What is the Judicial Internship Program? The law school offers students for-credit judicial Internships (through established partner relationships) with appellate and trial courts in the Wisconsin state court system and the federal system. These one-semester judicial internships allow students to focus on refining research and writing skills under the guidance of experienced judges and law clerks as well as through courtroom observation, particularly for trial courts.
What are examples of Judicial Internship placements? Opportunities include these:
- The Wisconsin Supreme Court internship allows students to research, write, discuss, and analyze. Oral argument attendance enhances the internship.
- The Wisconsin Court of Appeals, Districts I, II, and III, internships offer opportunities for students to research, write, analyze, and learn about the appellate process.
- For state trial court opportunities, internships in the Milwaukee County Circuit Court (felony division and civil division) and the Waukesha County Circuit Court (civil division) as well as other county circuit courts give students exposure to courtroom processes and trial materials to help develop communication and analytical skills as well as a better understanding of effective lawyering.
- Federal court opportunities exist in the E.D. Wisconsin district courts and bankruptcy courts. These opportunities combine research and writing with court observation to give students a robust look at federal court litigation.
- In the spring semester, a federal court appellate internship is available for one student with a judge in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.