Organization

Alaska Department of Law
Anchorage or Juneau, Alaska

Posted Date

January 21, 2025

Contact Information

Richard Carter
richard.carter@alaska.gov

https://law.alaska.gov/department/jobs/fellow.html 

Each year, the Civil Division selects exceptionally qualified recent graduates to serve for a two-year Fellowship. Fellows are assigned to the Civil Division’s Professional Development and Public Service section, where they gain practical, hands-on legal experience while enjoying the personal satisfaction of serving the residents of Alaska. In addition to the section supervisor’s mentorship, the Division assigns senior attorneys to serve as mentors for each fellow. Pairings are based on the substantive interests of the fellow and whether they are interested in agency advice, trial court litigation, or appellate practice.

Responsibilities

The program allows top-level recent graduates and attorneys coming out of clerkships to experience a wider range of legal work than would ordinarily be available when assigned to a specific section in the Department. Each fellow manages their own caseloads and participates in the full range of work handled by the Civil Division. This includes partnering with attorneys in other sections to work on a wide variety of civil matters including child protection, natural resources, employment, workers’ compensation, torts, governmental management, environment, oil and gas, health and social services, and legislation and regulations. It also includes advising a wide variety of state clients, including state agencies, governmental officials, public corporations, and boards and commissions. The fellows assist with legal advice projects, as well as, appeals, and litigation. Their work includes propounding and reviewing written discovery, taking and defending depositions, drafting legal pleadings and briefs, representing state clients in state or federal courts, representing state agencies in administrative proceedings, working on appeals to Alaska’s superior and supreme courts, assessing cases, and sitting on moot courts for other attorneys.

Through the fellowship, less experienced attorneys gain specialized knowledge, essential skills, and practical, hands-on experience on critical matters of public interest. Near or at the close of the fellowship period, successful fellows are eligible to apply for any open attorney position within the Department, including those only open to current Department employees.

Qualifications

Applicants for the Civil Division fellowship program must be law graduates with strong qualifications who are currently serving or who have very recently served as full-time judicial clerks; law graduates participating in government, academic, or public-interest fellowships that will be completed prior to the start date of the Department of Law’s fellowship; and exceptionally qualified law students in their final year at an accredited law school (including LL.Ms).

Application Process

Email a cover letter, resume, references, and writing sample to civil.recruit@alaska.gov.