Judicial Chambers Extern at the Court of Appeals

JUDICIAL CHAMBERS EXTERN AT THE COURT OF APPEALS! (1)

Judge J. Robin Hunt at the Court of Appeals, Division II, is seeking applicants now for full-time, one semester chambers judicial externship positions for Summer 2010 (beginning interviewing in December), Fall 2010, Spring 2011, and Summer 2011. A student participating in a full-time externship will receive 15 credits for fall or spring semesters and 8 credits for summer semester, equivalent to a full course load. Only third year students may participate in a full-time externship, thus current second year students are encouraged to apply (2).

As an extern for Judge Hunt you will have the opportunity to strengthen your research, writing, and analysis skills through a variety of projects covering a wide range of legal issues. Whether drafting prehearing memoranda and opinions, performing research for the judge, preparing dissenting opinions, or assisting in preparation for oral arguments, you will have fun meeting new people, learning the appellate process, and spending a semester putting your legal skills to use.

At Division II, externs are highly valued. You will be assigned challenging and thought-provoking projects that will deepen your understanding of the law and provide an invaluable learning experience. Judges and clerks alike will rely on you and include you in every facet of the appellate process. An externship at Division II will be a perfect complement to your law school experience and will enhance your probability of passing the bar exam upon graduation. Further, an externship is an excellent opportunity for those who wish to clerk after graduating (3).

To find out if you are eligible for a full-time externship, please first contact Externship Program Director Gillian Dutton. You can go on TWEN and sign up under “Appointments with Externship Director” or email questions to duttong@seattleu.edu. If you are interested in applying for a chambers extern position with Judge Hunt, please prepare a cover letter, résumé, writing sample, and references for:

Judge Robin Hunt
Court of Appeals, Division II
950 Broadway, Suite 300
Tacoma, WA 98402

All materials should be sent directly to the externship office where they will be immediately forwarded on to Judge Hunt. For the period between December 24 and January 1 when the Seattle University Law School will be closed, please mail materials directly to Judge Hunt with a copy to the Externship Program.

Judge Hunt’s judicial administrative assistant, Margie Laketa, can answer any questions you might have. Her number is 253-593-2970.


(1) This ad was drafted by an actual extern, Alicia Hunsaker, Judicial Extern for The Hon. J. Robin Hunt, Court of Appeals, Div 2, August-December 2009, SU 3L. All information is highly accurate.

(2) Contrary to popular opinion, the commute to Tacoma is rarely over 40 minutes and is opposite rush hour. Also, buses leave downtown Seattle regularly and carpools are easy to form with other externs and court clerks. The Court also provides free on-site parking.

(3) Generally, former judicial externs comprise between one-third and one-half of the court’s full-time paid law clerks.

Upcoming Diversity Events

Attention 1Ls - The Diversity Page of the CPD website has been updated with the latest in Diversity Program deadlines and upcoming events. Be sure to mark your calendars for these after the break!

New Postings on Symplicity

Be sure to check out Symplicity for the latest job postings. We have added info for multiple summer intern positions, as well as research positions and fellowships.

Upcoming 1L Federal Honors Deadlines

• Commonwealth of Pennsylvania – Governor’s Office of General Counsel Summer Extern Program (Unpaid, Due 12/20/09)

• Environmental Protection Agency – R2 Legal Internships Program (Unpaid, Not yet established, was 12/31/08 last year)

• Dept. of Treasury – OGC Summer Honors Program (Unpaid, Due 12/31/09)

There are are large number of federal, state and local programs that will be filled as soon as ideal candidates are identified. Deadlines for these programs are called ROLLING, which means that you should get your applications in as soon as possible. For a list of these programs, see the top of Table 2 – 1L Programs Sorted by Deadline.

Details of these programs are provided in the 2009-10 Government Honors & Internship Handbook. Please email Emily von Seele for the password.

