The Honorable J. Michelle Childs was appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in July 2022. Judge Childs holds an undergraduate degree in Management from the University of South Florida Honors College, a law degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law, a Masters in Personnel and Employment Relations from the University of South Carolina’s Darla Moore School of Business, a Masters of Judicial Studies from Duke University School of Law, and an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Public Service from the University of South Carolina.
From 1992 to 2000, Judge Childs worked at Nexsen Pruet, ultimately achieving the designation of partner. Upon acceptance of a gubernatorial appointment, she served from 2000 to 2002 as the Deputy Director for the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation's Division of Labor. From 2002 to 2006, as the result of another gubernatorial appointment, Judge Childs served as a commissioner on the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission. In 2006, the South Carolina General Assembly elected her as a state circuit court judge. During her time on the state bench, Judge Childs served as chief administrative judge for General Sessions, which is South Carolina’s criminal court, and as chief administrative judge for the state’s business court. In 2010, she was appointed to the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, where she served until her appointment to the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.
Judge Childs is active with various local, state, and national bar organizations, as well as community organizations. Judge Childs is the past President of the Federal Judges Association. She has been named to the American Inns of Court Board of Trustees and the United States Supreme Court Fellows Commission. Within the American Bar Association, she is the chairperson-elect of the Appellate Judges Conference, a member of the Administrative Law Council, a fellow of the American Bar Foundation, a fellow in the Litigation Section, and a Co-Chair of Committee on the American Judicial System. Formerly, she was the Chair of the American Bar Association’s Judicial Division, the Secretary of the American Bar Association’s Labor and Employment Law Section, and Chair of the Appellate Judges Education Institute Conference. Judge Childs is also a member of the American Law Institute and its Council and Membership Committee, where she served as an Advisor to the Restatement (Third) of Employment Law. She currently serves on the Bolch Judicial Institute Advisory Board and joined the class of 2022 Rodel Judicial Fellows.
Judicial Clerkships
Judge Childs hires three term law clerks each year. The law clerks’ offices are located in Judge Childs’ chambers in the E. Barrett Prettyman U.S. Courthouse and William B. Bryant Annex (333 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20001).
ANNOUNCEMENT: LAW CLERK APPLICATIONS ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTED THROUGH CHAMBERS’ EMAIL.
Effective immediately, Judge Childs has initiated a NEW online application process for law clerk applications.
Please complete the quick and easy online application using the link provided below. At the end of the application, you will be prompted to upload your application package to Judge Childs’ Box. This is a secure environment to house your personal information.
NOTE: A valid Box.com account is required to upload documents. If you do not have one, create one first.
If you have already applied for the 2027-28 term, you will receive an email from our Chambers requesting that you resubmit your application using the online system.
Applications will not be considered for future terms as they are removed once Judge Childs has made her selection for that term. You must reapply and upload an updated application package when the application link for a future term becomes available on this webpage.
Please ensure your application package contains a cover letter, resume, writing sample (not exceeding 30 pages double-spaced), law school transcripts, and three references (not three letters of recommendation).
Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a detailed cover letter that addresses their interest in clerking for Judge Childs and at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Title the PDF file (e.g., Last Name First Name – ABC Law School – 2027-28 Clerkship).
Incomplete or incorrectly submitted applications will not be considered.
Letters of recommendation may continue to be sent to Judge Childs’ chambers’ email ChildsChambers@cadc.uscourts.gov
Judicial Internships or Externships
Judge Childs welcomes applications for internships or externships for the fall, spring, and summer semesters. She is highly interested in applicants who study in the District of Columbia. Applicants should comply with the above submission format for clerkships, except for two amendments. First, the subject line should follow the format: Jane Doe – ABC School – Spring 2026 Intern. A list of three references is required, not three letters of recommendation. Judge Childs prefers to receive applications for summer by March 1st, fall by June 1st, and spring by October 1.
ANNOUNCEMENT: INTERN APPLICATIONS ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTED THROUGH CHAMBERS’ EMAIL.
Effective immediately, Judge Childs has initiated a NEW online application process for intern applications.
Please complete the quick and easy online application using the respective link(s) provided below. At the end of the application, you will be prompted to upload your application package to Judge Childs’ Box. This is a secure environment to house your personal information.
NOTE: A valid Box.com account is required to upload documents. If you do not have one, create one first.
Incomplete or incorrectly submitted applications will not be considered.
If you have already applied for the 2025-2026 spring term, you will receive an email from our Chambers requesting that you resubmit your application using the online application system.
NOTE: Applications will not be considered for future terms as they are removed once Judge Childs has made her selection for that term. You must apply for each term you would like to be considered for.
Please ensure your application package contains a cover letter, resume, writing sample (not exceeding 30 pages double-spaced), undergraduate and/or law school transcripts, and three references (not three letters of recommendation).
Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a detailed cover letter that addresses their interest in an internship with Judge Childs and at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Title the PDF file (e.g., Last Name First Name – ABC School – 2025-26 Spring or Summer Internship).
2025-26 Spring Intern Application
2025-26 Summer Intern Application
Letters of recommendation (not a requirement) may continue to be sent to Judge Childs’ chambers’ email: ChildsChambers@cadc.uscourts.gov