Colorado Judicial Branch - Careers

Job Details

Opportunity Information
Opportunity Title:	Intern (Law Clerk)
Location:	Breckenridge or Eagle
Department:	Colorado's 5th Judicial District
Posted Date:	02/16/2021
Closing Date:	05/14/2021

Contact Information
Name:
Address:

Email:	5thDistrictInternship@judicial.state.co.us

Brief Description

**This is an unpaid internship**

Agency Statement:

The Fifth Judicial District is now accepting applications from law students for internship positions working with the District Court Judges of the 5th Judicial District. The program affords interns the opportunity to work with legal research attorneys and judges. Interns will also have the opportunity to spend time observing jury trials and other courtroom proceedings in Civil, Criminal, Domestic, Probate, and Juvenile law.

The internship program is based out of the Summit County Justice Center in Breckenridge, Colorado or the Eagle County Justice Center in Eagle, Colorado. Breckenridge is a unique Colorado mountain community located at the base of the Rocky Mountains’ Tenmile Range. Eagle is located near several world class ski resorts, including Vail and Beaver Creek, and is known for shopping, good food, and fun festivals. In addition to world class skiing, both Breckenridge and Eagle have many summer recreation opportunities including mountain biking, white water sports, hiking, and fishing to name just a few.

Position Purpose and Objectives:

The work assigned primarily consists of legal research, analysis, and writing. The goals of the program are (i) for the interns to learn about the daily functioning of a state trial court; (ii) for the interns to develop research and writing skills, and leave the internship with at least one original writing sample; and (iii) for the interns to foster networking opportunities in the Summit and Eagle County legal communities for possible future employment. Interns will engage in one on one and small group discussions with District Court Judges to receive detailed feedback on their work product as well as to facilitate understanding of what they are witnessing in the various courtrooms.

Students are expected to spend at least ten hours per week on their research and writing projects but may work up to forty hours a week if required by their school’s internship program requirements. As a guiding principle, the Court recommends that interns work ten to thirty hours per week. The research and writing portion of the program may be done remotely depending on the present state of the COVID-19 pandemic. Every effort will be made to ensure that interns receive valuable mentorship and benefit from their experience with the judicial branch.

Reports To:

Fifth Judicial District Legal Research Attorneys

Minimal Educational/Professional Qualifications:

The positions are unpaid, but we will work with your school to ensure you receive credit if available. Internships are available during summer, fall, and spring semesters and applications are open to any second or third year law students. In addition, first year law students may apply for the summer semester following their first year.

How to Apply:

To apply, please submit the following four materials:

An updated resume.

A cover letter. The letter should mention something about you that cannot be gleaned from your resume. It should also describe why you want to intern with the judicial branch. Finally, the cover letter should inform the Court whether you have a preference between working in Eagle or Breckenridge.

A writing sample of no more than five (5) pages. Please indicate the extent to which others have assisted you in drafting/editing this work. Also, please provide any necessary background information or context that the Court may need to understand your sample.

Your most recent law school transcript.

Applications shall be emailed to 5thDistrictInternship@judicial.state.co.us and the subject of your email must be in the following format: LRA_Internship_LastName_FirstName
Applicants are interviewed in person, by phone, or by video conferencing software and are notified of the status of their application within a few days of the interview. Interviews are held monthly on a rolling basis until the program is full (2-3) students per semester.

Detailed Job Information

EEO/AA/ADA EMPLOYER

NOTICE! Each person employed must present identity and employment eligibility verification.
NOTICE! Employees hired after March 1, 1988, must be on the payroll direct deposit program.
NOTICE! Disabled applicants: If you have a mental or physical impairment, which limits one of your major life activities (e.g. walking, hearing, seeing, speaking, breathing, or learning) and require special accommodations for testing or interviewing, it is your responsibility to notify the office scheduling the interview or test at least 3 working days before the interview or test date. If you need special accommodations at the work site, you must notify the hiring authority.
NOTICE! All prospective employees of the Colorado Judicial Branch are subject to background investigation prior to hiring.

INFORMATION ALERT: Judicial Department employees may not hold office in a political party, nor may they promote one political party or candidate over another in partisan political elections. Employees may hold not-partisan public office provided that there is no conflict of interest or appearance of impropriety with the duties performed for the Judicial Department. In all cases, it will be within the discretion of the Chief Judge of the judicial district to determine whether such a conflict exists. Employees shall seek the prior approval of the Chief Judge before seeking or assuming any such office. Work related to any office held may not be performed on Judicial Department time. Membership on a board or commission that requires registration or party identification as a qualification is not considered to be partisan political office.