An articled clerk, also known as an articling student, is an apprentice in a professional firm in Commonwealth

Commonwealth of Nations

The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...

 countries. Generally the term arises in the accountancy profession

Accountancy

Accountancy is the process of communicating financial information about a business entity to users such as shareholders and managers. The communication is generally in the form of financial statements that show in money terms the economic resources under the control of management; the art lies in...

 and in the legal profession

Law firm

A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...

. The articled clerk signs a contract, known as "articles of clerkship", committing to a fixed period of employment. The other party to the contract, the principal, undertakes during this period to provide training and relevant experience in the practice.