Appellate Court Clerkships
Law Clerks at the Utah Appellate Courts
Clerkships at the Utah Supreme Court and the Utah Court of Appeals are full-time positions generally for at least one year. The appellate judges hire their own clerks.
Please see the information provided below for the details on applying for a clerkship in each chamber. The Law Clerk must have a JD degree, or equivalent, from an accredited law school before beginning employment and must agree to a criminal background check. Hiring decisions will take into account information learned from the background check, and such information may be grounds to rescind an offer or terminate employment, in the sole discretion of the hiring judge.
The current starting salary for law clerks is $40.00.
Utah Supreme Court Clerkships
Please email applications to the individual justice's chambers email address according to the following instructions:
Chief Justice Matthew B. Durrant
No clerkships are presently available.
Application requirements: cover letter, resume, law school transcript, writing sample (preferably 10-15 pages), and two or three letters of recommendation. Recommendation letters may be sent separately. Applications containing all of the materials listed must be emailed to durrantchambers@utcourts.gov.
Associate Chief Justice John A. Pearce
No clerkships are presently available.
Application requirements: Cover letter, resume, law school transcript, writing sample, and two or three letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation may be sent separately. Applications containing all of the materials listed must be emailed to pearcechambers@utcourts.gov.
Justice Paige Petersen
No clerkships are presently available.
Application requirements: Cover letter, resume, law school transcript, writing sample (preferably 10-15 pages), and two or three letters of recommendation. Recommendation letters may be sent separately. Applications containing all of the materials listed must be emailed to petersenchambers@utcourts.gov.
Justice Diana Hagen
No clerkships are presently available.
Application requirements: cover letter, resume, law school transcript, writing sample (preferably 10-15 pages), and two or three letters of recommendation. Recommendation letters may be sent separately. Applications containing all of the materials listed must be emailed to hagenchambers@utcourts.gov.
Justice Jill M. Pohlman
No clerkships are presently available.
Application requirements: cover letter, resume, law school transcript, writing sample (preferably 10-15 pages), and two or three letters of recommendation. Recommendation letters may be sent separately. Applications containing all of the materials listed must be emailed to pohlmanchambers@utcourts.gov
Utah Court of Appeals Clerkships
Please email applications with the individual judge's name in the subject line to courtofappeals@utcourts.gov, according to the following instructions:
Judge Gregory K. Orme
No clerkships are presently available.
Application requirements: resume, law school transcript, unedited writing sample, and three letters of recommendation.
Application deadline: Applications from law students are accepted during the second semester of second year for the two positions to be filled following their graduation. Law school graduates may apply during the same period.
Judge Michele M. Christiansen Forster
No clerkships are presently available.
Application requirements: resume, law school transcript, and unedited writing sample.
Judge David N. Mortensen
No clerkships are presently available.
Application requirements: Applicants should send an email with Judge Mortensen’s name in the subject line to courtofappeals@utcourts.gov. The application should include a cover letter, a resume, a law school transcript with at least three semesters of grades, a writing sample (10-15 pages, unedited), and 2-3 references (letters of recommendation or contact information for references are both acceptable).
Application deadline: Judge Mortensen accepts applications beginning January each year, on a rolling basis until , for one clerkship to begin the following year. (Example: Applications for the clerkship commencing August 2025 will be considered starting January 2024).
Judge Ryan M. Harris
No clerkships are presently available.
Application requirements: Cover letter, resume, law school transcript with at least three semesters of grades, unedited writing sample, and two or three letters of recommendation (which may be sent separately).
Application deadline: Judge Harris accepts applications from January 1 to February 15 each year, on a rolling basis, for two clerkships to begin the following calendar year.
Judge Ryan D. Tenney
No clerkships are presently available.
Application requirements: Applicants should send an email with Judge Tenney's name in the subject line to courtofappeals@utcourts.gov. The application should include a cover letter, a resume, a law school transcript with at least three semesters of grades, a writing sample (10-15 pages, unedited), and 2-3 references (letters of recommendation or contact information for references are both acceptable).
Application deadline: Judge Tenney will consider applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
Judge John D. Luthy
Judge John D. Luthy of the Utah Court of Appeals has an opening for a law clerk. The clerkship will begin in August 2025 and last through July 2026. Applications for this position will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
Application requirements: Applicants should send an email with Judge Luthy’s name in the subject line to courtofappeals@utcourts.gov. The application should include a cover letter, a resume, a law school transcript, a writing sample (10-15 pages, preferably unedited), and 2-3 references.
Judge Amy Oliver
Judge Oliver is currently accepting applications for two clerkship positions for 2025-26.
Application requirements: Applicants should send an email with Judge Oliver's name in the subject line to courtofappeals@utcourts.gov. The application should include a cover letter, resume, law school transcript, a writing sample (10-15 pages, unedited), and 2-3 letters of recommendation.
Application deadline: Judge Oliver will begin considering applications on January 16, 2024, and applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the positions are filled.