Extern Program
The Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, Division One offers an extern program for select law school students. Externs are selected by the individual justices with whom they then work for 20-40 hours per week during a school trimester. The program, including an orientation and periodic group meetings, is administered by the Managing Attorney or designee acting as the Extern Coordinator. If students participate as part of their school's extern program, they may earn course credit for their efforts. The Extern Program is conducted during three trimesters, Spring (January-May), Summer (June-August) and Fall (September-December).
The program provides law students with clinical educational experience at an intermediate appellate court. Each student works in chambers, under supervision, as a judicial staff attorney. Key to the program is judicial and staff accessibility and oversight along with periodic direct feedback. To complement the practical experience, lectures are given on legal writing, basic legal research skills, and in various substantive areas.
Program Qualifications
Candidates for the Extern Program are chosen from the top 20% of their class and must have completed the first year of law school coursework. However, candidates who possess extraordinary or unusual circumstances may be considered for the program, should they not meet the minimum qualifications. Candidates must be able to commit a minimum of 20 hours per week to the program. However, 40 hours of availability can provide a candidate with optimum exposure to the workings of the Court of Appeal. A total of 6 externs are usually chosen.
Application Process
Applications are due February 21st for the Summer session, March 15th for the Fall session, and October 1st for the Spring session. Adjustments will be made as needed to accommodate the variations in individual school calendars.
Candidates must submit a cover letter, resume, an official transcript and a writing sample by the specified deadline to Webster B. Kinnaird, Managing Attorney, Court of Appeal, Fourth District, Division One, 750 B Street, Suite 300, San Diego, California 92101. Candidates will then be chosen to participate in the interview phase and thereafter, a selection(s) will be made. Letters of recommendation are not required, but will be accepted. However, letters of recommendation should be from those familiar with one's work habits, such as a previous employer.
Voluntary Settlement Program, Fourth Appellate District, Division One
The court has a voluntary settlement program. The form for the voluntary settlement program is sent out to all parties when the case is assigned a number. Settlement efforts will be commenced by filing with the Court of Appeal a written request for settlement conference on the court form executed by the parties to a pending appeal. If the appeal involves more than two parties, settlement procedures will be commenced upon the request of any two opposing parties.
Settlement procedures may be initiated prior to the filing of any briefs or up to 30 days following the filing of the final brief. The commencement of settlement procedures will ordinarily not permit the interruption or extension of the brief filing schedule.
Upon receipt of a stipulated settlement conference request, the Presiding Justice will appoint a Settlement Justice. The parties stipulating to settlement procedures may request the appointment of a specific justice as Settlement Justice. Selection of the Settlement Justice shall, however, be at the discretion of the Presiding Justice. The court also reserves the right to decline to initiate settlement procedures in any specific case.
If a Settlement Justice is appointed who is not presently sitting, any compensation required by that person shall be paid by the parties requesting the settlement procedures. No such appointment requiring compensation shall be made, however, without the agreement of the parties.
Settlement procedures following appointment of a Settlement Justice shall be at the discretion of the Settlement Justice, acting in consultation with the parties. The filing of settlement conference briefs may be required, in the discretion of the Settlement Justice, if the conference takes place before final briefing of the case for appellate review. The Settlement Justice may, and usually will, require the attendance at settlement conferences of the parties or their authorized agents.
