The Oregon Supreme Court, the Oregon Court of Appeals, and the Office of the Appellate Commissioner will have externship opportunities for Summer & Fall 2025, and Spring 2026. Applications for these will be accepted from December 15, 2024 to February 7, 2025. To apply, submit an application through the CORA website administered by the National Center for State Courts:
https://www.ncsc.org/resources-courts/submitting-cora-court-opportunities
The externships offer a unique opportunity for law students to be intimately involved in the Oregon judicial system, to learn about the appellate legal process, and to improve their legal skills while serving the people of Oregon.
Externs are hired to work for a particular justice, judge, or the Appellate Commissioner. Externs work closely with their assigned judge and judicial clerk and may draft opinions, orders, or memoranda. During the externship, externs are given the opportunity to review records and filings, conduct independent research, discuss legal issues, make recommendations regarding the disposition of those issues, and attend oral arguments.
A judicial externship is excellent training for anyone interested in a judicial clerkship, appellate work, or trial practice in Oregon. Externs receive substantial feedback throughout their externship and can greatly improve their legal writing. Externs gain exposure to a variety of areas of law, including criminal, administrative, juvenile, evidence, and more. While working with the courts, externs receive onboarding training and are invited to CLEs throughout the term.
The externships are not paid by the court, but externs are welcome and encouraged to independently pursue scholarships or public interest funding for financial support during their externship. Externships can be -- but are not required to be -- for law school credit. Students seeking law school credit must make the necessary arrangements through their law schools. Externs may be able to work remotely, hybrid, or in-person. The externship program accepts students during both the summer and the school year. (Summer externships begin in May, fall externships begin in August, and spring externships begin in January.) Summer externships are for 20-40 hours per week, school-year externships are for 12-40 hours per week, and specific work schedules may be flexible.
The Oregon Supreme Court, the Oregon Court of Appeals, and the Office of the Appellate Commissioner participate in a joint recruitment process. Applicants may indicate if they wish to be considered by one, two, or all three hiring departments. Applicants will participate in panel interviews.