Contact for Apply for an Appeals Court law clerk position
Contact for Appeals Court law clerk applicants
The Details of Apply for an Appeals Court law clerk position
What you need for Apply for an Appeals Court law clerk position
The Appeals Court has a centralized application process. The court is no longer accepting applications for judicial clerkships for either the 2023-2024 or 2024-2025 court years. The next planned application window is August of 2024, for the 2025-2026 court year. Persons interested in a clerkship will need the following materials:
- Cover letter
- Resume
- Copy of law school transcript
- Writing sample
- Two or more letters of recommendation
How to apply Apply for an Appeals Court law clerk position
LAW CLERK -- MASSACHUSETTS APPEALS COURT
US -- MA -- Boston and Springfield
Posting Date: 8/1/2024 Closing Date: 8/31/2024
Salary: TBD
MISSION STATEMENT AND GENERAL INFORMATION
The Massachusetts Appeals Court is committed to doing justice under the law by rendering thoughtful, well-reasoned appellate decisions in a timely and efficient manner, treating all those who come before the court fairly and impartially. It is a court of general appellate jurisdiction, with a large caseload in both criminal and civil matters. Created in 1972, the Appeals Court is comprised of a Chief Justice and twenty-four Associate Justices. The Chief Justice has two law clerks; the Associate Justices each have one law clerk. The application period for law clerk positions for the 2025-2026 court year will begin on August 1, 2024, and will end on August 31, 2024.
ORGANIZATIONAL PROFILE: https://www.mass.gov/orgs/appeals-court
POSITION SUMMARY
Law clerks are law school graduates who each work with one (and occasionally more than one) of the Justices. They perform a variety of responsibilities, including preparing for oral arguments, writing legal memoranda, and assisting in researching and drafting judicial decisions. The Appeals Court expects to hire approximately twenty-six law clerks for the 2025-2026 court year (August of 2025 through August of 2026). Interviews will be conducted and hiring decisions will be made on a rolling basis between August and December, 2024.
MAJOR DUTIES
Reading briefs, record appendices, and transcripts in preparation for oral arguments.
Researching and writing legal memoranda on a wide variety of criminal and civil issues.
Discussing and analyzing pending cases with a Justice.
Assisting with researching and drafting judicial decisions.
Editing, cite checking, and proofreading legal memoranda and draft decisions.
Assisting with supervision and education of judicial interns, as needed.
Performing other related work, as required.
POSITION REQUIREMENTS
Graduation from an accredited law school. It is not necessary to sit for the Massachusetts Bar Exam.
Superior academic achievement.
Strong interest in and ability to perform legal research and writing.
Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work professionally with all court personnel.
Ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing.
Ability to work independently and prioritize assignments.
Knowledge of, and ability to use, Microsoft Windows, Word, and legal research tools, including Lexis.
Massachusetts residence by the starting date of the clerkship.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Applications for the 2025-2026 court year will be accepted during August of 2024. Completion of an online application, which will be made available at that time, is a mandatory component of the application process. (The information provided below will be updated in July of 2024 as needed.)
Applicants are required to submit (as separate PDF documents) the materials described below:
(1) Cover letter.
(2) Resume.
(3) Copy of law school transcript. For students whose law school provides written course evaluations and/or work evaluations, they should also be provided.
(4) Writing sample not to exceed 10-15 pages and not edited by another. A persuasive memorandum, rather than a comment/note/article for a journal, is strongly preferred.
Finally, applicants are also required to submit two letters of recommendation (additional letters may be submitted but are not required). Letters from employers are preferred, but letters from law school faculty are acceptable.
Paper applications will not be accepted. All applicants will be notified when the hiring process is completed. Employment is contingent on passage of a criminal record check.
The Appeals Court is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. It seeks out, welcomes, and encourages applicants of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints.