Law Clerk

A law clerk provides administrative and procedural support to lawyers and legal teams in law firms, corporate legal departments, or government agencies. They manage case files, prepare legal documents, conduct legal research, and ensure compliance with court procedures and filing deadlines. The role requires knowledge of legal terminology, court systems, and Australian legislation.

Prepare legal documents including pleadings, affidavits, and correspondence using legal document templates and precedents. Maintain and organise case files with chronological indexing of documents, evidence, and court orders. Conduct legal research using legislation databases, case law reports, and online legal research platforms to support lawyer advice. Lodge court documents with relevant Australian courts (District, Supreme, Federal, Family Court) and track filing deadlines. Prepare court bundles and trial bundles in compliance with Federal Court, State Supreme Court, and Tribunal procedural rules. Monitor court calendars and litigation timelines to ensure compliance with court-ordered deadlines and practice directions. Prepare attendance notes and file memoranda documenting client instructions, legal advice, and matter progression. Process billing records and time entries for cost agreements under the Legal Services Commissioner regime in relevant jurisdictions.

The standard entry pathway requires a Certificate IV or Certificate III with at least two years of on-the-job training (ABS skill level 3). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

The work is heavily deadline-driven and detail-obsessed: one missed filing date or typo in a pleading can cost the client thousands and damage the firm's reputation. Court procedures vary between states and court levels, so you're constantly learning new rules. Automation is already eating into routine document prep and research tasks.

Government legal roles are spread across state capitals but competitive. Most positions require being on-site at least part-time for court lodgements and file management.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 5991, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Conveyancer: what carries over
• Trust Officer: what carries over
• Court Bailiff or Sheriff: what carries over

• Attention to Detailcore
• Confidentiality and Privacy Compliancecore
• Correspondence Draftingcore
• Court Filing and Deadline Managementcore
• CRM System Operationcore
• Legal Document Preparationcore
• Legal Researchcore
• Legal Terminologycore
• Matter Managementcore
• Record Managementcore
• Time Management and Prioritisationcore
• Written Communicationcore
• Court Lodgement
• Dictation and Transcription
• Invoicing and Billing Administration
• Legal Precedent Research
• Microsoft Office Suite Proficiency
• Stakeholder Communication
• Verbal Communication

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

What Law Clerk workers move into, from ten years of tax records.

Last updated: 30 October 2026