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EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
AT SHUTE, MIHALY & WEINBERGER LLP
Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger LLP annually hires recent law school graduates and judicial clerks for its fellowship program. Throughout the year, the firm also employs law students as law clerks. The firm prides itself on its relaxed and collegial environment, which fosters informal mentoring of the fellows and law clerks. We have found that our fellowship and clerkship programs provide excellent training experiences for new attorneys and law students, who in return bring fresh perspectives and high quality legal work to the firm.
The firm strives for diversity in making its hiring decisions.
Fellowships
The firm offers a two-year fellowship for highly qualified recent law school graduates and judicial clerks who have a demonstrated interest in environmental or land use law. Fellows function as the junior associates of our firm and gain hands-on experience and instruction in environmental and land use law by conducting research, writing briefs and memoranda, meeting with clients, attending hearings, and appearing in court once admitted to practice in California.
Admission to the California bar is not a prerequisite for hiring, but we expect that fellows will have taken the California bar either before joining the firm or within a few months of beginning their fellowships. The firm does not compensate fellows for the costs of the bar examination or bar preparation courses.
Applications must be submitted by November 1 for fellowships beginning in the fall of the following year. We typically make hiring decisions for the fellowship in January or early February.
Clerkships
Each year, the firm also hires several second and third year law students as full-time summer clerks. The firm’s clerkship program offers law clerks a wide-ranging and realistic view of the firm’s practice as well as valuable legal experience. Clerks often work on assignments that would otherwise go to junior attorneys. The assignments provide broad exposure to the firm’s practice areas and the opportunity to work with a wide variety of the firm’s attorneys. We also strive to engage clerks in our practice by involving them in client meetings and hearings and providing social events with the attorneys.
We require a minimum 10-week commitment and do not permit students to split their summer with another employer. Applications must be submitted by October 1 for clerkships beginning the following summer. We typically make hiring decisions for summer clerkships in early to mid-November.
The firm also hires second and third year law students as part-time law clerks during the academic year. We ask that spring and fall clerks be willing to work a minimum of 10 to 15 hours per week. Applications are considered on a rolling basis for work during the spring and fall semesters.
How to Apply
For both the fellowship and clerkship positions, we require a résumé, writing sample, law school transcript, and list of three references.
Writing Sample
The writing sample should reflect the applicant’s writing skills and should include factual and legal analysis. We therefore prefer that the sample have received little or no editing. The cover page of the writing sample should indicate the purpose for which it was prepared and the degree to which it was edited by someone else. Although publication of a law review note or comment is a praiseworthy achievement, we do not find such publications to be useful writing samples because of the extensive editing they typically receive. Applicants may submit more than one writing sample.Law School Transcript
Applicants should submit the most recent transcript available. Photocopies are acceptable, but should include an explanation of the school’s grading system. If the applicant is currently enrolled and the most recent transcript does not indicate current course enrollment, the applicant should submit a separate list of current courses.References
References should be from people personally familiar with the applicant and the quality of his or her legal work. A reference from someone who clearly knows the applicant’s capabilities will be more helpful than a reference from, for example, an eminent law professor who knows only the grade the applicant received in her class. Subject to that caveat, references from practicing attorneys are considered as valuable, if not more so, than references from law school professors.
Applicants for either a fellowship or clerkship position should submit the materials described above to the following address:
Hiring Coordinator
Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger LLP
396 Hayes Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
We also accept applications by e-mail. Applications submitted by e-mail should be addressed to Amy Parsley at parsley@smwlaw.com.
Questions about the fellowship or clerkship programs or application requirements should be directed to the firm's Human Resources Director, Jeanne Freed, at freed@smwlaw.com or at (415) 552-7272, extension 240.