Internships

Trial Court Judicial Internships

Judicial Interns typically perform legal research and assist in preparing bench memoranda and draft decisions. Interns work closely with jurists and judicial law clerks and may observe courtroom proceedings and engage in discussions in chambers. Judicial internships are unpaid, but students may receive academic credit or apply for a fellowship program if offered by the student’s law school. Internships may be full-time or part-time.

Justices and judges of the Superior Court and District Court host judicial interns part-time during the fall and spring semesters, with a suggested minimum of 15 hours per week, and full-time during the summer. Judicial Interns are assigned to a courthouse and work with multiple justices and judges.

Judicial Internships are primarily offered through placement programs operated by the University of Maine School of Law. To the extent that additional openings may be available, interested students may apply by sending a cover letter, resume, and transcript to Supervisory Law Clerk to the Trial Chiefs, Natalie Kreckel at natalie.kreckel@courts.maine.gov. The cover letter should indicate the court locations at which a student would accept an internship.

Applications for the spring semester (January-April) will be accepted September 1-October 31. Applications for the summer (May-August) will be accepted December 1-January 31. Applications for the fall semester (September-December) will be accepted from February 1-March 31.

Legal Internships

Certain areas within the Administrative Office of the Courts, including Court Operations, Court Services, and Court Communications, may host law school students as legal interns under the supervision of an attorney. Typically, legal internships are offered through placement programs operated by the University of Maine School of Law. To the extent additional internships may be available, interested students may apply by sending a cover letter, resume, and transcript to Dawn Rule, Senior Human Resources Generalist, at hr.help@courts.maine.gov.