Law Student Intern na Superior Court of California, County of Contra Costa, CA

About the Department

Superior Court of California, County of Contra Costa

Announces an open recruitment for:

LAW STUDENT INTERN/VOLUNTEER, SUMMER 2026

VOLUNTEER/UNPAID

Final Filing: January 16, 2026

JUDICIAL INTERNSHIP for 1L (First Year Law Student) LAW STUDENTS: Law students must apply directly to this posting for consideration.

Placement Locations: Contra Costa County – Martinez, Pittsburg, Walnut Creek, and Richmond.

Assignments as an intern are geared towards highly motivated and self-reliant individuals who prefer the low-profile, behind-the-scenes role of the legal researcher in the adjudicatory process. The assignment is ideal for those who thrive on engaging in analytical reasoning and writing. Duties may include drafting objective memorandums on civil, criminal, family law, and juvenile matters; performing legal research on a variety of civil, criminal, family law, and juvenile matters; reviewing and preparing tentative rulings for Law & Motion Calendars; and performing other duties as assigned. The intern will be assigned to one division only and to one or two judges. The program offers a variety of exciting field trips and several teaching seminars throughout the summer. Interns will also have the opportunity to observe court proceedings throughout the county.

Internship Program dates: June 8, 2026 – July 31, 2026.

Please note that in order to avoid any appearance of impropriety or favoritism during the internship, interns are prohibited from working for lawyers, law firms, the District Attorney's Office, the Public Defender's Office, or County Counsel unless otherwise authorized by the chairperson of the Summer Intern Program Committee. During the internship, interns are also prohibited from engaging in other outside employment that would conflict with their duties as externs, pose a conflict of interest, or are incompatible with their role in the court.

Minimum Qualifications

Qualifications:

• Currently enrolled in law school: 1L, rising 2L.
• Completed online application.
• Cover letter.
• Resume.
• Writing sample, no more than ten pages long, six pages is recommended.
• Current school transcripts in PDF format.
• Letter(s) of recommendation.

Other Qualifications

All applicants are required to submit a completed online application with the proper attachments. To apply, go to: https://contracosta.courts.ca.gov/general-information/employment-career-opportunities and click Current Employment Opportunities. After submitting your application, all subsequent communications will be via email. Some email accounts have been known to place the court’s emails in the spam/junk folder. Please add contracosta.courts.ca.gov and governmentjobs.com to your email address book to ensure delivery of emails. For additional information, email: [email protected].

An application evaluation committee will review and evaluate each candidate’s application and those deemed to be best qualified will be invited to interview in late January/early February 2026. The court reserves the right to revise the application criteria in accordance with the Court Personnel Plan and accepted selection practices.

Applicants with Disabilities:

Reasonable accommodation will be made so that applicants with disabilities may participate in the recruitment process. Please advise Superior Court Human Resources of special needs in advance.

The court is an equal opportunity employer. The court provides equal employment opportunity at all times and does not discriminate.