The limits and expectations of judicial law clerks greatly depend on the country the court resides in and the level of the type of court that the law clerk is employed in. In the United States, judicial law clerks research law and write opinions for judges to read. This complex research helps judges make the best decisions possible.

Some law clerks also help to watch over courtroom proceedings, which includes organizing exhibits to be used during trials, analyzing complex legal issues and communicate with the judges staff, in and out of the courtroom. Judicial law clerks often have to confer with litigants about cases and often times will be the judges public figure when dealing with the general public. Many countries who employ judicial clerks, have many of the same expectations. Even though judicial clerks in different countries may have slightly different titles and expectations, many of the position's expectations are fundamentally the same. Countries where the roles of a judicial law clerk are similar to the United States include Mexico, the Philippines, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Singapore and Sweden.