What does a clerk do?

SalesGirl

A store "clerk" usually stands behind the counter, watching the cash register or computer. Their main job is to handle the money, and oftentimes, paperwork. They may choose to offer their services briefly, before returning to the counter. They often complete crossword puzzles while seeming to be at work. They are good impersonators.

CatLaw

Figure since you put this in the Law & Legal side you are talking about the term as used in courts and law offices.

Judges usually have one or several people called clerks who work directly for a judge. These clerks are attorneys who have graduated law school or for some local judges, law students who are top of the class in law school. Being selected to clerk for a judge is a very prestigious job and it is highly competitive just to get an interview.

Judge's clerks are assigned to cases on the judge's docket of cases. The clerk reads the pleadings from each side, checks to see that the attorneys are quoting the law and previous case decisions correctily. The clerk will research the issue of law that this case is on, including cases that support both sides. Once the clerk is done with all this research he/she will present the findings to the judge. It is the judge who must make the final decision on the cases.

Courts also have people called clerks, like the 'clerk of ----- county court'. In this case the term clerk is somone who provides administrative support for the courts to function. In many states the clerk of each county is an elected position. That clerk is over all the workers who provide administrative support for the court.

If you go into a county courthouse, you will find an area where many people are called clerks of the -- county. This is the place where lawsuits are filed, court files are reviewed, and lots of questions about how the court is run is answered. These people are an invaluable source of information. Translation - treat them with all the respect you would the court.

Finally in a law firm you may find a person who's title is law clerk. There is no rule about what a law clerk is or their duties. The law clerk is usually the lowest end of the pay schedule, below the legal secretaries, paralegals, & lawyers. It is not unusual for law students who work at a firm and go to school to be called clerks until they pass the bar exam. Some firms may hire someone out of high school or college as a law clerk prior to that person going into law school -- that would be a great way to decide if really wanted to be a lawyer.

A law clerk in a firm will probably be sent to various courts to file papers, pick up decisions, and even get cases on the dockets of judges. Law clerks may do some legal research or even do the computer work to produce certain documents for a lawyer. It all depends on how much the law clerk wants to do and their ability to do it.

cbjr

There are possibly thousands of different answers for this question. What kind of clerk? Billing Clerk? Hotel Desk Clerk? Retail clerk? Title clerk? Records Clerk? need some more info.

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