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A. Orientation

Orientation can take many forms. It can be a quick tour of the court or a more formal process. The
court may already have a procedure in place. If no procedure is in place, the judge may:
Part IV. Orientation ᆤ Conduct an initial meeting with the judicial law clerk;

ᆤ Introduce the clerk to the court staff;

ᆤ Discuss confidentiality and ethics rules;

ᆤ Brief the clerk about office protocols, such as punctuality, security, safety, emergency
procedures, filing systems, routing phone calls, dress code, computer usage, and

research databases such as Lexis/Nexis and Westlaw; and

ᆤ Assign first projects to the clerk.

1. Initial Meeting
This section offers guidance on

orientation. Thorough orientation to The judge should hold an initial meeting with the judicial clerk on day one to set expectations. This
meeting sets the tone for an open and accessible working relationship between the judge and the
the court lays a solid foundation for a clerk. The clerk needs to be familiar with confidentiality and ethics rules. The judge should assign first
projects and provide required materials to the clerk at this meeting. This meeting allows the judge to

successful clerkship. It helps the judicial explore what the clerk seeks to accomplish during the clerkship. It gives the judge an opportunity to
get to know the clerk a bit more. Here are a few suggested discussion topics:
law clerk determine where they “fit” in ᆤ Let the clerk know how the judge can help them succeed;

the tribal court system. Many courts ᆤ Assess the clerk’s understanding of the job;

throw clerks into their new positions ᆤ Ascertain the clerk’s learning or development goals; and

without initial guidance on their roles ᆤ Develop a shared understanding with the clerk about what to expect.

and duties. The first opportunity to

engage with the tribal judge is a

significant learning opportunity that

the clerk may never have again.

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