Law Student - Summer 2026 Volunteer Law Clerk Application

***This application is for students actively pursuing a Juris Doctorate. If you are not an active law student, please fill out the 'Summer 2026 Volunteer Intern' application found on our careers page. Applicants who apply for this role and are not actively pursuing a JD will not be considered***

General Description:

The CCSAO Volunteer Law Clerk Program is highly competitive due to the hands-on, challenging, and relevant work experience participants will garner. Law Clerks will be paired with an Assistant State's Attorney within one of the several divisions of the Cook County Court System, who will guide and mentor the participant during their time with the office.

The volunteer will be responsible for contributing and assisting with legal research, preparing memos, partnering with counsel regarding case management and procedural requirements. This internship is unpaid and does not include benefits.

The summer volunteer law clerk session runs from June 8 through August 21; start and end dates are flexible between these dates. Volunteer law clerks planning on utilizing their 711 license will be expected to attend a 2-day onboarding June 1 & 2.

Application Deadline: February 1, 2026

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Contribute with legal research and prepare memos on pending legal issues
• Draft motions, answers, and other required legal filings
• Aid in the preparation of discovery
• Other duties as assigned by supervising attorney

Minimum Qualification:

• Must be an active law student.
• Must be in good standing with your school, and not be on any type of academic probation or the like

Physical Requirements:
(a) Sedentary work. Sedentary work involves lifting no more than 10 pounds at a time and occasionally lifting or carrying articles like docket files, ledgers, and small tools. Although a sedentary job is defined as one which involves sitting, a certain amount of walking and standing is often necessary in carrying out job duties. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required occasionally, and other sedentary criteria are met.

Equal Employment Opportunity:

EEO Message: The Cook County State's Attorney's Office (CCSAO) is an equal opportunity employer, which seeks to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. The CCSAO does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, physical and mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Upon request, the CCSAO will provide reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals due to a disability or pregnancy. The EEOP report can be found on our website at www.cookcountystatesattorney.org.

Reasonable Accommodation

Applicants that are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran may contact the Cook County State's Attorney's Office Team via email at Hr.Sao@cookcountysao.org and arrange for an accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to access job openings or apply for a job on this site as a result of your disability.