9/13/24 Update re: Notice of Closure of Conejos County Courthouse

2/14/2025: Archuleta County Closed, La Plata 2-hour Delay

Court of Appeals

Appeals

Court of Appeals

Law Clerk Applicants

Appellate Law Clerkships at the Colorado Court of Appeals generally begin in August or early September of each year, and may be for for one or two year periods, or may be ongoing positions, all at the discretion of the hiring judge. 

Each judge has 2 appellate law clerk positions, and each makes hiring decisions their own chambers. Please see the information provided below for the details on applying for a clerkship in each Judge's chambers.

Applicants must have completed at least four semesters of law school prior to submitting application materials.

Please address inquiries and applications to the individual Judges at:
Colorado Court of Appeals
2 East 14th Avenue, 
Denver, CO 80203

Judge Román is not currently taking applications for judicial clerkships.

Judge Jones hires law clerks for staggered, two-year terms. He prefers to receive applications by June, and holds interviews in the Summer. Please email a cover letter, resume, law school transcript, writing sample (preferably one not edited by someone else), and letters of reference to jerry.jones@judicial.state.co.us. Judge Jones has hired his clerk for the 2024-2026 term.

Judge Fox has two law clerks who serve staggered two-year terms.  She will accept applications for the 2025-2027 term from Spring 2024 through July 1, 2024.  Applicants must be willing to commit to a two-year clerkship and should be available to start in August or September 2025.  Applications should be sent by email to jack.wold-mcgimsey@judicial.state.co.us in combined PDF format, and should include a cover letter, resume, writing sample of unpublished material (one not edited by someone else), transcripts (undergraduate and law school), and three letters of recommendation (only one from a law school professor).  Applications may be submitted with only three semesters of law school grades, but Judge Fox asks that applicants supplement their application with fourth semester grades when they become available.  Interviews will be conducted in July with an offer extended in late July or early August.  Out-of-state applicants must be available in Denver (at their own expense) for in person interviews.  Judge Fox may also ask the applicant to prepare an original writing sample based upon a fact pattern to be supplied by the judge.

Judge Dunn has hired for the 2025-2027 term and is not currently accepting applications.

Judge Harris is currently accepting applications for the 2026 term and will evaluate applications on a rolling basis.  She prefers applicants who can commit to a two-year term, but she will consider applicants who are available for one year.  Please note availability (for one year or two years) in the cover letter.  To apply, applicants should send the following materials to elizabeth.harris@judicial.state.co.us and carolyn.fergus-callahan@judicial.state.co.us: cover letter, resume, law school transcript (unofficial is fine), writing sample (not substantially edited by someone else), and two or three letters of recommendation. Applications may be submitted with only three semesters of law school grades, but the application should be supplemented with fourth semester grades when available.

Judge Freyre anticipates that the next judicial clerk vacancy in her chambers will be for a two-year term beginning in August 2026 (2026-2028 term).  She will begin accepting applications for the 2026-2028 term in the spring of 2025.  Applicants should send the following materials: cover letter, resume, law school transcript (unofficial is fine), writing sample (not edited by someone else), and two or three letters of recommendation, including one from a current or former supervisor.  Applications should be sent to riley.knight@judicial.state.co.us.

Judge Welling is not currently accepting applications for judicial clerkships.  Judge Welling anticipates that the next judicial clerk vacancy in his chambers will be for a two-year term beginning in August 2026 (i.e., the 2026-2028 term).  Judge Welling will likely begin accepting applications for the 2026-2028 term in late-Spring 2025 (and information regarding the application process and deadline will be posted as that time draws closer).

Judge Tow hires law clerks for staggered, two-year terms.  Judge Tow is currently accepting applications for the 2026-2028 term.  Applications should include one combined pdf with the following: (1) a cover letter; (2) a resume; (3) a law school transcript (official if available); and (4) a writing sample that has not been substantially edited by someone else.  Applicants should also submit two or three letters of recommendation, which may be emailed separately.  Applications are due by June 1, 2025, and should be emailed to sommer.wiss@judicial.state.co.us

Judge Lipinsky will begin accepting applications for his 2026-2028 law clerk position in February 2025.  All inquiries and applications should be sent by email to Xandra Nielsen at alexandra.nielsen@judicial.state.co.us.  Please submit applications in combined PDF format, and include a cover letter, resume, law school transcript (unofficial is acceptable), writing sample (not edited by someone else), and three letters of recommendation (only one of which is from a law school professor).  

Judge Grove is currently taking applications for the 2025-2027 clerkship term.  Generally, Judge Grove's applications should  include: (1) a cover letter; (2) a resume; (3) an official or unofficial law school transcript showing class rank; (4) a writing sample of up to fifteen double-spaced pages (which may be a portion of a larger document), preferably not edited by someone else; and (5) three letters of recommendation, including at least one from a current or former supervisor.  Applications may be submitted with only three semesters of law school grades, but Judge Grove asks that applicants supplement with fourth semester grades when they become available. Applications should be submitted to daniel.sparacino@judicial.state.co.us.

Judge Pawar is not currently taking applications for judicial clerkships.

Judge Brown anticipates hiring one law clerk for a two-year term from 2026-2028.  Applicants should be available to start in August or September 2026.  She will accept applications for the 2026-2028 term from March 31, 2025, until May 30, 2025.  Applications should be sent by email to merrily.newcomb@judicial.state.co.us and alex.dinkel@judicial.state.co.us in PDF format and should include a cover letter, resume, writing sample unedited by anyone else, transcripts (undergraduate and law school), and two to three letters of recommendation.  Judge Brown anticipates interviewing top candidates mid-June and making an offer in early July.  Judge Brown may also ask the applicant to prepare an original writing sample based upon a fact pattern to be supplied by the Judge. 

Judge Johnson hires law clerks for two-year staggered terms.  Longer terms may be available at the discretion of the judge and the interest of the law clerk.  Applications for the 2025-2027 term are due June 1, 2024, with interviews conducted in mid-June, and an offer extended no later than August 1, 2024 to begin work in August/September 2025.  Applicants should submit electronically the following: (1) cover letter; (2) resume; (3) official law school transcript; (4) three letters of recommendation (two which must be from a judge or lawyer with whom the applicant interned or was employed); and (5) writing sample no more than 10 pages double-spaced (may be part of a larger piece of work and must not be a law review article) that is certified fully written and edited by the applicant.  In the cover letter, applicants may address any challenges or interesting life experiences that makes the applicants’ backgrounds unique.  Application materials may be received separately so long as a complete application is submitted by the deadline.  Application should be submitted to Samantha.Piszcz@judicial.state.co.us or Timothy.Maguire@judicial.state.co.us.

Judge Gomez is not currently taking applications for judicial clerkships.


 

Judge Yun is not currently taking applications for judicial clerkships.

Judge Kuhn is not currently accepting applications for judicial clerkships.  Judge Kuhn anticipates that the next judicial clerk vacancy in his chambers will be for a two-year term beginning in August 2027 (i.e., the 2027-2029 term).  Judge Kuhn will likely begin accepting applications for the 2027-2029 term in late-Spring 2026 (and information regarding the application process and deadline will be posted as that time draws closer).

Judge Schutz has hired for the 2025-2027 term and is not currently accepting applications.

Judge Schock has hired for the 2025-2027 term and is not currently accepting applications.  Judge Schock will begin accepting applications for the 2026 term in Spring 2025.

Judge Lum has hired for the 2025-2027 term and is not currently accepting applications. 

Judge Moultrie is not currently taking applications for judicial clerkships.

Judge Sullivan has hired for the 2024-2026 term and is not currently taking applications.  Judge Sullivan will begin accepting applications for the 2026-2028 term in Spring 2025. 

Judge Meirink's hiring status to come.

The Colorado Judicial Department is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Concerns or questions regarding Equal Employment Opportunities in the Colorado Judicial Department should be sent to: