Law Clerks

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Mission Statement

To provide law clerks with an elite opportunity to gain practical legal experience through courtroom advocacy and legal research and writing. The Olmsted County Attorney's Office aims to prepare law students to be practice-ready attorneys upon graduation from law school. 

Please contact: Arianna Whitney, Assistant Olmsted County Attorney at county.attorney@co.olmsted.mn.us

The Law Clerk Program

The Olmsted County Attorney’s Office is Southeast Minnesota’s largest public law firm. Each year, our office hires students for the academic year and summer. This experience offers a hands-on and fast-paced work experience. This program is highly sought-after due to the amount of courtroom experiences offered to law clerks. Along with the courtroom experiences and research and writing, law clerks will be able to work closely with prosecutors on specific cases and participate in mock contested hearings with newly sworn peace officers. Law clerks will be assigned to the criminal or civil division. Law clerks will work 40 hours a week during the summer and as their schedules allow during the school year, but not to exceed 19 hours.

Law Clerk Positions

  • Recruitment is done through:
    • On-Campus Interviews (OCI) at the three Minnesota law schools. Interviews are held in the Fall.
    • Posting on Symplicity in January to the three Minnesota law schools. An additional summer posting will also be available on Symplicity in January to the three Minnesota law schools.
    • If you are interested in a summer law clerk position, but do not attend a Minnesota law school, please reach out to our Law Clerk Coordinator.
  • Academic year law clerks include 2L and 3L law students.
  • During the academic year, student will be hired as needed.
  • Summer positions are available to 1L and 2L students who are eligible to be certified as student attorneys.
  • Four to five students are hired to work as law clerks for a 10 to 12 week period for 40 hours a week.
  • Compensation for law clerks is currently $18 per hour if students are work study eligible. The Olmsted County Attorney's Office also accepts volunteers, fellowships and working for class credit.


Law Clerk Division Assignments

Clerks will be assigned to work in one of two divisions: Criminal or Civil.

  • Criminal
    • The Criminal Division of the Olmsted County Attorney's Office is divided into three groups; Person Crimes, Community Prosecution and Drug Prosecution. When working in the criminal division, you will have an opportunity to work in all three groups. Law clerks primary responsibilities will be appearing in court for routine hearings, research and writing. Proficient law clerks may also get the opportunity to handle contested hearings and second-chair jury trials.
  • Civil
    • Our Civil Division handles legal matters related to civil commitment, adult protection, child protection, child support, juvenile delinquency and legal counsel to other Olmsted County agencies. Law clerks primary responsibilities will be appearing in court for routine hearings, research and writing. Proficient law clerks may also get the opportunity to handle contested hearings and second-chair trials.