Upcoming 2L Government Honors Deadlines

• Commonwealth of Pennsylvania – Governor’s Office of General Counsel Summer Extern Program (Unpaid, Due 12/20/09)

• Environmental Protection Agency – R2 Legal Internships Program (Unpaid, Not yet established, was 12/31/08 last year)

• Dept. of Treasury – OGC Summer Honors Program (Unpaid, Due 12/31/09)

There are 39 federal and 15 state and local programs that will be filled as soon as ideal candidates are identified. Get your applications in early for these employers! For a list of these programs, see the top of Table 3 – 2L Programs Sorted by Deadline.

Details of these programs are provided in the 2009-10 Government Honors & Internship Handbook. Please email Emily von Seele for the password.

California Public Interest Opportunities

Law students looking for summer volunteer and internship opportunities with Southern California or Bay Area agencies may want to look at the following websites. Match your interests with their needs at:

http://www.probono.net/ca/socal/oppsguide/
http://www.probono.net/sf/

Finding Practitioners in Specific Areas of Law

You may want to look at the following websites as you search for a law firm that practices in a specific area of law of interest to you. Keep in mind that the firm may not have a mature practice in that area, but may have listed the subject due to a single case and a desire to attract similar business. Look further into the firm's website and Google lawyers for additional information about their experience.

www.martindale.com

www.lawperiscope.com

Summer Intern with Washington House of Representatives (Olympia)

The Washington State House of Representatives offers a Legal Internship program for two law students. Take a look at the Legislature's website for details. The application due date is January 15, 2010. This is an opportunity to get amazing experience in public policy analysis and bill drafting.

http://www.leg.wa.gov/House/Committees/OPRGeneral/Pages/GraduateInternProgram.aspx

New York State Unified Court System Legal Fellows Program

If you’re interested in practicing law in the state of New York, this could be your ticket to success! Legal fellows are assigned to work in judicial offices, assisting with legal research and writing. Assignments offer valuable professional legal experience to new attorneys and expose them to judicial decision making and court operations. Forums are conducted for Legal Fellows to meet with judges, elected officials, government appointees and public policy makers to learn about their work in public service. What an introduction to the New York legal world!

The applicant’s law school graduation date must fall between August 2010 and May 2007. Application packages must be filed by January 15, 2010 for positions starting September 2010. This deadline will creep up quickly so contact Erin Fullner (fullnere@seattleu.edu) ASAP for details on how to apply. For preliminary information visit: http://www.nycourts.gov/.

New Job Postings on Symplicity

Be sure to take a look at Symplicity for the latest job info. This week, we have received postings for work-study, fellowship and legal assistant positions.

Watch An Air Force Court-Martial

The Air Force JAG Corps welcomes you to observe a court-martial at their facility at McChord Air Force Base. If you're thinking about pursuing a career in the JAG Corps this is a great preview of the work JAGs do, a unique chance to meet local JAGs, and an introduction to the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

To find out when the next trial takes place and to make arrangements to enter the base contact Capt. Rebecca Dickinson for details. If interested in speaking to someone who's recently attended an Air Force court-martial, contact Erin Fullner.

Commercial Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York Seeks Clerks

The Commercial Division is the specialized business court of the New York State Supreme Court, the highest trial-level court in New York. Many of the most important commercial cases in the state are adjudicated in the Commercial Division. The Commercial Division is comprised of six justices who hear cases involving commercial contract disputes, commercial finance or commercial banking transactions, claims of commercial misrepresentation or unfair competition, matters arising out of commercial real property transactions, major insurance matters, and UCC cases. For those with a demonstrated interest in commercial law and who aspire to a career in commercial law, this clerkship will be an invaluable experience which will include drafting decisions and orders, working on discovery disputes, reviewing evidentiary issues at trial, and drafting jury instructions.

Application packages are due January 15, 2010 for two and three year positions beginning September 2010 so if interested contact Erin Fullner (fullnere@seattleu.edu) for details on how to apply ASAP! For more information visit: www.nycourts.gov/comdiv.