experience of how things are done in the legal system. During your internship, you’ll learn some of the court processes, protocols, and other administration duties. You can include all the experience gained in your resume to boost further your chances of getting the job as a court clerk.
In addition, it’s possible to do your internship while you’re still in the university studying for your bachelor’s degree. The more experience and training you have, the more promotion you’ll get as a court clerk. Quality years of experience can help you move from being an entry-level court clerk to deputy clerk or chief court clerk within a period.
Gain Professional Certification
After your undergraduate degree, you’ll need to get more professional certification. For instance, if you’re a graduate of law, don’t stop there; ensure to complete your law school training and pass your Bar association examinations to become a certified lawyer. Once you’ve done that, you’ve increased your chances of landing your desired position as a better-ranking court clerk. Also, it’s important to sharpen your skills by taking other certification courses continually; you can get some of these courses online. This will all accumulate and increase your level of expertise and experience in handling the duties of a court clerk.
Apply For Jobs
You can start the search for a court clerk job by applying for jobs in a law firm. This will further give you more exposure to the legal administration system. After a couple of years in a law firm, you can then apply for a job as a court clerk in a court. However, when applying for the position of a court clerk, you’ll undergo some background checks during your screening process. Also, you’ll be required to pass your drug test and also pass your interview, both oral and written, depending on the institution. When you’re hired, you’ll undergo some training further to enlighten you about the responsibilities of a court clerk.
In conclusion, there are various paths you can take to develop your career once you work as a court clerk. You could decide to work as a court support manager or court supervisor. The more you advance in your career, the better your income level.