Many Colorado Law graduates choose to work as a judicial clerk for one- or two-year terms for state or federal courts.

No matter what the setting, a judicial clerkship provides a unique experience for new attorneys with numerous benefits, including the opportunity to:

  • View the judicial system from the other side of the bar;
  • Continue developing analytical, legal research, and writing skills;
  • Create a mentor/mentee relationship with a judge; and
  • Acquire a respected professional credential.

Recent Graduates' Clerkships

In recent years, Colorado Law has enjoyed great success in placing its graduates in post-graduate state and federal clerkships. Twenty-eight members of the class of 2020 and 24 members of the class of 2021 accepted post-graduate clerkships. The classes of 2020 and 2021 accepted post-graduate clerkships at the following courts:

  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit
  • U.S. Department of Justice, EOIR, Denver Immigration Court
  • U.S. District Court, District of Alaska
  • U.S. District Court, District of Arizona
  • U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
  • U.S. District Court, District of New Mexico
  • U.S. District Court, District of Utah
  • U.S. District Court, Easter District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Tennessee
  • U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Nothern District of New York
  • New Mexico Judicial Branch, 6th Judicial District Court
  • Alaska State Supreme Court
  • Alaska Superior Court
  • Colorado Supreme Court
  • Colorado Court of Appeals
  • Colorado District Courts in Boulder, Denver, Fort Collins, Golden, and Greeley

Colorado Law’s recent successes are indicative of our strong commitment to helping students begin their legal careers in these valuable positions. Over the past seven years, we have placed an average of 27Ìýgraduates per year in clerkships.

Class Year Post-Grad Judicial Clerkships Federal State Appellate State Trial
Class of 2021 24 5 8 11
Class of 2020 28 11 7 10
Class of 2019 28 6 9 13
Class of 2018 32 2 10 20
Class of 2017 28 2 14 12
Class of 2016 21 3 8 10
Class of 2015 32 6 11 15

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Summer Employment

  • Summer 2022:Ìý28 students (24 1Ls and 4 2Ls) worked for judges in federal and state courts in Colorado and Washington.
  • Summer 2021:Ìý26 students (24 1Ls and 2 2Ls) worked for judges in federal and state courts in Colorado and Texas.
  • Summer 2020:Ìý40 students (34 1Ls and 6 2Ls) worked for judges in federal and state courts in Colorado, Texas, and Kentucky.
  • Summer 2019:Ìý33 students (32 1Ls and 1 2L)Ìýworked for judges in federal and state courtsÌýin Colorado, Ohio, New York, and DC.
  • Summer 2018:Ìý41 students (38 1Ls and 3 2Ls) worked for judges in federal and state courts in Colorado, New York, Missouri, and DC.
  • Summer 2017:Ìý37 students (31 1Ls andÌý6 2Ls) worked for judges in federal and state courts in Colorado and New Jersey.
  • Summer 2016:Ìý45 students (40 1Ls and 5 2Ls) worked for judges in federal and state courts in Colorado, Idaho, Maryland, Tennessee, and DC.

Law School Programming

Students may take advantage of a variety of programs designed to promote judicial clerkships as a post-graduate career choice and to support students during the application process.ÌýOur judicial clerkship programs include:

  • Annual Judicial Appreciation Reception, sponsored by Polsinelli, PC
  • Judicial Clerkship Alumni Panel
  • Nuts & Bolts of Judicial Clerkship Applications (separate 1L and 2L sessions)
  • Online System for Clerkship Application and Review (OSCAR) Demo Session
  • State Trial Court Judicial Clerkship Hiring Procedures (geared toward 3Ls)
  • 3L Mixer with State District Court Judges

Opportunities to Meet Judges

We encourage and support our students’ clerkship aspirations in many ways.ÌýIn addition to a clerkship-specific slate of programming, students may take advantage of numerous opportunities to meet and network with judges from across the country.Ìý

The Colorado Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th and Federal Circuits have all heard arguments at the law school recently; as part of each of these events, students were able to visit with the participating judges.

Colorado Law was honored to be a part of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces Project Outreach Program in 2016 and to host all five judges of the Court who heard oral arguments at Colorado Law on November 1. Colorado Law students Patrick Kummerer and Adam Zenger also had the opportunity to participate as amicus curiae in the arguments.

At our annual Judicial Appreciation Reception, sponsored by Polsinelli, PC, federal and state judges from across the state gather with students and recent graduates. After comments from the Dean of the Law School and a few selectÌýjudges and justices, the studentsÌýmingle with the honored guests while enjoying hors d’oeuvres and drinks.

Colorado Law twice hosted the Tenth Circuit Bench and Bar Conference, where students had the opportunity to learn from and mingle with some of the most influential and important legal minds today. Participants included members of the judiciary from throughout the Tenth Circuit, as well as other judges from around the country, including the D.C. Circuit and the United States Supreme Court.

We also host a 3L Mixer with State District Court Judges every January, and a Judicial Clerkship Alumni panel each fall.

Resources for Applying

In conjunction with the Faculty Clerkship Committee, each year CDO compiles information on the hiring preferences of judges in Colorado in order to assist students with the clerkship application process.ÌýPotential applicants may also consult CDO’s clerkship information on CDOnline, which contains data on current hiring practices as well as past Colorado Law clerks.Ìý

Colorado Law subscribes to the Vermont Law School Guide to State Judicial Clerkship Procedures. The Guide contains information on the different courts, hiring practices, contacts, and application information for each individual state in the U.S.

Colorado Law also subscribes to Symplicity's Clerkship Module which is available to students through CDOnline. This Clerkship Module syncs with OSCAR twice a month and contains complete information on every federal and state judge in the country. It will also disclose if a judge has an open position posted in OSCAR. Through this module, students can select each judge to which they would like to apply and download a spreadsheet with their name, court, and mailing address to help facilitate the application and recommendation letter process.