EXTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR SPRING 2022

                                                                APPLICATION DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 30, 2021

        The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit invites applications for externships with its central legal staff, the Office of Staff Attorneys. Externs, like staff attorneys, work for the court as a whole rather than for individual judges. They research and analyze legal issues and orally present cases each month to a panel of three judges. Externs can expect to develop a variety of practical skills, including legal research and writing, while supervised by an experienced staff attorney; they will also have the unique experience of explaining to judges the key issues and facts of a case, while answering judges' questions and observing their deliberations.

To be eligible, a student must:

• be enrolled in good standing at an accredited law school;
• have completed at least two full semesters of law school by the start of the externship, with a strong preference for completing three full semesters;                                        
• be able to work 40 hours per week; and
• not engage in paid legal work during the externship.

            The externship will start in January 2022 and last about 12 weeks, though the start date and length are somewhat flexible. It is unknown to what degree staff will have returned to the courthouse in San Francisco by January 2022, so applicants should be prepared for the possibility of a remote externship.   

            To apply, students should send:

a one-page resume;

a cover letter explaining their particular interest in the Office of Staff Attorneys;

an analytical writing sample that

• is no more than 8 pages (excerpt as necessary) and
• either has NOT been edited by others OR attaches a description of how and to what extent it has been edited by others;

a transcript of law school grades; and

two references with telephone numbers and email addresses. 

            AN APPLICATION WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED COMPLETE, AND WILL NOT BE REVIEWED, UNTIL ALL MATERIALS ARE RECEIVED.  Review of completed applications will begin after the application deadline.  Please submit a single PDF application packet to Lynn Ng, Extern Recruitment Coordinator, through the Career Portal at http://ca9-employment.breezy.hr.

The United States Court of Appeals is an equal opportunity employer and actively recruits minority applicants as well as applicants with disabilities that can be reasonably accommodated.