Legal Clerk Internships
Legal clerk internships give university students, recent graduates, and early-career switchers hands-on project experience drafting documents, conducting legal research, and supporting case preparation, alongside mentorship from working legal clerks, and, at many employers, a path toward a full-time offer. Openings are concentrated across {{top_industries_phrase}}, with Humane Society Legislative Fund, PHINIA, and BRIDGES TRUST among the employers posting roles now.
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Description
- Exceptional legal experience working in a professional law office
- Demonstration of one’s interest in and commitment to public service
- Engagement with experienced, professional colleagues and legal mentors
- Expansive breadth and diversity of work
- Opportunity to attend a wide array of effective, interesting legal trainings (e.g., CLEs) and events
- Work that makes a tangible and positive difference to the people of Washington
- Competitive salary – If your law school allows being paid while receiving academic credit - Law clerks who have completed their first year of law school will receive $23/hour. Law clerks who have completed their second year of law school will receive $24/hour
- Law clerk positions assigned to our Seattle office location receive an additional 5% King County Location Pay
- Vacation Leave, Sick Leave, Military and Civil Leave and Paid Holidays
- Health and wellness program
- Access to attend training and career development program that is recognized for its excellence and efficacy by AGOs nationwide
- Enrollment in the Public Employees’ Retirement System, receiving one service credit per each month worked of 90 hours or more.
- Due to the limited duration of these positions (if less than six months), they are not eligible for medical and dental benefits.
Duties
- Researching and writing memoranda, pleadings, and correspondence;
- Assistant in preparation for litigation, i.e., depositions, witness interviews, and discovery;
- Drafting client advice memos and attending meetings where that advice is then presented to the client; and
- Opportunity to observe attorneys in court, particularly for those cases for which the law clerk provided assistance. Rule 9 law clerks may be allowed to present in court.
Qualifications
Supplemental Information
- Letter of Interest
- Resume
- Law School Transcript (Official/Unofficial)
- Letter of Recommendation if a 2L, 3L or LL.M.
- Note about the letter of recommendation: If your recommender would prefer to send the letter directly to the AGO, they can send it to the Talent Acquisition Team at HREmployment@atg.wa.gov. If you already have your current letter of recommendation, feel free to upload it with your application. If you receive the letter of recommendation after you’ve submitted your application, you can send it to the Talent Acquisition Team via the email address above and we will upload it to your application.
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The AGO is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability. Persons requiring reasonable accommodation in the application process or requiring information in an alternative format may contact the recruitment team at HREmployment@atg.wa.gov. Those with a hearing impairment in need of accommodation are encouraged to contact the Washington Relay Service at 1-800-676-3777 or www.washingtonrelay.com.
Description
- Exceptional legal experience working in a professional law office
- Demonstration of one’s interest in and commitment to public service
- Engagement with experienced, professional colleagues and legal mentors
- Expansive breadth and diversity of work
- Opportunity to attend a wide array of effective, interesting legal trainings (e.g., CLEs) and events
- Work that makes a tangible and positive difference to the people of Washington
- Competitive salary – If your law school allows being paid while receiving academic credit - Law clerks who have completed their first year of law school will receive $23/hour. Law clerks who have completed their second year of law school will receive $24/hour
- Law clerk positions assigned to our Seattle office location receive an additional 5% King County Location Pay
- Vacation Leave, Sick Leave, Military and Civil Leave and Paid Holidays
- Health and wellness program
- Access to attend training and career development program that is recognized for its excellence and efficacy by AGOs nationwide
- Enrollment in the Public Employees’ Retirement System, receiving one service credit per each month worked of 90 hours or more.
- Due to the limited duration of these positions (if less than six months), they are not eligible for medical and dental benefits.
Duties
- Researching and writing memoranda, pleadings, and correspondence;
- Assistant in preparation for litigation, i.e., depositions, witness interviews, and discovery;
- Drafting client advice memos and attending meetings where that advice is then presented to the client; and
- Opportunity to observe attorneys in court, particularly for those cases for which the law clerk provided assistance. Rule 9 law clerks may be allowed to present in court.
Qualifications
Supplemental Information
- Letter of Interest
- Resume
- Law School Transcript (Official/Unofficial)
- Letter of Recommendation if a 2L, 3L or LL.M.
