The Arkansas Supreme Court (2 positions)
The Arkansas Supreme Court is Arkansas’s final appellate court and the ultimate arbiter of Arkansas law. The Court has appellate and original jurisdiction as defined by the Arkansas Constitution, and it has superintending control over all lower state courts. The jurisdiction of the Arkansas Supreme Court generally is limited to appeals involving the interpretation of the Arkansas Constitution, criminal appeals in which the death penalty or life imprisonment has been imposed, petitions for extraordinary writs, appeals pertaining to elections and election procedures, appeals involving the discipline of attorneys and judges, subsequent appeals following an appeal decided in the Supreme Court, and appeals required by law to be heard by the Supreme Court. For more information about the Arkansas Supreme Court, see https://courts.arkansas.gov/supremecourt.
Externship positions are available with the following members of the Arkansas Supreme Court: Justice Karen Baker and Justice Cliff Hoofman.
Justice Karen Baker, Arkansas Supreme Court (1 position)
Justice Karen Baker has been an Associate Justice on the Arkansas Supreme Court since January 1, 2011. Justice Baker received a Bachelor of Science degree from Arkansas Tech University in 1983, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Law School in January of 1987. Justice Baker had a private practice in Clinton for eight years prior to taking the bench, which included six years as a part-time public defender for Van Buren and Searcy Counties. In 1995, Justice Baker was appointed to serve as Second Division, Circuit/Chancery/Juvenile Judge for the Twentieth Judicial Circuit, which includes Faulkner, Searcy, and Van Buren Counties. In 1996, Justice Baker was elected to the position of Fourth Division, Circuit/Chancery Judge for the Twentieth Judicial Circuit. She was reelected to the same position in 1998. In 2000, Justice Baker was elected Associate Judge to the Arkansas Court of Appeals, District Two, Position Two. She was reelected to this position in 2004. District Two is a large district that includes nineteen counties in central and north-central Arkansas. For more information about Justice Baker, see https://courts.arkansas.gov/supremecourt/scjudgesbio.cfm#baker.
An extern serving in Justice Baker’s chambers will work one-on-one with Justice Baker and her staff. The extern will have the opportunity to develop strong analytical skills through the preparation of legal memoranda, attendance at oral arguments, and participation in staff meetings. To be eligible to serve as an extern in Justice Baker’s chambers, a student must have excellent writing and research skills. Justice Baker and her staff will interview students recommended for an externship prior to final approval of the placement.
Justice Cliff Hoofman, Arkansas Supreme Court (1 position)
Justice Cliff Hoofman was appointed to a two-year term as an Associate Justice on the Arkansas Supreme Court on January 1, 2013. Prior to this position, Justice Hoofman was appointed to the Arkansas Court of Appeals in 2011, and he served as Arkansas Highway Commissioner from 2007-2011. Justice Hoofman also has extensive legislative experience, serving in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1975-1982 and in the State Senate from 1982-2002. While in the legislature, Justice Hoofman served as Chairman of the Legislative Council and Chairman of the Joint Budget Committee. From 2003-2006, Justice Hoofman served as an Arkansas Assistant Attorney General, and he also served as North Little Rock City Attorney in 1973-1974. Justice Hoofman received his Bachelor of Science degree from UCA in 1968 and a J.D. from the University of Arkansas in 1972. For more information about Justice Hoofman, see https://courts.arkansas.gov/courts/supreme-court/justices/justice-cliff-hoofman-position-3.
An extern serving in Justice Hoofman’s chambers will work one-on-one with Justice Hoofman and his staff. The extern will have the opportunity to develop strong analytical skills through the preparation of legal memoranda, attendance at oral arguments, and participation in staff meetings. To be eligible to serve as an extern in Justice Hoofman’s chambers, a student must have excellent writing and research skills. Justice Hoofman and his staff will interview students recommended for an externship prior to final approval of the placement.
