Judicial Law Student Intern

Superior Court of California, County of Contra Costa

Announces an open recruitment for:

LAW STUDENT JUDICIAL INTERNSHIP

 SUMMER 2027

VOLUNTEER/UNPAID

Final Filing: 02/27/2027

JUDICIAL INTERNSHIP for 1L (First Year) LAW STUDENTS: Law students must apply directly to this posting for consideration.

Placement Locations: Contra Costa County – Martinez, Pittsburg, Walnut Creek, and Richmond.

This program offers first-year law students (1Ls, rising 2Ls) the unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience working directly with judicial officers. Interns will be assigned to one division and to one or two judges. They will have the opportunity to observe court proceedings and gain experience in court processes and substantive areas of the law. Duties may include drafting objective memoranda on civil, criminal, family law, or juvenile matters; performing legal research on a variety of civil, criminal, family law, or juvenile matters; reviewing and preparing tentative rulings for Law & Motion Calendars; and performing other duties as assigned. Interns will also be invited to participate in a variety of exciting field trips and several teaching seminars.

The program is geared towards highly motivated and self-reliant individuals interested in gaining insights into the behind-the-scenes role of legal researchers in the adjudicatory process, the court’s infrastructure and ways it serves the community, and the duties and responsibilities of judicial officers in the administration of justice. Assignments are ideal for those who are committed to public service and excel in analytical reasoning and writing.

Internship Program dates: June 7, 2027, through July 30, 2027

Please note that, to avoid any appearance of impropriety or favoritism during the internship, interns are prohibited from working for lawyers, law firms, the District Attorney's Office, the Public Defender's Office, or County Counsel unless otherwise authorized by the chairperson of the Summer Intern Program Committee. Interns are also prohibited from engaging in other outside employment that would conflict with their duties as externs, pose a conflict of interest, or are incompatible with their role in the court.

Qualifications:

All applicants are required to submit a completed online application with the proper attachments. To apply, go to: https://contracosta.courts.ca.gov/general-information/employment-career-opportunities and select Law Student Judicial Intern. After submitting your application, all subsequent communications will be via email. Some email accounts have been known to place the court’s emails in the spam/junk folder. Please add contracosta.courts.ca.gov and governmentjobs.com to your email address book to ensure delivery of emails. For additional information, email: [email protected].

An application evaluation committee will review and evaluate each candidate’s application and those deemed to be best qualified will be invited to interview in late January/early February 2027. The court reserves the right to revise the application criteria in accordance with the Court Personnel Plan and accepted selection practices. If an applicant is advanced to an interview, this interview will be with 4-5 Judicial Officers sitting in Contra Costa County.

Applicants with Disabilities:

Reasonable accommodation will be made so that applicants with disabilities may participate in the recruitment process. Please advise Superior Court Human Resources of special needs in advance.

The court is an equal opportunity employer. The court provides equal employment opportunity at all times and does not discriminate.