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
ANNOUNCEMENT: Judge Childs has completed hiring for the 2026-2027 term and is no longer accepting applications.
Judge Childs hires three term 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).
Applications for the 2027-28 term will be reviewed beginning September 2025, until three individuals have been selected. An announcement will be made on this web page when the positions are filled. If you applied for the 2026-27 term and are interested in the 2027-28 term, please email an updated application packet to childschambers@cadc.uscourts.gov for consideration.
To apply for a clerkship with Judge Childs, please submit a cover letter, resume, writing sample (not exceeding 30 pages double-spaced), law school transcripts, and three references (not three letters of recommendation) to childschambers@cadc.uscourts.gov. 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. The subject line should include the applicant’s name, law school, and the relevant term (e.g., Jane Doe – ABC Law School – 2026-27 Clerkship). All documents should be combined into a single PDF file. If applicants wish to submit letters of recommendation, they can be sent separately to the same email address. Incomplete or incorrectly submitted applications will not be considered.
Judicial Internships or Externships
ANNOUNCEMENT: Judge Childs is accepting applications for fall 2025 until July 15, 2025.
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 – Spring 2026 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 1. Applications are considered on a rolling basis until all positions are filled. Early applications are encouraged. Please do not send hard copies to chambers. Instead, combine all documents into one PDF (following the instructions listed above) and email it to childschambers@cadc.uscourts.gov.