Information for Students

  1. Practical Experience
  2. Externships
  3. Information for Students

Chicago-Kent offers three avenues for students to pursue externship opportunities in the areas of government, public interest, private, and for-profit firms and corporations. Examples of externships include working for the Office of the Illinois Attorney General and the U.S. Attorney’s Office; public defender offices; the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; and numerous major law firms and nonprofits. All externships must be approved. The three types of externships include:

Judicial Externships acquaint you with the day-to-day operation of the courts as you work with trial and appellate court judges and their law clerks to research and write legal memoranda and draft opinions.

Legal Externships allow you to work in civil or criminal practice in a specialized area of your choice with supervising attorneys in federal, state, and local government agencies; private law firms of all sizes; corporate legal departments; or public interest organizations." 

Judicial Externship Program

Judicial Externship Program (JEP) is a four credit hour, pass/low pass/fail program open to students who have completed at least their first full year of law school and want to do legal research and writing for a federal appellate, district or magistrate judge, or designated Illinois appellate or circuit court judges.

JEP enables a student to become involved in particular legal problems through research and writing, and to contribute to the resolution of those problems by participating in drafting memoranda and opinions. 

Depending upon the judge, an extern may also have the opportunity to observe the judge’s day-to-day routine and discuss with him/her the issues and problems that judges confront. Take advantage of this prestigious learning opportunity while enhancing your marketability in the legal world.

Application Process:  The deadline for Spring 2025 Judicial Externship applications has passed but you can apply for a judicial externship in the summer.  We will post opportunities below or you can find one on your own through 12Twenty (see below).   If you do obtain an externship through an outside source, please email Professor Decatorsmith and Michael Oakes as well as fill out this form

Note:  Before you apply, be certain you are able to commit 16 hours/week during the fall and spring semesters, or 32 hours/week in the summer, as well as attend the in person weekly classroom component and other requirements of the course during the semester.  If you have any questions about the program, please contact Professor Jon Decatorsmith (jdecator@kentlaw.iit.edu).

Find your own judicial externship:  Students can find their own externship through posts made by individual chambers on the Career Services Management System 12twenty* or get placed with judges in various divisions via the Cook County application. In the Summer, students can also apply to judges via the Just the Beginning - A Pipeline Organization, and applications typically close by the end of January each year.   We will also post any opportunities for externships below.  

Cover Letter and Resume Guidance  

Below are short guides on to help you prepare your cover letter and resume:

Cover Letter Guide

Writing Sample Guide

Judicial Externship Opportunities

If you receive a Judicial Externship, please register your opportunity here so you receive law school credit. 

Judicial Externship: Honorable David B. Atkins, Summer 2025

Judge David B. Atkins, General Chancery Section, is seeking Judicial Externs for the Summer 2025 semester. Application materials should include:   

  • Resume
  • Unofficial transcript copy
  • Brief cover letter

These may be submitted either via email to ccc.chancerycalendar16@cookcountyil.gov, or in paper to courtroom 2102, at the preference of the applicants.

Judicial Externship:  Law Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County

The Law Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County is looking for judicial externships for Summer 2025.  If you are interested in applying for a summer externship, please apply as soon as possible.

Prospective students must submit the following documents:

Please submit the above or direct any questions to Deijha Swanson (Chief Judge's Office) at Deijham.Swanson@cookcountyil.gov or Anna Sekiguchi, Anna.Sekiguchi@cookcountyil.gov.  

Judicial Externship: Judge Caroline Moreland, Summer 2025 

Judge Moreland sits in the Chancery Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County. The Chancery Division has jurisdiction over cases seeking equitable relief. Judge Moreland’s docket includes cases on a wide variety of legal areas, such as administrative reviews, business disputes, trust disputes, and insurance coverage. Judge Moreland holds court calls on a daily basis, addressing topics ranging from routine statuses to emergency TRO hearings and oral arguments. 

Students will be required to come into the office at least two days per week. They are happy to accommodate hybrid work arrangements. For more information and how to apply, please download the full flyer 

Judicial Externship:  Judge Alison Conlon, Summer 2025

Judge Alison Conlon is seeking to work with a Judicial Externs for the Summer of 2025. To ensure that the administration of justice can continue during this time, Judge Conlon is conducting court both in-person and via Zoom.

About Judge Conlon and her Court:  Judge Conlon sits in the Chancery Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County. The Chancery Division handles civil cases involving equitable remedies. Judge Conlon’s court call sees a variety of complex cases, often including TROs, FOIA issues, administrative reviews, and class actions. In addition, Judge Conlon often hears compelling “business divorces,” such as LLC break ups, and other elaborate business disputes, making the position a particularly good fit for those interested in business cases. There are also many emergency motions filed in front of Judge Conlon, such as TROs, which are exciting and provide extra opportunity for externs to observe.

