The first step in beginning your career search with the federal judiciary is to look for open jobs that match your skills, qualifications, and interests.
Open Positions
| Job Title | Minimum Salary | Location | Opening Date | Closing Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary Term Judicial Law Clerk to Magistrate Judge Lisa J. Cisneros (6 weeks) |
$93,358 - $172,980
|
San Francisco | November 13, 2026 | Open Until Filled |
Other Opportunities
To apply for Judicial Clerkships visit the Online System for Clerkship Application and Review (OSCAR), which simplifies the law clerk application process, enabling judges and chambers staff to sort and screen applications electronically, print selected application packages, and communicate with applicants via email.
The court welcomes students from law schools around the San Francisco Bay area and the country who choose to complement their law school coursework with judicial externships.
PLEASE NOTE: Some law firms who have hired students for their 2L summers are offering “stipends” to the students for their 1L summers. The precise terms of the stipends vary but generally include compensating a student if they engage in public interest work for their 1L summer, including work as a judicial extern. These stipends may raise ethical issues. If you have such an offer or anticipate the possibility of getting such an offer from a law firm, please disclose this offer in your application for a judicial externship and in any interview with the court.
Fall & Winter/Spring Externships
Law school credit is earned for successful completion of fall and winter/spring externships. Hiring takes place in March and April for fall externships and in September and October for winter externships. There are no deadlines for applying or for hiring; extern hiring continues until all positions are filled. The requirements of individual law schools as well as judges' chambers and court departments vary, so careful planning is advised.
Summer Externships
Law school credit is generally not awarded for summer externships. While the court does not compensate summer externs, funding is available through some law schools (especially for Pro Se Department externships).
Pro Se Department Information
Pro Se Department externs assist the Pro Se Department staff attorneys in managing prisoner habeas corpus and civil rights cases for the court. Externs participate in court extern activities (court days, social events) and work closely with the court’s career staff attorneys. Pro Se Department externs research and draft proposed procedural and dispositive orders in prisoners’ cases challenging their convictions and conditions of confinement. Students with a special interest in criminal law and/or prison law are encouraged to apply.
How to Apply
- Individual judges’ chambers have specific requirements for applicant qualifications and application materials. Specifics are noted in the online application. To be sure you have everything ready when you apply, begin by opening the online application (using the link below) to learn the specifics for the externships in which you are interested.
- Resumés and other supporting documents must be submitted by uploading them via the online application. Mail and email submissions are no longer accepted unless requested by chambers.
- From August 2017 forward, every extern application must be accompanied by a completed Extern Applicant Supplemental Background Questions form; this must be uploaded with your other application materials via the online application page.
Application for Judicial Externship
Supplemental Background Information Form
Before you begin...
Some tips for navigating the online application:
- Do not use your browser’s back or forward buttons to navigate the site; instead, use the site’s built-in buttons.
- Be sure to use a “modern” browser: IE10+, Edge, Firefox, Chrome, Safari, etc.
- If you encounter any issues while submitting your application, please email webcand@cand.uscourts.gov.
- Create an account with Government jobs.com.
- Go to the Northern District’s page on Governmentjobs.com.
- Feel free to contact the Human Resources Unit at:
415-522-2147 | hr@cand.uscourts.gov