Diverse (socioeconomic, ethnic, cultural) Law Students sought for Summer Judicial Internships
The Judicial Resources Committee of the United States Judicial Conference and Just the Beginning – A Pipeline Organization is pleased to announce the tenth annual Summer Judicial Internship Diversity Project (“Project”). The Project’s goal is to provide highly qualified law students from socioeconomic, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds underrepresented in the legal profession with summer judicial internships in the chambers of federal and state appellate judges, federal district judges, and federal bankruptcy and magistrate judges. The Project is national in scope and seeks to place approximately 100 law students as judicial interns across the country.
Interns will have the opportunity to draft bench memoranda, judicial orders, and opinions on a variety of substantive matters, including motions to dismiss, motions for summary judgment, magistrate judge reports, and habeas corpus petitions. Applicants should possess strong research and writing skills and be prepared to handle the rigors of working in a court.
An initial screening of application documents will identify qualified candidates. Applicants who clear this round will be interviewed via telephone by attorneys for a second-round of evaluation. The final round consists of being referred to a judge who will conduct their own interview, either in person or virtually. Each participating judge will make a final hiring decision. Applicants who are hired must commit to two mandatory training workshops and complete a legal writing assignment for the purpose of helping to prepare them for the internship. Candidates must be available to work full-time as an unpaid intern for a minimum of eight weeks.
Paper applications will not be accepted. The application will ask applicants to submit the following materials.
1. a cover letter* explaining the applicant’s interest in diversity and participating in the Summer Judicial Internship Diversity Project;
2. a resume;
2. a resume;
3. a law school transcript, official or unofficial (if first semester law school grades are unavailable at the time of the deadline, please upload an undergraduate transcript and send your law school grades to sjidproject@jtb.org as they become available);
4. a writing sample (no more than 10 pages in length);
5. a list of three references (no family members, please); and
6. a signed Memorandum of Understanding (obtain from your Career Services Office, cfmcafee@memphis.edu). This document stipulates the requirements and expectations of the program.
4. a writing sample (no more than 10 pages in length);
5. a list of three references (no family members, please); and
6. a signed Memorandum of Understanding (obtain from your Career Services Office, cfmcafee@memphis.edu). This document stipulates the requirements and expectations of the program.
Applications will be received online until 5:00 p.m. EST on Sunday, January 10, 2021. Early applications are highly encouraged, as acceptance is on a rolling basis.
*Please address your cover letter to Cristina Figueroa, Program Director
70 W. Madison St. Suite 2900, Chicago IL. 60602
70 W. Madison St. Suite 2900, Chicago IL. 60602
At present, this is an unpaid internship. Applicants are strongly encouraged to seek law school or non-profit funding and scholarships. Applicants are also encouraged to seek school credit hours (must be pre-approved) or use the internship hours for pro bono certification (Memphis Law will give Pro Bono Credit).
Apply Here: https://www.tfaforms.com/4857383
Please let me know if you have any questions!
Best,
Amani Taha
Summer Judicial Internship Diversity Fellow
Just The Beginning – A Pipeline Organization
70 West Madison Street, Suite 2900, Chicago, IL 60602*
Phone: (312) 661-5374
Text of required MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
The Judicial Resources Committee and Just The Beginning – A Pipeline Organization’s
Joint Summer Judicial internship Diversity Project (“JRC-JTB”) is a program that strives to
provide underrepresented and economically disadvantaged law students an opportunity to
work inside a judge’s chambers as a judicial intern.
INTERN’S OBLIGATIONS
I, __________________________, understand and agree to the following terms of
participation for judicial interns during the Summer of 2021:
1. I agree to be available to work as an unpaid judicial intern for a minimum of eight
weeks, 40 hours per week. This minimum requirement ensures that I will receive all
the benefits of working in judicial chambers.
2. I understand that this is an unpaid judicial internship, and that I will seek law school
or non-profit funding if I need it. If I receive any financial stipend or compensation from
any source for the judicial internship, I agree to promptly disclose this to the judge
and to JRC-JTB via sjidproject@jtb.org.
3. I agree to make myself available to be interviewed by a screening panel in January
2021.
4. I agree to attend the mandatory JRC-JTB Interview Seminar in the month of
February 2021 via videoconference.
5. I agree to promptly respond to any judge’s inquiry and to make myself available to
be interviewed by judges beginning January 25, 2021.
6. If I am selected as a judicial intern, I agree to attend the JRC-JTB Legal Writing and
Research Workshop in April 2021 via videoconference. I agree to complete and
submit a legal writing assignment that I will receive approximately two weeks prior to
the workshop. I understand the screening committee will evaluate my writing and
provide feedback.
7. I agree that I will uphold the standards of professionalism. This includes wearing
business formal attire, unless otherwise instructed by the judge. I will conduct
myself in a professional manner, which includes addressing the judge, law
clerks, chambers staff, court staff, and court users courteously and reporting for
work on time, every day.
8. I agree that all my work must be carefully edited and in at least its third draft
before submission to the judge or law clerk. I will ensure that all my work is done to
the best of my ability, even if it includes working through the weekend and beyond
my forty-hour commitment.
Summer Judicial Internship Diversity Project – Summer 2021
9. I agree to follow all school internship guidelines for credit hours or for any other
benefit. If JTB is not currently on my school’s list of providers for academic credit, I
will contact JTB immediately.
10. I affirm that I am currently enrolled in good standing in an American Bar Associationaccredited law school.
11. I agree to report to both the judge all judicial internship hours worked and to maintain
a record of all hours worked. I agree to provide the record of hours I worked upon
JRC-JTB’s request.
12. I agree to submit to JRC-JTB evaluation reports when requested.
13. I agree to timely respond to JTB requests for information, including evaluations of my
intern experience, my current or future employment status and contact information
and I agree to submit a student information form with my application.
14. I acknowledge that any internship I obtain is solely for educational purposes. I
understand that I will not be an employee of the Judicial Resources Committee, any
court, or JTB-APO. I agree that if I undertake an internship it will be primarily for my
own benefit and to further my knowledge, and without any expectation that I would
receive an offer of employment after the internship is complete.
15. I agree to notify JTB in writing if I am hired as a post-graduate, full-time federal law
clerk.
Printed Name _____________________________________
Signature _____________________________________
Mailing Address _____________________________________
_______________________________________
Email _____________________________________
Cell Phone Number (_____)_________________________________
