Information for Judges and their Chambers

Find an interest form here.

We understand that taking on a fellow requires effort from a judge and chambers staff, and that you might have concerns about undergraduates' lack of legal training. However, Dartmouth students bring diverse skills that can be of use not only to a judge's personal chambers, but also to a courthouse more broadly. Moreover, because of the "D-Plan," Dartmouth's undergraduates take leave terms not just during the summer months, but throughout the calendar year.

Your Dartmouth Judicial Fellow will have advanced research and analytical skills in fields ranging from government, to history, philosophy, economics, literature, data visualization, human-centered design, and more. We invite you to think creatively about where and how a Dartmouth Judicial Fellow might fit into and assist your work.

Dartmouth undergraduates have been successful in both trial and appellate court settings. As long as the Judicial Fellow has a relationship with you and opportunities to shadow and observe the work of your court, there are many ways for students to have meaningful internship experiences that will deepen their understanding of the courts and impact their future.

"There are so many integrated roles and experiences when it comes to who is involved in the judicial system. And there's a wide range of law out there with all different kinds of cases. Many Dartmouth students are interested in the law, but don't know how to explore it on campus and could benefit from having this kind of experience and exposure."   

 - Carson Goh '25

Below are just some of the ways that an undergraduate Judicial Fellow can assist your chambers and your court.

Case-Related Work - Fellows can assist in research, file review, and memo preparation, as well as with the logistical work of chambers. 

• Read and summarize case files to help manage over-crowded dockets
• Review case records
• Prepare bench memos and questions for trial, arguments, status conferences, and participate in chambers meetings
• Write fact statements
• Conduct historical research for originalist analysis

Special Projects Research - Fellows can assist in existing projects or conduct novel research that would otherwise not be possible.

• Conference talks
• Article and book projects
• Court usage research
• Special questions research (e.g. DEI, bar exam, national trends)

Clerk of Court - Many courthouses are overworked and understaffed. Fellows can provide much-needed assistance while gaining invaluable insight into the workings of the judicial system. Fellows can help…

• Court Navigator programs 
• Access to Justice initiatives
• Process new cases
• Develop surveys and data analytics programs for staff use

As you know, each chambers is unique and courts vary widely in their work. Whether you work in an appellate court, a trial court, a probate or drug court, we would love to discuss ways to make the Judicial Fellowship program work for you.

"This stuff is people's lives: family conflict, child protection, addiction, guardianships, an estate dealing with mom and dad's house, a landlord/tenant dispute. Exposure to this work is incredibly valuable to students as human beings."    

- Hon. Christopher Keating '86, New Hampshire Circuit Court