Mitchell Hamline School of Law

Current Students

ABA Section of Litigation Judicial Intern Opportunity

Posted: October 27, 2020
The American Bar Association Section of Litigation is a place where we work to advance diversity and inclusion in the legal system and where law students become engaged in the profession. One example of our work is the Section’s Judicial Intern Opportunity Program (JIOP), a summer internship program open to all diverse first- and second-year law students.

JIOP students intern for a minimum of six weeks over the summer with a participating state or federal judge. The program offers a $2,000 award to each student. Students may also elect law school credit or coordinate their award with their work-study financial aid.

Last year, JIOP provided internships to 135 law students representing 63 different law schools in locations throughout the country. The goal is to place 150 students for summer 2021.

Applications open for all students on November 4, 2020 and close on January 10, 2021. Please encourage your students to apply early as last year’s program received 730 applications for 150 placements. Screening interviews are guaranteed for the first 500 applicants and additional students will be screened on an as-needed basis.

Please pass this information (program description and frequently asked questions) on to interested students. More detailed information and the program application can be found here, though please note the application will not be available until November 4. Please contact JIOP Program Director Gail Howard by email or phone at (312) 988-6348 with additional questions.

JIOP alumni are happy to discuss their experiences with your students. Please contact Gail Howard if there is an opportunity for one of our alumni to present either virtually or in-person at your law school.

Membership in the ABA and Section of Litigation is free for law students. Students can join here for access to the Section’s multimedia resources for law students and young litigators as well as professional development opportunities and content from our 39 substantive committees. Learn more.

We thank you for sharing this opportunity with your students and hope you will inform them of all the ABA and Section of Litigation have to offer law students and new lawyers.