Job Details

Paid Law Clerk or Externship Positions

The Attorney General's Office is pleased to invite qualified second-year law students to apply for summer 2027 paid law clerk or externship positions via our 2026 Fall Recruitment Program.

Law clerks and externs with the Washington Attorney General's Office have opportunities to engage in meaningful work making a difference for Washingtonians. Our office is committed to supporting you in your growth through worthwhile, enriching, and educational experiences working for what we believe to be the best public law firm in the country.

The Office is committed to the benefits of a healthy life-work balance with a respectful, inclusive, and diverse workplace where you will experience belonging and be part of a supportive and collegial team. Successful candidates will join an office in which every person is committed to providing exceptional legal services and where individual professional development is encouraged and supported. Our work is also guided by our Anti-racist commitment to recognize, address and eradicate all forms of racism within the scope of our work and operations. Additional exceptional benefits of joining the AGO as a law clerk include:

• Competitive Salary: Law clerks who have completed their second year of law school will receive $24/hour.
• Law clerk positions assigned to our Seattle office locations receive an additional 5% King County Location Pay.
• Vacation Leave, Sick Leave, Military and Civil Leave, and Paid Holidays
• Health and wellness program.
• Access to attend a training and career development program that is recognized for its excellence and efficacy by AGOs nationwide.
• Enrollment in the Public Employees' Retirement System, receiving one service credit for each month worked of 90 hours or more.
• Due to the limited duration of these positions (less than six months), law clerks are not eligible for medical and dental benefits.

Although each law clerk's experience is unique, the following duties are typical of an AGO law clerk:

• Researching and writing memoranda, pleadings, and correspondence;
• Assisting in preparation for litigation, i.e., depositions, witness interviews, and discovery;
• Drafting client advice memos and attending meetings where that advice is then presented to the client; and
• Observing attorneys in court, particularly for those cases in which the law clerk provided assistance. Rule 9 law clerks may be allowed to present in court.

The AGO seeks applicants who are committed to public service as demonstrated by an applicant's background, talents, attitude, and enthusiasm for public law practice. Qualified applicants are individuals who excel academically as demonstrated by law school grades and class standing, and who demonstrate a high degree of competence based on prior experiences. Law students must currently be attending an ABA accredited law school. We also seek applicants with a diverse background in education, previous work experience, law school activities, extracurricular activities, community service, and areas of interest that enhance our office.

To be considered for our fall recruitment program, "apply" using the green button above and submit a profile. In addition to fully completing a profile and responding to all supplemental questions, you must attach, preferably as PDFs:

• A letter of interest;
• Resume;
• Law School Transcript (official or unofficial); and
• Letter of recommendation.

The letter of recommendation is the only document that will be accepted separately. The letter of recommendation can be submitted by the recommender directly to the recruitment office by e-mail (HREmployment@atg.wa.gov).

Additional information (e.g., writing sample, additional letters of recommendation) will be accepted, though is not required. Incomplete applications will not be accepted or considered.

All applicants must apply via this system by 11:59 p.m. on September 7, 2026. These positions are not represented by the Association of Assistant Attorneys General/Washington Federation of State Employees AFSCME Council 28, AFL-CIO.

The Washington State Office of the Attorney General does not use the E-Verify system; therefore, we are not eligible to extend STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT). For more information, please visit www.uscis.gov.

Honoring diversity, equity and inclusion means that as an agency, and as individuals, we are committed to ensuring that all employees and volunteers enjoy a respectful, safe and supportive working environment. Only by fostering the inclusion of people from all backgrounds, cultures and attributes, can AGO employees and volunteers achieve their fullest potential and best advance the goals and mission of the AGO.

The AGO is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability. Persons requiring reasonable accommodation in the application process or requiring information in an alternative format may contact the recruitment team at HREmployment@atg.wa.gov. Those with a hearing impairment in need of accommodation are encouraged to contact the Washington Relay Service at 1-800-676-3777 or www.washingtonrelay.com.