Judicial Intern Opportunity Program

Judicial Internship for Law Students Approaches Milestone

Judicial Intern Opportunity Program opens doors to minority and financially disadvantaged students; program now accepting applicants for summer 2007

CHICAGO, November 8, 2006 – In anticipation of its fifth anniversary as sponsor of the Judicial Intern Opportunity Program, the American Bar Association Section of Litigation has begun accepting applications for the 2006-2007 program. Through JIOP, minority and financially disadvantaged law students are placed as interns for federal and state judges around the country. The internships allow students to develop one-on-one working relationships with a judge and encourage them to consider seeking judicial clerkships upon law school graduation.

The ABA Section of Litigation took over administration of the program in 2002 after the ABA Section of Antitrust Law began the program in 2000. At the time JIOP was created, only 15 percent of all judicial clerkships were held by minority lawyers even though minorities made up 30 percent of the nation’s population and 20 percent of the law student population. Minority lawyers remain under-represented in judicial clerkships.

Hilarie Bass of Miami, who co-chairs the JIOP committee, sees the program as a positive step in opening the door to the inner workings of the judicial system to minority and economically disadvantaged students, who otherwise might not have any opportunity to have hands-on experience in the courts. She describes the program as, “a unique opportunity for students to work closely with a judge during law school. We believe that this direct exposure to the judical system will give a context to their legal education, give them an opportunity to be exposed to great judges and potential mentors, and incentivize them to consider applying for a judical clerkship following law school.”

Under its leadership, the Section of Litigation has expanded JIOP and has worked to extend more opportunities to law students across the country. In its first year, the program placed 14 students in internships in Illinois and Texas. In 2006, the Section of Litigation received approximately 400 applications 65 law schools across the country. It placed 172 students in internships with 118 state and federal judges in Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois and Texas.

This year, as the section enters its fifth year of fostering the JIOP, it plans to expand the program to Washington, D.C., and San Francisco, Calif., and increase the number of students in the program to more than 200 students.

Among ABA groups providing support to the program are the Section of Antitrust Law, Section of Intellectual Property Law, Judicial Division, Law Student Division, Young Lawyers Division and the Forum Committee on Franchising.

Through training programs, orientation sessions, supplemental programming, and work with sponsors, JIOP provides students with a foundation and guidance throughout their internship. This is a very important program for the Section of Litigation and for the ABA,” said Kim Askew, Chair of the Section of Litigation. “Through JIOP, we provide an opportunity for minority law students to serve as interns with some of the leading judges in the court. They are in court and receive excellent training. Many of our interns later obtain judicial clerkships. Plus, they are personally interviewed by lawyers in the profession who frequently act as their mentors throughout their law school careers. The Section appreciates the fine students and all the lawyers and judges who participate in this program. JIOP is a success because of this partnership.”

Interested law students may apply for the 2007 summer program Oct. 16 to Jan. 12. Applications and program details are available online at www.abanet.org/litigation/jiop.

Members of the Section of Litigation conduct face-to-face screening interviews with all applicants. Participating judges will review writing samples and resumes and begin interviewing candidates in February 2007 for positions. Interns receive a $1,500 award and will work for at least six weeks on a full-time basis.

For more information about the program and the application process, contact JIOP program director, Gail Howard, at 312/988-6348 or email howardg@staff.abanet.org.

The ABA Section of Litigation includes approximately 77,000 trial lawyers, judges and others involved in all aspects of litigation and the dispute resolution process. The section is dedicated to promoting justice both domestically and internationally, and enhancing public understanding and respect for the legal profession.

With more than 413,000 members, the American Bar Association is the largest voluntary professional membership organization in the world. As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law in a democratic society.