Arturo Jaramillo Summer Clerkship Program

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History and Mission

Arturo L. Jaramillo, the first Hispanic president of the State Bar of New Mexico, developed the Summer Law Clerk Program in 1993 to provide inclusive equal employment opportunities for first year law students from diverse backgrounds historically underrepresented in the legal profession by offering students the opportunity to clerk in legal settings that provide a foundation for their careers in the law.

Over the years, more than 200 first-year law students have participated in the program, working in the best legal environments in New Mexico in private firms, non-profits, and governmental entities. Mr. Jaramillo’s vision has come to fruition as the program has seen many of its past participants go on to become some of our legal community’s most influential attorneys, judges, and political leaders. In 2016, the Arturo Jaramillo Clerkship Program gained national recognition when it received the American Bar Association’s Partnership Award, which recognizes broad-based pipeline efforts aimed at nurturing diversity in the legal profession.

Eligibility

Students must meet the following criteria to be eligible to apply for participation in the program:
A. The applicant must be a first-year law student;
B. The applicant must be in academic good standing at the law school that they are attending; and
C. The applicant must possess and demonstrate capable research and writing skills.

Application

The application period for the Program is December 15, 2025 to January 12, 2026. Applicants for the Arturo L. Jaramillo Summer Law Clerk Program are required to submit the following items for consideration:

A. Personal Statement: The personal statement should include general autobiographical information (for example, personal and professional background information; important community or work experience; and extracurricular activities). The statement should set forth the reasons why the applicant wants to participate in the program and why the applicant should be selected as one of the summer law clerks. Emphasis should be placed on communication skills, goals, motivation, and legal research and writing proficiency. The cover letter/statement should be limited to three pages.

B. Professional Résumé. Please ensure that your email and phone number are on your resume. In addition, please make sure the following information is included in your application either as part of your resume and/or via a separate word document: name, preferred name (if different), title (Ms., Mr., Mx., etc), contact information, and cities in which you are able to accept positions.

C. One Letter of Reference. This reference may be provided in the form of a traditional letter of recommendation or via a Jotform here: https://form.jotform.com/252223008958154. It can be from a current or previous employer, supervisor of volunteer work done, or from a college or law school professor.

References from other sources may be accepted on a case-by-case basis. Please contact Abby Lewis at information below if you would like to submit a reference from another source.

D. One Writing Sample. This writing sample should represent the applicant’s legal research and writing skills. The document must not exceed five pages double-spaced in length and may be an excerpt from a larger document.

Selection Procedure

Applicants who meet the eligibility requirements set forth for the Program will be interviewed by a panel of employers participating in the Program and may then, based on the interview and application packet, be offered a summer law clerk position by any one of the participating employers.

State Bar of New Mexico Diversity Statement:

The State Bar of New Mexico is committed to fulfilling Rule 24-101(A) NMRA, and ensuring that the legal profession and the legal system reflect the community we serve in all its social, economic, and geographical diversity. We are focused on expansion of pathways to and within the legal profession and the judiciary. We acknowledge the strengths historically excluded groups bring to the legal profession and will cultivate those strengths for the advancement of justice for all.

To learn more or to apply, contact Abby Lewis, Equity in Justice Attorney at 505-797-6085 or abby.lewis@sbnm.org.