Please download the full flyer for more information on the experience and how to apply.  

Judicial Externship: Judge William B. Sullivan, Summer 2025 

Judge Sullivan is looking for a summer extern in the Cook County, Chancery Division. As a judicial extern, the student will be working directly under Judge Sullivan’s Judicial Law Clerk. The student will be assigned cases, will read the parties’ arguments on motions before the Court, will research applicable law, will write memoranda of the arguments presented, will orally present opinions on the assigned case, and will discuss the cases with the law clerk and Judge Sullivan to prepare the Court for oral arguments. Additionally, the student will have the opportunity to write opinions and orders. The student may also be assigned to review Judgment of Foreclosure or Order Approving Sale courtesy copies to ensure statutory compliance. Finally, the student will be able to attend the court call (via Zoom until further notice) daily to hear attorneys argue a variety of cases, including cases the student prepared. Court calls are M/W/Th/F at 10:30 AM (non-contested hearings) and M/T/W/Th at 2:30 PM (contested hearings). 

Please download the full flyer for more information on the experience and how to apply.  

Access2Practice (A2P) Legal Externship is a 4-credit-hour Pass/Fail class which enables Kent 2Ls and 3Ls to gain supervision and mentoring in a wide variety of legal areas – both civil and criminal.  Externs must work a minimum of 16 hours per week during the Fall/Spring semesters and 32 hours per week in the Summer semester, as well as attend the in person weekly classroom component, among other academic requirements associated with the course. 

The program does not assign students to particular practice placements. Instead a student must first independently obtain an externship placement before applying to participate in and register for an Access2Practice Legal Externship. Each placement is independent and external to the law school and will have its own independent selection and screening process. 

Application Process:  Externships can be found via Chicago-Kent’s extensive legal network.  For information on how to do this, follow our document on How to Apply for a Legal Externship Placement. Students can find their own externships through 12twenty*, the Career Services Management System. Newly posted externships will also be featured below and in The Record.  

Once a student has secured an externship, he or she must apply to the externship program by (1) informing Professor Decatorsmith via email (jdecator@kentlaw.iit.edu) and (2) filling out this Form.  This information allows us to keep track of student placements as well as give us the information needed to reach out to firms and confirm student placement, as well as discuss our expectations with regard to the student's supervision.  

Note:  Before you apply, be certain you are able to commit 16 hours/week during the fall and spring semesters, or 32 hours/week in the summer, as well as attend the in person weekly classroom component and other requirements of the course during the semester.  If you have any questions about the program, please contact Professor Jon Decatorsmith (jdecator@kentlaw.iit.edu). 

LEGAL EXTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

If you receive a Legal Externship, please register your opportunity here so you receive law school credit.  

Sangamon County State's Attorney Externship - Summer 2025

The Sangamon County State's Attorney's Office is seeking applications from law students to serve as summer interns. Summer interns have the opportunity for hands-on experience in the criminal justice system. Law interns have the opportunity to gain valuable insight into the criminal justice system, including litigation, research, and writing experience in a rewarding and fast-paced environment. The State's Attorney's Office is a high volume office. The office has approximately 50 employees spread over several divisions including Criminal Felony Division, Traffic and Misdemeanor Division, Juvenile Division, and Civil Division. Sangamon County also has specialized treatment courts for drug addiction and mental illness, along with a veterans treatment court. This is an unpaid position but credit can be earned through the school's Legal Externship Program.  

For more information and how to apply, please download the full flyer

Torture Inquiry and Relief Commission (TIRC) - Call for Legal Externs, Summer 2025

The Illinois Torture Inquiry and Relief Commission (TIRC) is seeking 2L and 3L students interested in investigating claims of torture used to elicit criminal confessions. TIRC was established by the Illinois Legislature in 2009, in response to findings that the Chicago Police Department (and former Commander Jon Burge) tortured suspects to obtain confessions. TIRC Staff investigates each claim of torture to determine whether there is sufficient evidence of torture to merit judicial review. If TIRC's investigation finds sufficient evidence of torture, the Commission refers the claim to court to hold an evidentiary hearing on whether the confession was the product of torture, and may grant a new trial, vacate the sentence, or even issue a certificate of innocence where appropriate. If TIRC's investigation finds that the claim of torture is not credible, and the confession was obtained legally, it is also committed to denying meritless claims.

TIRC is the only agency of its kind in the country, providing what is often the last avenue for relief for those who may have been wrongfully convicted as a result of torture. TIRC's work also plays a vital role in helping to repair and restore public trust in the criminal justice system. This is a unique opportunity to gain experience in human rights law, as well as obtaining discovery, conducting interviews, and providing legal analysis to the Commission that will be relied upon to determine the outcome of the claim.

For more information and how to apply, please download the full flyer