Description:
Description:Persons requiring reasonable accommodation in the application process or requiring information in an alternative format may contact the recruitment team at HREmployment@atg.wa.gov. Those with a hearing impairment in need of accommodation are encouraged to contact the Washington Relay Service at 1-800-676-3777 or www.washingtonrelay.com.
All employees and volunteers of the Washington State Attorney General's Office serve a crucial role in the protection of the state, its people and resources, thereby providing an incomparable degree of job satisfaction. The AGO is composed of diverse, collegial and supremely talented legal professionals who are resolute in their commitment to public service and share the common goal of advancing the public interest. For more information about the AGO, we encourage you to review the Office's Annual Report which can be found HERE. (https://www.atg.wa.gov/publications-reports)
The AGO's Spokane division is seeking two law clerks to serve for one year in its office beginning in Fall 2026. Law students interested in clerking at the AGO, whether receiving academic credit or serving as a law clerk (not receiving credit), during the academic year are encouraged to submit their application! During the academic year, the law clerks will be limited to 19 hours per week, which will increase to 40 hours per week during the Summer. Serving as a law clerk or extern for the AGO not only can provide you the opportunity to earn valuable academic credit, it can offer the following, equally important benefits:
Details about working for the Attorney General's Office
The Office is committed to the benefits of a healthy life-work balance with a respectful, inclusive and diverse workplace where you will experience belonging and be part of a supportive and collegial team. Successful candidates will join an Office in which every person is committed to providing exceptional legal services and where individual professional development is encouraged and supported. The exceptional benefits of joining the AGO as a law clerk include:
Duties:
This law clerk opportunity is based in the Spokane Division, Social and Health Services Section. This sections work includes juvenile welfare work in 8 counties in Eastern Washington. Juvenile welfare work includes dependency and termination of parental right cases, and foster care and child care licensing cases. These cases arise based on allegations of child abuse or neglect by the parents or legal custodians. This section also represents Eastern State Hospital and DSHS.
Although each law clerk's experience is unique, the following duties are typical of an AGO law clerk:
Qualifications:
To be considered for a law clerk externship opportunity, you must have completed at least one year of law school at an ABA accredited law school and must be enrolled in said law school during the duration of your service. In addition, the AGO seeks applicants who are committed to public service as demonstrated by an applicant's background, talents, attitude, and enthusiasm for public law practice. We also seek applicants with a diverse background in education, previous work experience, law school activities, extracurricular activities, community service and areas of interest that enhance our respectful, diverse and professional office. Applicants must also be able to work in WA State for the duration of the clerkship.
Note that this program is not for summer clerkships. Those seeking a summer externship must apply via the formal fall/spring recruitment program. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Talent Acquisition Team at HREmployment@atg.wa.gov.
Supplemental Information:
Law students interested in clerking at the AGO, whether receiving academic credit or serving as a law clerk (not receiving credit), during the academic year may submit their application by clicking the “apply” button above. If you're looking to serve as a law clerk extern during the academic year, you must time your application to coincide with the needs of their school's externship program. In addition to completing the application, all applicants must upload all required documents:
Upon receipt, the application material will be reviewed and approved applications will be referred to the hiring manager. We are very confident that the experience gleaned from serving as an extern for the AGO will meet or exceed the substantive experience requirement of any law school externship program. For our part, division supervisors are committed to ensuring that as sponsors, all supervisory duties and requirements specified by the law school are met. However, it is ultimately the responsibility of the law student to ensure mastery of and compliance with his or her law school's specific program requirements.
The AGO's Spokane division is seeking two law clerks to serve for one year in its office beginning in Fall 2026. Law students interested in clerking at the AGO, whether receiving academic credit or serving as a law clerk (not receiving credit), during the academic year are encouraged to submit their application! During the academic year, the law clerks will be limited to 19 hours per week, which will increase to 40 hours per week during the Summer. Serving as a law clerk or extern for the AGO not only can provide you the opportunity to earn valuable academic credit, it can offer the following, equally important benefits:
- Exceptional legal experience working in a professional law office
- Demonstration of one's interest in and commitment to public service
- Engagement with experienced, professional colleagues and legal mentors
- Expansive breadth and diversity of work
- Opportunity to attend a wide array of effective, interesting legal trainings (e.g., CLEs) and events
- Work that makes a tangible and positive difference to the people of Washington
Details about working for the Attorney General's Office
The Office is committed to the benefits of a healthy life-work balance with a respectful, inclusive and diverse workplace where you will experience belonging and be part of a supportive and collegial team. Successful candidates will join an Office in which every person is committed to providing exceptional legal services and where individual professional development is encouraged and supported. The exceptional benefits of joining the AGO as a law clerk include:
- Competitive salary – Law clerks who have completed their first year of law school will receive $23/hour. Law clerks who have completed their second year of law school will receive $24/hour
- Vacation Leave, Sick Leave, Military and Civil Leave and Paid Holidays
- Health and wellness program
- Access to attend training and career development program that is recognized for its excellence and efficacy by AGOs nationwide
- Enrollment in the Public Employees' Retirement System, receiving one service credit per each month worked of 90 hours or more.
Duties:
This law clerk opportunity is based in the Spokane Division, Social and Health Services Section. This sections work includes juvenile welfare work in 8 counties in Eastern Washington. Juvenile welfare work includes dependency and termination of parental right cases, and foster care and child care licensing cases. These cases arise based on allegations of child abuse or neglect by the parents or legal custodians. This section also represents Eastern State Hospital and DSHS.
Although each law clerk's experience is unique, the following duties are typical of an AGO law clerk:
- Researching and writing memoranda, pleadings, and correspondence;
- Assistance in preparation for litigation, i.e., depositions, witness interviews, and discovery;
- Drafting client advice memos and attending meetings where that advice is then presented to the client; and
- Opportunity to observe attorneys in court, particularly for those cases for which the law clerk provided assistance. Rule 9 law clerks may be allowed to present in court.
Qualifications:
To be considered for a law clerk externship opportunity, you must have completed at least one year of law school at an ABA accredited law school and must be enrolled in said law school during the duration of your service. In addition, the AGO seeks applicants who are committed to public service as demonstrated by an applicant's background, talents, attitude, and enthusiasm for public law practice. We also seek applicants with a diverse background in education, previous work experience, law school activities, extracurricular activities, community service and areas of interest that enhance our respectful, diverse and professional office. Applicants must also be able to work in WA State for the duration of the clerkship.
Note that this program is not for summer clerkships. Those seeking a summer externship must apply via the formal fall/spring recruitment program. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Talent Acquisition Team at HREmployment@atg.wa.gov.
Supplemental Information:
Law students interested in clerking at the AGO, whether receiving academic credit or serving as a law clerk (not receiving credit), during the academic year may submit their application by clicking the “apply” button above. If you're looking to serve as a law clerk extern during the academic year, you must time your application to coincide with the needs of their school's externship program. In addition to completing the application, all applicants must upload all required documents:
- Letter of Interest
- Resume
- Law School Transcript (Official/Unofficial)
- Letter of Recommendation if a 2L, 3L or LL.M. (the letter can be sent separately to the recruitment office at HREmployment@atg.wa.gov)
Upon receipt, the application material will be reviewed and approved applications will be referred to the hiring manager. We are very confident that the experience gleaned from serving as an extern for the AGO will meet or exceed the substantive experience requirement of any law school externship program. For our part, division supervisors are committed to ensuring that as sponsors, all supervisory duties and requirements specified by the law school are met. However, it is ultimately the responsibility of the law student to ensure mastery of and compliance with his or her law school's specific program requirements.