The Arkansas Court Of Appeals (3 positions)
The Arkansas Court of Appeals is Arkansas’s intermediate state appellate court. The Court of Appeals has jurisdiction over all cases appealed from state courts except for certain types of cases that are specifically required to be filed in the Arkansas Supreme Court. The Court of Appeals hears appeals from criminal cases, civil cases, decisions of the Board of Review, and decisions of the Workers’ Compensation Commission. Twelve judges serve on the Arkansas Court of Appeals. For more information about the Arkansas Court of Appeals, see https://courts.arkansas.gov/coa/index.cfm.
Externship positions are available with the following members of the Arkansas Court of Appeals: Judge Rita Gruber, Judge Robin Wynne, and Judge Rhonda Wood. For more specific information about the externship positions and each judge’s individual requirements, please see the detailed externship descriptions below.
Judge Rita Gruber (1 position)
Judge Rita W. Gruber was elected to the Court of Appeals on May 20, 2008 and took office January 1, 2009. She completed eighteen years as a Circuit Judge for the Sixth Judicial Circuit on December 31, 2008. While serving on the trial bench, she helped establish a Volunteer Probation Officer program to work with first-time juvenile offenders. She also established a specialized teen parenting program, a truancy alternative school and helped plan the CSTP juvenile boot camp at Camp Robinson. Before her election as Circuit Judge, she served as interim Pulaski County Judge and had a ten-year law practice in North Little Rock, Arkansas.
Judge Gruber is very active in her community. She is currently a member of the Salvation Army Advisory Board, North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce, and has served as a director of the Greater Little Rock Chamber of Commerce and the Boys and Girls Club Advisory Committee. She worked closely with the Bowen School of Law developing mediation programming, particularly for juvenile cases. She is currently serving a term on the UALR School of Law Leadership Advisory Board.
An extern in Judge Gruber’s chambers will have the opportunity to work with the Judge and her staff on many legal issues. An extern will have the opportunity to develop analytical skills through the preparation of legal memoranda as well as attending oral arguments and participating in staff conferences. To be eligible to serve as an extern in Judge Gruber’s chambers, a student must have excellent writing and research skills. Students also must be available to work in Judge Gruber’s chambers on Monday and Wednesday mornings. Judge Gruber and her staff will interview students recommended for the externship prior to final approval of the placement.
Judge Robin Wynne (1 position)
Judge Robin F. Wynne joined the Arkansas Court of Appeals on January 1, 2011. Prior to his election to the Court, Judge Wynne was a partner with the Wynne & Wynne Law Firm in Fordyce, Arkansas. Judge Wynne’s prior judicial experience includes service as Dallas County District Judge from 2004 to 2010. Judge Wynne also served as the City Attorney for Fordyce, Arkansas from 1989 to 2004, as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for the 13th Judicial Circuit from 1989 to 1998, and as an Arkansas State Representative from 1985 to 1988. Judge Wynne received his B.A. from Harvard College, cum laude, in 1975, and his J.D. from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville School of Law in 1978.
An extern in Judge Wynne’s chambers will have the opportunity to work with the Judge and his staff on many legal issues. An extern will have the opportunity to develop analytical skills through the preparation of legal memoranda as well as attending oral arguments and participating in staff conferences. To be eligible to serve as an extern in Judge Wynne’s chambers, a student must have excellent writing and research skills. Judge Wynne and his staff will interview students recommended for the externship prior to final approval of the placement.
Judge Rhonda Wood (1 position)
Judge Rhonda Wood was elected in 2012 to the Arkansas Court of Appeals. In 2006, Governor Mike Huckabee appointed her to a two year Circuit Judge term. In 2008, she was elected as a 20th Judicial District Circuit Judge serving Faulkner, Van Buren, and Searcy counties. Prior to taking the bench, Judge Wood was the Assistant Dean of Student Development at the UALR William H. Bowen School of Law. She taught business law and health law courses. Before her tenure at the law school, Judge Wood owned a private law practice in Conway. She was also a former associate attorney at Williams & Anderson LLP. She is an experienced trial, transactional, and appellate lawyer.
