Law Clerk Opportunities

Law Clerk Application Information

Current law clerk application deadline: April 06, 2020.

To view the current law clerk recruitment posting, click on the following button:

The Appellate Courts

Seven justice positions comprise the Oregon Supreme Court. The court's primary function is discretionary review of decisions of the Oregon Court of Appeals, then direct appeals or reviews in death penalty, lawyer discipline, Oregon Tax Court or certain other cases. The court has original jurisdiction over mandamus, habeas corpus, and other special proceedings.

Thirteen judge positions comprise the Oregon Court of Appeals. Oregon circuit court cases and agency administrative law hearings receive first appeal in this court.

One judge position and three magistrate positions comprise the Oregon Tax Court. This court has exclusive jurisdiction over all questions of law or fact arising out of Oregon's tax law.

The appellate courts reside in and regularly hear arguments in Salem, Oregon. However, the courts occasionally travel to other cities in the state and conduct court business on location.

Application and Hiring Process

The job announcement opens each January, and closes each April. The positions begin in August of the following year. Applicants may request to be considered for a specific court, or for as many as are hiring. Historically, interviews occur in June, and hiring offers occur in July.

The Oregon Judicial Department's Human Resources Division only accepts law clerk applications through the State of Oregon's Oregon Job Opportunities page.  The job announcement, only available to view while the recruitment is open, explains specific application requirements.

Many second-year law students apply, with expectation to begin their clerkship after graduation. Many third-year students and graduates also apply. The August start date of the following year remains the same. Law clerks must possess a juris doctorate (JD) or equivalent, from an ABA-accredited law school, before their clerkship begins. Many law clerks take a bar examination prior to the start of their clerkship. However, bar membership is not a prerequisite to employment as a law clerk.

Among law clerk alumni are current members of the Oregon Supreme Court and Oregon Court of Appeals, law professors, heads of government agencies and legal divisions, and partners in major law firms. The national recruitment draws students from across the country and from many leading law schools.