- Note about the letter of recommendation: If your recommender would prefer to send the letter directly to the AGO, they can send it to the Talent Acquisition Team at HREmployment@atg.wa.gov. If you already have your current letter of recommendation, feel free to upload it with your application. If you receive the letter of recommendation after you’ve submitted your application, you can send it to the Talent Acquisition Team via the email address above and we will upload it to your application.
******************
The AGO is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability. Persons requiring reasonable accommodation in the application process or requiring information in an alternative format may contact the recruitment team at HREmployment@atg.wa.gov. Those with a hearing impairment in need of accommodation are encouraged to contact the Washington Relay Service at 1-800-676-3777 or www.washingtonrelay.com.
Legal Clerk Internship Market
Who's Hiring
Tips for Your Legal Clerk Internship Search
Apply earlier than you think necessary
Large law firms, government agencies, and corporate legal departments recruit summer interns the preceding fall and close cohorts well before the new year. Smaller firms and courts post closer to start dates, so openings appear year-round. Starting your search in September for the following summer puts you ahead of most applicants.
Build a writing sample before you apply
Hiring teams for legal clerk internships have limited work history to assess, so a concrete artifact matters more than your resume length. A research memo, case brief, or drafted motion from a clinic, class, or moot court competition gives recruiters something specific to evaluate and separates you from candidates who list coursework without proof.
Work your campus network alongside direct applications
Campus career fairs surface structured internship programs tied to your university, and professors with practitioner experience often know which employers recruit from your school before roles post publicly. Apply directly to firms and agencies running smaller cohorts at the same time so you reach opportunities that never appear at a campus event.
Practice your legal reasoning out loud before interviews
Legal clerk intern screens typically involve a written or oral exercise where you analyze a short fact pattern and identify the key legal issues. Practice walking through your reasoning step by step before the interview, since interviewers weigh how you structure an argument as much as whether you reach the right conclusion.
Target structured summer associate and law clerk programs
Large law firms and federal agencies run formal summer law clerk and intern programs designed to train people new to legal work. These cohorts recruit early, often in the fall semester, and fill their spots before general postings open. Identify the programs that match your year in school and apply in the first round of recruiting.
Set your work-type filter before you start
On-site roles are 50% of the legal clerk internships listed here. Decide what you can realistically commit to before you search, then filter by location and work type so you spend your time on roles you can actually accept rather than sorting through postings that don't fit your situation.
Legal Clerk Internships: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a legal clerk internship?
Lead with your coursework and projects rather than work history, since hiring teams expect limited experience at the intern level. For legal clerk candidates, the concrete artifact is a writing sample, a research memo, or a document you drafted for a clinic or class. Combine direct applications to firms and agencies with campus career fairs, where recruiters often move faster for students they meet in person.
Can a legal clerk internship turn into a full-time job?
Many employers extend return offers to strong interns, but conversion is never guaranteed. What drives it for legal clerk interns is performance on real work, whether the team has open headcount, and whether you express continued interest at the right moment. Position yourself by treating every assignment as a sample of your full-time work without counting on an offer before it is made.
When should I apply for legal clerk internships?
Earlier than most expect. Large law firms and government agencies recruit summer interns the preceding fall, often wrapping up offers before winter break. Smaller firms, courts, and co-op programs post closer to start dates, so openings appear year-round. Checking listings regularly means you catch both the early structured programs and the rolling positions that open up as needs arise.
Are legal clerk internships paid?
Most professional legal clerk internships in the United States are paid. Compensation varies by employer size, industry, and location, with large law firms typically paying more than nonprofit or government placements. Where an employer discloses pay, it appears on the listing, so you can compare opportunities as you apply without having to ask upfront.
What should a legal clerk internship resume include?
Lead with projects and coursework, not work history. Include two or three documented projects that show legal research or writing, naming the tools you used and linking to a writing sample or redacted memo where possible. Add relevant coursework such as legal research and writing, civil procedure, or contracts. Keep the whole document to one page.
Are there remote legal clerk internships?
Yes. Remote and hybrid roles make up 50% of the legal clerk internship listings here, with the rest on-site. Remote cohorts fill fast because they draw applicants from across the country, so apply early and filter by work type to see them before they close.
Can international students get legal clerk internships?
Yes. F-1 students can intern through CPT while enrolled or through OPT work authorization after finishing a degree, and the employer does not have to file anything for either, so many companies are open to international interns. Confirm your eligibility and timing with your university's international student office before accepting an offer.
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