Judge Wood received her B. A. in Politics from Hendrix College, where she graduated magna cum laude with distinction, and she received her Juris Doctorate from the UALR Bowen School of Law where she graduated with the highest honors. She was awarded the Arkansas Law Graduate of the Year, and she received the top score on the Arkansas Bar Exam. Several years ago, Judge Wood was selected as one of Arkansas Business’s Forty under Forty young achievers. Judge Wood is a certified faculty member for the National Center for State Courts and conducts education programs for other judges including the Arkansas New Judges’ Orientation. A few of Judge Wood’s honors include her selection as the Arkansas Women’s Professional Business Association’s Elected Official of the Year, Outstanding Judicial Newcomer by the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), Community Leader of the Year by the Conway Rotary Club, the Make an Impact Award by the 20th Judicial District Law Enforcement community, and the Leadership Award by Faulkner County Citizens for Responsible Government.
An extern in Judge Wood’s chambers will have the opportunity to work with the Judge and her staff on many legal issues. An extern will have the opportunity to develop analytical skills through the preparation of legal memoranda as well as attending oral arguments and participating in staff conferences. To be eligible to serve as an extern in Judge Wood’s chambers, a student must have excellent writing and research skills. Judge Wood and her staff will interview students recommended for the externship prior to final approval of the placement.
Arkansas Supreme Court, Office Of Professional Conduct (1 position)
The Office of Professional Conduct (OPC) is a non-state-agency entity of the Arkansas Supreme Court delegated and charged with carefully exercising the Court’s initial constitutional regulation authority in the area of attorney conduct and discipline. OPC receives and investigates an average of almost 900 complaints a year from all sources concerning conduct of Arkansas-licensed attorneys, files formal disciplinary charges where appropriate, and prosecutes cases through final decision or appeal. OPC has four staff attorneys. Satisfactory completion of a course in Professional Responsibility is a prerequisite for this externship.
The extern will be assigned all new complaints for file set-up, will do initial screening for issues, make contact with some complainants or make assignments to the OPC investigator to obtain additional information or documents, and produce a “suggested action” memo for the staff attorney who is to be assigned the file. At the request of and working with the file attorney, the extern may be assigned responsibilities in the areas of review of depositions and transcripts, preparation for depositions and hearings, interviewing witnesses, drafting of pleadings and orders, and appellate abstracting, research, and briefing assignments. OPC staff will interview students recommended for an externship with OPC prior to final approval of the placement.
Judge Earnest E. Brown, Circuit Judge For The 11th West Judicial Circuit (1 position)
The Circuit Court for the 11th West Judicial Circuit is a state trial court of general jurisdiction that includes Jefferson and Lincoln Counties. Judge Brown hears cases involving juvenile and family law. This position is based in Judge Brown’s chambers in Pine Bluff, so travel to and from Pine Bluff is necessary for this externship. For more information about Judge Brown, see www.jeffersoncircuitcourt6.org/judge-earnest-e-brown.html.
A student who applies for this position should have a specific interest in juvenile and family law. An extern in Judge Brown’s chambers will have the opportunity to work with Judge Brown and his staff and observe proceedings such as juvenile delinquency hearings, families in need of services (FINS) petitions, and matters involving the Department of Human Services. Judge Brown also supervises one of the few juvenile drug courts in the State. An extern will also have the opportunity to work with Teen Court, which is a program of the juvenile court. The extern will have hands-on experience working with files and reviewing cases before hearings and will gain familiarity with court practice and procedure. Judge Brown and his staff will interview students recommended for an externship prior to final approval of the placement.
Judges John Homer Wright (Division I); Vicki Shaw Cook (Division II); Lynn Williams (Division III); And Marcia R. Hearnsberger (Division IV), Circuit Judges For The 18th East Judicial Circuit (2 positions)
The Circuit Courts for the 18th Judicial Circuit East are state trial courts of general jurisdiction in Garland County, Arkansas. The judges hear cases involving family, juvenile, civil, probate, and criminal law. This position is based in the judges’ chambers in Hot Springs, Arkansas, so travel to and from Hot Springs is necessary for this externship. Students who apply for this position also should be available to work in one of the judges’ chambers one afternoon a week if possible. Divisions I, III, and IV are located in the main court building, and Judge Cook’s court is across the street.
