As part of the City of Austin Law Department's Internship Program, law students and recent law school graduates have the opportunity to gain exposure and experience in a dynamic municipal law practice through Law Department Clerkships and Fellowships. Clerks and Fellows provide legal assistance to all Law Department divisions and perform a variety of tasks, including research, writing, and attending legal proceedings. The goal of our internship program is to assist students and recent law graduates in meeting educational and professional goals. In addition, the City seeks to benefit from the interns’ work product.
Programs
- Summer Clerkships – Available to students who have completed their second year of law school and are entering their third year. This is a full-time (40 hours per week), paid, 10-week, temporary position. Candidates must submit credentials between August 1st and January 31st. Selections will be made by April 1st. Three positions are available each summer.
- Spring & Fall Semester Clerkships – Available to students who have completed their second year of law school and are eligible for coursework credit through participating law schools. This is a part-time, unpaid, semester-long, temporary position. This program takes place in accordance with timelines and requirements provided by the participating law school. Candidates must submit credentials at least three weeks prior to any course registration deadlines imposed by the law school. One position is available each semester.
- Post-Graduate Fellowships – Available to individuals who have graduated from an ABA-accredited law school in the past 24 months. This is a full-time (40 hours per week), paid (funding from the applicant's participating law school), 10-week, temporary position. To apply, please submit the required information by end of January (for spring), end of April (for summer), and end of August (for fall).
Application procedures
Each fall, the City of Austin Law Department participates in the University of Texas Law School’s Fall On-Campus Interview event, and early in the spring semester, we attend the Texas Consortium of Law Schools’ Public Service Career Fair, also held at UT Law. These events are our primary means of generating a pool of qualified law clerk applicants from various law schools for our program. Other interested candidates may contact us for additional information and to submit an application. Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, current resume, and writing sample for consideration to lawclerk@austintexas.gov. The Law Department reviews all materials according to its selection timetable, and the most promising candidates will be contacted for interviews. This review may occur over several weeks.