Summer Judicial Internship Diversity Project (1Ls & 2Ls), Apply before January 13, 2017
The Judicial Resources Committee of the United States Judicial Conference and Just The Beginning – A Pipeline Organization are pleased to announce the sixth annual Summer Judicial Internship Diversity Project (“Project”). The Project’s goal is to provide underrepresented law students 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 will identify qualified candidates eligible for a first-round interview, which will be conducted either in-person or by telephone. Applicants who clear this round will be referred to one of the Project’s Participating Judges for a second-round interview, after which each Participating Judge will make a final hiring decision. Applicants who are hired must commit to attending two mandatory training workshops prior to the beginning of the internship, either in-person or via videoconference, and must be available to work full-time as an unpaid intern for a minimum of six weeks.
HOW TO APPLY: All of the program requirements are attached in the accompanying Memorandum of Understanding. Applicants should submit the following materials as one PDF document named Firstname_Lastname_Summer 2017 JRC-JTB Application and organized in the following order:
- a cover letter* explaining the applicant’s interest in diversity and participating in the Summer Judicial Internship Diversity Project;
- a resume;
- a law school transcript, official or unofficial (if first semester law school grades are unavailable or incomplete, please send an undergraduate transcript and supplement with law school grades as they become available);
- a writing sample (no more than 10 pages in length);
- a list of three references (no family members, please); and
- a signed Memorandum of Understanding (attached).
Paper applications will not be accepted. You must apply through the link at http://www.jtb.org or directly at http://bit.ly/2eGWXcM At present, this is an unpaid internship, so applicants are encouraged to seek law school or non-profit funding. Applicants are also strongly encouraged to apply to the ABA’s Judicial Intern Opportunity Program, which has been a source of funding for Project interns. You can apply for JIOP at http://www.americanbar.org/groups/litigation/initiatives/good_works/judicial
_intern_opportunity_program/students.html .
Applications will be received online until 5:00 p.m. EST on Friday, January 13, 2017. Early applications are highly encouraged.
*Please address your cover letter to: Keith Williams, United States District Court Eastern District of Virginia, Albert V. Bryan U.S. Courthouse, 401 Courthouse Square, Alexandria, VA 22314.
General application questions can be directed to Krystle McNeely, JTB- APO’s Program Director at (312) 258-4868 or kmcneely@jtb.org.
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
The Judicial Resources Committee and Just The Beginning – A Pipeline Organization’s Joint 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 federal 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 2017:
- I agree to be available to work as an unpaid judicial intern for a minimum of six weeks, 40 hours per This minimum requirement ensures that I will receive all of the benefits of working in judicial chambers.
- I understand that this is an unpaid judicial internship, and that I will seek law school or non-profit funding if I need 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.
- I agree to make myself available to be interviewed by a screening panel in January
- I agree to attend the mandatory JRC-JTB Interview Seminar in the month of February 2017, either in-person or via
- I agree to promptly respond to any judge’s inquiry and to make myself available to be interviewed by judges beginning February 20,
- If I am selected as a judicial intern, I agree to attend the JRC-JTB Legal Writing and Research Workshop in April 2017, either in-person or via 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.
- I agree that I will uphold all of the standards of This includes dressing for success and wearing business formal attire at all times, 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.
- I agree that all of my work must be carefully edited and in at least its third draft before submission to the judge or law I will ensure that all of my work is done to the best of my ability, even if this includes working through the weekend or beyond my forty-hour commitment.
- I agree to follow all school internship guidelines for credit hours or for any other If JTB is not currently on my school’s list of providers for academic credit, I will contact JTB immediately.
- I affirm that I am currently enrolled in good standing in an American Bar Association- accredited law
- I agree to report to both the judge all judicial internship hours worked and to maintain a record of all hours I agree to provide the record of hours I worked upon JRC-JTB’s request.
- I agree to submit to JRC-JTB evaluation reports when
- 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
- I acknowledge that any internship I obtain is solely for educational 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.
- I agree to notify JTB in writing if I am hired as a post-graduate, full-time federal law
Printed Name _____________________________________
Signature _____________________________________
Mailing Address
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Cell Phone Number (_____)_______________________________