Judge Wright hears 50% adult criminal cases, 30% civil cases, 10% domestic relations cases, and 25% probate cases. Judge Cook hears 100% juvenile cases, 10% civil cases, 30% domestic relations cases, and 25% probate cases. Judge Williams hears 40% civil cases, 40% domestic relations cases, and 25% probate cases. Judge Hearnsberger hears 50% adult criminal cases, 20% civil cases, 20% domestic relations cases, and 25% probate cases.
A student who applies for this position should have a specific interest in family, juvenile, criminal, probate, and civil law. An extern will have the opportunity to work with divorce proceedings, custody hearings, criminal trials, civil trials, and juvenile delinquency, F.I.N.S., and dependent/neglect hearings. The extern also will have hands-on experience working with files and reviewing cases before hearings and will gain familiarity with court practice, procedure, and preparing letter decisions. An extern will have the opportunity to work with adult and juvenile drug courts. Judges Wright, Cook, Williams, and Hearnsberger will interview students recommended for the externship prior to final approval of the placement.
Judge Richard L. Proctor, Circuit Judge For The First Judicial Circuit, Division 2 (1 position)
Division 2 of the First Judicial Circuit is a state trial court of general jurisdiction that includes the counties of Cross, St. Francis, Lee, Phillips, Monroe, and Woodruff. Judge Proctor’s chambers are located in Wynne, Arkansas, but he also travels to the five other counties in the Circuit. Judge Proctor hears primarily criminal and civil cases, including capital cases and complex civil litigation. Much of the work for this externship, such as research and memo writing, will be done electronically, as Judge Proctor will send some of the assignments to the extern by e-mail when they involve motions such as summary judgments, suppression, discovery, and related issues. However, it also would be helpful for the extern to travel to experience hearings and trials when time permits. Travel may be to any of the six counties. The Judge will endeavor to keep travel to a minimum, but some travel will be necessary to help with Rule 41 issues and pre-trial hearings. For more information about the First Judicial Circuit, see https://courts.arkansas.gov/circuit/index.cfm?circuit_id=01.
A student who applies for this position should have a specific interest in litigation in civil and/or criminal trials and perhaps a further interest in constitutional law as it relates to search and seizure, death-penalty cases, and trials in general. The student should be willing to receive assignments by e-mail as well as travel to some extent. The extern will have hands-on experience in reviewing files and preparing memoranda for hearings and will experience day-to-day practice as well. Due to the diverse nature of the work of Division 2, the student will encounter many situations that will be helpful in understanding both the complex nature of trials and the mundane day-to-day events that occur. The student may be asked to travel to the different counties to work with the various circuit clerks in docket control. Judge Proctor will interview students recommended for the externship prior to final approval of the placement.
Judge Vic Fleming, Little Rock District Court (1 position)
District Courts, formerly known as municipal courts before passage of Amendment 80 to the Arkansas Constitution, exercise county-wide jurisdiction over misdemeanor cases, preliminary felony cases, and civil cases in matters of less than $5,000. All felony charges enter the District Court for plea and setting of bond. The District Court may also handle bond hearings and probable cause hearings. After this, these cases are transferred to Circuit Court for adjudication. A small claims division of District Court provides a forum in which citizens represent themselves to resolve minor civil matters.
An extern with the Little Rock District Court will attend court as able from time to time at the direction and discretion of the judge in order to glean a working knowledge of issues arising in adversary proceedings. Under supervision of the judge, the extern will research and write legal memoranda relative to issues to be ruled upon by the court. Additionally, the extern will review all current case law handed down by the Arkansas Supreme Court, Arkansas Court of Appeals, and Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals and summarize any and all cases relevant to issues arising in Little Rock District Court. This includes, but is not limited to, any cases involving interpretation of criminal statutes and any cases involving federal or state constitutional issues relating to search and seizure, confrontation clause, due process, equal protection, and the like. In addition, the extern will assist as needed in the administration of probation-related paperwork and functions when probation personnel experience staffing shortages. Judge Fleming will interview students recommended for the externship prior to final approval of the placement.
