During February, 2019, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit is accepting applications for staff law clerkships that start in August 2019 and last two years. This is a reopening of a position announcement that had previously closed.
We are also accepting applications for staff law clerkships that start in August 2020 and last two years. In accordance with the 2018 Federal Law Clerk Hiring Plan, students can build their application for 2020 positions in OSCAR starting February 6, 2019 and applications will be released to the court on June 17, 2019.
View FAQ’s HERE
At the Seventh Circuit, one of the most prestigious appeals courts in the country, staff law clerkships combine the intellectual rigor of a chambers clerkship with benefits not available to chambers clerks. Like chambers clerks, staff law clerks conduct legal research and recommend dispositions on a broad spectrum of cases subject to oral argument at the court, including some of the court’s most controversial. Because they work for the entire court, staff law clerks interact with and learn from all of the judges of the court. In addition, each week they attend private conferences at which three-judge panels deliberate and resolve cases that are not subject to oral argument. Also the Office of Staff Law Clerks is exclusively responsible for assisting the judges in resolving substantive motions that address complex questions of procedure or seek preliminary relief. Finally staff law clerks learn a wide variety of substantive and practical lawyering and writing skills through their work with the experienced supervisory staff.
Each year the court hires about nine staff law clerks from recent graduates o f the nation’s top law schools. Applicants must have excellent academic credentials and possess superior analytical, research, and writing skills. Law review o r moot court experience is preferred.
To apply, please submit a cover letter, resume, law school transcript or grade sheet, two self-edited writing samples containing fact and case analysis, and two letters of recommendation. We accept applications through OSCAR. OSCAR is the Online System for Clerkship Application and Review at https://oscar.uscourts.gov
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On February 6, 2019, applicants may begin uploading their applications to OSCAR. Interviews will begin around July 2019, and we expect to finish extending offers about six weeks later. Applicants must update their grade sheets with final, second-year grades before we will schedule an interview.
For more information, watch the video of Chief Judge Diane Wood discussing the program at http://www.ca7.uscourts.gov/video_library/StaffAttorney_program.html, or see our FAQ’s at
http://www.ca7.uscourts.gov/clerkships/Staff_Attys/SA_faqs.pdf. No phone calls please.
The Court of Appeals is committed to equal opportunity for all applicants.