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A. Wrapping It Up

Part VI. Ending the 1. Status Updates on Projects

Clerkship At the end of the clerkship, the judicial law clerk should provide a status update on completed and

unfinished projects. While a clerkship may only last a couple months, there will be projects that are
ongoing and not completed. It is advisable to instruct the clerk to create a transition memo for the
judge and staff to have as guidance about which tasks are left to complete. Not only is the transition
memo helpful to the tribal court, but it is a great practice and exercise for the clerk, as such memos
will be relevant to their future practice.

2. Organization Projects

If a judicial law clerk is assigned an organizational project, it will be important for them to explain the
method of organization, often in a memo or instructional guide. This will help future clerks and tribal
court staff navigate the organizational project after the clerkship has ended.
This section of the guide 3. Letters of Recommendation or References

walks through wrapping up
It should be expected that a current or former judicial law clerk may request letters of
the judicial law clerkship and recommendation or a professional reference request from the judge. Be prepared to write letters
of recommendation or act as a professional reference for several years after the clerkship, as the
the importance of ongoing clerkship may be one of the clerk’s first legal professional positions. Be sure to keep records such as

the exit interview and evaluation, as they will help guide you in drafting responses when time has
mentorship. passed between the clerkship and the request.

4. Exit Interview and Clerkship Evaluation

At the end of the clerkship, the judge should conduct an exit interview to discuss what the judicial law
clerk felt worked or did not work with the clerkship. The exit interview is an opportunity to annnounce
whether the judge will continue to be a resource or reference as the clerk moves forward in their
career. As a best practice, the judge should consider the question of letters of reference or other post-
employment communication before the interview takes place. If the judge had a negative experience
with the clerk, they may want to use the exit interview to simply wrap up business.
A clerkship evaluation is an optional tool for evaluating the clerkship successes and potential
improvements. An evaluation can be oriented to provide feedback to the clerk or feedback to the
tribal court. It can be a useful tool to highlight and praise as well as provide constructive criticism. A
written evaluation may be an easier way to get honest feedback versus an exit interview.
Both the exit interview and clerkship evaluation are helpful tools for the clerk and the tribal court and
can be used to make improvements for future clerkships, analyze the effectiveness of the clerkship,
and provide an assessment on efficiency, training and overall satisfaction.

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