In a Texas appellate court, what is a “briefing attorney”? In a Texas appellate court, what is a “law clerk”?

Prior to September 1, 1997, “briefing attorney” was the job title of a recent law school graduate working for a Texas appellate court (for a one-year term or two-year term) assisting an appellate justice with legal research and drafting. On September 1, 1997, the job title changed to “law clerk.” Chad Ruback began his service as a briefing attorney at the Second Court of Appeals on August 25, 1997, and his title changed the following week to “law clerk,” but the justices continued to refer to Chad and his colleagues as briefing attorneys for the remainder of their term, which ended in August of 1998.

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