Judicial Clerks & 3Ls: Bristow Fellowship Program
Office of the Solicitor General Bristow Fellowship Program
Fellowship applicants must be law school graduates with exceptional academic records. Applicants typically have completed a judicial clerkship, most frequently with a federal appellate court judge. We are interested in receiving applications from a diverse group of graduates of law schools throughout the United States.
Bristow Fellows work closely with the lawyers within the Office of the Solicitor General and assist with drafting briefs in opposition to petitions for certiorari filed in the Supreme Court of the United States, as well as prepare recommendations to the Solicitor General regarding the authorization of government appeals in the lower courts. The fellows also assist in the preparation of petitions and briefs in Supreme Court cases, work on special projects, and help the Solicitor General and lawyers in the office prepare for oral argument before the Supreme Court.
We generally hire four fellows each year. The one-year Bristow Fellowship does not lead directly to permanent employment in the Solicitor General’s office, although some Bristows have returned to the office as Assistant to the Solicitor General after practicing elsewhere.
The annual salary is established at the GS-12, Step 1 level (currently $101,401).
We are seeking applicants for one-year fellowships beginning in July or early August 2026. All applicants must serve a minimum of 12-months.
Applications should be submitted no later than September 1, 2025.
The following application materials must be included in your submission package.
Cover letter including a statement of interest in participating in the program;
Current resume including the status of bar membership;
official law school transcript;
maximum of three reference letters from those familiar with the applicant’s work and abilities (to be emailed/mailed separately on letterhead or submitted in a sealed envelope with application package);
and a writing sample.
Application materials should be sent to: Department of Justice Office of the Solicitor General 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Room 5142 Washington, DC 20530 Attention: Bristow Hiring Panel
OR can be emailed to OSGRecruit@usdoj.gov.
Thanks for your assistance in providing this information to the attention of law clerks and law students in your institution.
For more information, applicants may refer to our website at
