Clerkship Vacancy

The Chambers of Judge Timothy M. Reif of the United States Court of International Trade (“USCIT”) seeks a qualified law school graduate for a two-year clerkship on a full-time basis beginning in August 2026. The USCIT, established under Article III of the Constitution, has nationwide jurisdiction over civil actions arising out of the customs and international trade laws of the United States. Judge Reif also sits by designation on the United States District Courts for the Western District of North Carolina, the Northern District of Oklahoma and the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

Clerks will work closely with Judge Reif on assigned cases. The clerks will have the opportunity to write memos and draft opinions, review briefs and pleadings, conduct legal research on the cases and administrative decisions that come before the court, edit, proofread and assemble documents, observe court proceedings, attend and assist with preparation for oral arguments and trials, and engage in various administrative duties.

Working alongside Judge Reif will allow and require the clerk to understand the arguments of all of the parties and prepare impartial and carefully reasoned legal analyses of the issues in each case assigned to that clerk. Judge Reif expects that clerks will have strong written and analytical skills and will be interested to hone and strengthen those skills even further during the clerkship under his guidance and with feedback from fellow clerks.

Judge Reif intends for clerks to serve as valuable assets to him and to the court.

Throughout the clerkship term, clerks will gain an understanding of trial and appellate procedures at the USCIT, Federal Circuit and the other district courts on which Judge Reif sits by designation.

As a specialized court, the USCIT considers cases that, typically, involve decisions of the Customs and Border Protection agency in the Department of Homeland Security, whether and at what rate to levy customs duties, and decisions of the U.S. International Trade Commission and the U.S. Department of Commerce to levy antidumping and countervailing duties on certain imports, as well as other types of legal disputes arising out of the importation of goods that fall within the jurisdiction of the court. An interest in international trade law and/or administrative law is recommended.

Applicants are required to submit a resume, cover letter, law school transcript, writing sample and three letters of reference. Applications should be submitted via OSCAR. 

Applications submitted by graduates will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Only applicants selected for an interview will be notified. Please note that an applicant must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident to apply. If you have questions, please contact TMR_Applicants@cit.uscourts.gov.