Home Clerkship Opportunities

Chief Judge Rowan D. Wilson hires personal law clerks for one-year clerkships. Hiring for the 2025-26 term has been completed. Clerkships begin in the summer, usually no earlier than mid-June and no later than mid-August. Chief Judge Wilson’s home chambers are in Manhattan; law clerks are required to travel to Albany when the Court of Appeals is in session (approximately 30-50 days a year).

Chief Judge Wilson accepts applications on a rolling basis, but will typically not begin the process of evaluating applications until May 1st of the year before the clerkship is to begin, with the aim of interviewing candidates in the June timeframe. Those applicants adhering to the Federal timeline will not be disadvantaged. Applicants who wish to be considered for alternative terms (e.g., 2026-2027 or 2027-2028) may so indicate in an initial application but should send an updated resume and cover letter a year later if they are not selected for the first year of application and remain interested in the second. Applicants receiving a clerkship offer from Chief Judge Wilson should feel entirely free to decline it or to take a reasonable amount of time to consider it, which may be spent shopping around for other offers.

Applications must include a current résumé, law school and undergraduate transcripts, a writing sample, and two letters of reference from persons other than the applicant’s parents, siblings, spouse, children, etc. Although superior academic qualifications generally help an applicant stand out, love for, skill at and speed of careful writing are paramount, along with responsibility, good judgment, collegiality and a keen sense of humor (particularly the ability to laugh at one’s self). Prior work experience as a lawyer is neither necessary nor frowned upon.

Chief Judge Wilson anticipates offering 1-2 internships (in Manhattan chambers) to law students during the fall, spring and summer each year. Applications for internships may be submitted at any time; the above requirements for clerkship applicants, appropriately relaxed, should guide law students interested in an internship.

Complete applications should be emailed to wilsonchambers@nycourts.gov, or mailed to: Hon. Rowan D. Wilson, New York Court of Appeals, 20 Eagle Street, Albany, NY 12207. Questions or follow-up inquiries should also be sent to the same email.