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J. MICHELLE CHILDS
(202) 216-7590
Judge J. Michelle Childs was appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in July 2022. She holds her 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 serving as partner. From 2000 to 2002, Judge Childs was appointed to serve as the Deputy Director for the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation’s Division of Labor. From 2002 to 2006, Judge Childs received another appointment to serve 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 that time, Judge Childs served as chief administrative judge for the 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 until her appointment to the D.C. Circuit.
Judge Childs is active with various local, state, and national bar organizations, as well as community organizations. She is the President-elect of the Federal Judges Association, a former Chair of the American Bar Association’s Judicial Division, and a former Secretary of the American Bar Association’s Labor and Employment Law Section. She serves as a fellow with the American Bar Association’s Litigation Section and its Committee on the American Judicial System. Judge Childs is also a member of the American Law Institute, having served as an Advisor to the Restatement (Third) of Employment Law, and is currently a member of its Council. Judge Childs is also a Council Member for the American Bar Association’s Administrative Law Section. She joins the class of 2022 Rodel Judicial Fellows.
Judicial Clerkships
Judge Childs hires three term clerks each year. She has completed hiring for the 2023-2024 term. But she is currently reviewing clerkship applications for the 2024-2025 term. As the judge is not currently reviewing applications via OSCAR, any interested law students or graduates should email completed applications that include a cover letter, resume, writing sample (not exceeding 30 pages double spaced), law school and undergraduate transcripts, and a list of three references or three recommendation letters to childschambers@cadc.uscourts.gov. The subject line should include your name, law school, and the interested term (e.g., Jane Doe – ABC Law School – 2024-2025). All documents should be combined into a single PDF file, unless the applicant’s law school sends recommendation letters separately. Incomplete or incorrectly submitted applications will not be considered. Judge Childs prefers to receive applications for the 2024-25 term by June 30, 2023.
Judicial Internships
Judge Childs also welcomes applications for internships or externships for fall, spring, and summer. She is highly interested in law students, who study in the District of Columbia. Interested applicants should follow the same protocol as detailed above to have their application considered, except the subject line should be the following “Jane Doe – ABC Law School – Spring 2023 Intern” and only references, not letters, are required. Judge Childs prefers to receive applications for summer by April 9th, fall by August 1st, and spring by December 9th.
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until positions are filled. Please do not send hard copies to chambers. Instead, please email childschambers@cadc.uscourts.gov.