Semester Clerkship (Fall 2026 & Spring 2027)

About the role

The Institute for Justice’s Semester Clerkship programs provide an unparalleled opportunity for select law students to substantively contribute to IJ's cutting-edge civil-rights litigation.

Responsibilities

• Conduct legal research
• Help develop litigation strategies for active and potential cases
• Help draft discovery requests, motions, and briefs filed in both state and federal court
• Research appellate court treatment of FTCA actions to support United States Supreme Court merits briefing on application of the FTCA’s judgment bar in a police brutality case
• Participate in moots for dispositive-motion hearings in a challenge to protectionist mobile vending regulations
• Analyze discovery objections in a civil forfeiture class action lawsuit
• Assess how to certify a new class and add new plaintiffs to an existing class action
• Develop litigation strategies for potential challenges to licensing requirements in several states across the country
• Help prepare motions to exclude expert witness testimony and reports
• Draft portions of opposition briefs for motions to dismiss and for summary judgment in both state and federal court

Requirements

Paid opportunities are available to students who wish to work in our Virginia, Texas, Florida, or Arizona offices. Although we're not able to offer paid opportunities to students who live and work in other states, we will happily host remote students for unpaid clerkships, and we often work with those students to help them receive course credit according to their schools' externship policies.

Qualifications

The program typically runs for 12 weeks, with two cohorts offered each year in the fall and spring. It is designed as a part-time commitment to accommodate students' class schedules.

Benefits

To be considered, please complete the application and submit a resume, cover letter, and writing sample.

Pay

Paid opportunities are available to students working in our Virginia, Texas, Florida, or Arizona offices.

Schedule

The program typically runs for 12 weeks, with two cohorts offered each year in the fall and spring.

Skills

Students should have strong research, writing, and analytical skills.

Benefits

Students may receive course credit according to their schools' externship policies.

Benefits

No phone calls please.

Equal Opportunity Employer

IJ is an equal opportunity employer.

Learn More

To learn more about our culture and benefits, visit our Working at IJ page.