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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 gubernatorial appointment to serve as a commissioner on the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission. In 2006, the South Carolina General Assembly appointed 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 of the Federal Judges Association. Within the American Bar Association, she is a member of the Administrative Law Council, a fellow in the Litigation Section, and a member of the Committee on the American Judicial System. Formerly, she was the Chair of the American Bar Association’s Judicial Division and the Secretary of the American Bar Association’s Labor and Employment Law Section. She is also a member of the American Law Institute and its Council, having served as an Advisor to the Restatement (Third) of Employment Law. And she recently joined the 2022 class of Rodel Judicial Fellows.
Judicial Clerkships
Judge Childs hires three term clerks each year. She has completed hiring for the 2025-2026 term and is not considering applications. Applications for the 2026-27 term will be reviewed on a rolling basis starting in September 2024. If you applied for the 2025-26 term and are interested in the 2026-27 term or a future term, you should send a letter to the chambers email indicating your interest in the later term.
When applying, Applicants should email completed applications that include a cover letter, resume, writing sample (not exceeding 30 pages double spaced), law school and undergraduate transcripts, and three letters of recommendations 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 –2026-27 Clerkship). All documents should be combined into a single PDF file, except for the recommendation letters which can be sent by separate cover. Incomplete or incorrectly submitted applications will not be considered.
Judicial Internships or Externships
Judge Childs welcomes applications for internships or externships for fall, spring, and summer. 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 model the following: Jane Doe – ABC Law School –Fall 2024 Intern. And 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 27. Positions will be filled on a rolling basis. Early applications are encouraged.
Judge Childs is no longer considering applications for summer 2024 interns as the positions are now filled. For future cycles, applications will be considered on a rolling basis. Please do not send hard copies to chambers. Instead, please email childschambers@cadc.uscourts.gov.