The Columbus School of Law at The Catholic University of America welcomes applications to its sixth annual Judicial Clerkship Opinion Writing Conference, to be held February 19-21, 2026. The conference is open to individuals who have accepted a 2026-2027 federal clerkship (Article III District Court or Court of Appeals only) or a 2026-2027 state appellate court clerkship. The 2026 conference will take place in person on our campus. Conference details may be found here: Conference Details
CSL will provide funding towards travel and accommodations. Information can be found here: Travel and Accommodations
Over the course of the conference, conferees will receive opinion writing instruction from some of our nation's most distinguished members of the judiciary. They will also be guided through writing an appellate court opinion and will receive individual review and commentary on their work by our faculty. Finally, each attendee will be eligible for the CSL Prize in Judicial Clerkship Opinion Writing.
The currently scheduled faculty for the event (subject to addition and change) includes the following:
Judge Robert E. Bacharach, Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals
Judge Lisa Branch, Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals
Judge Katherine A. Crytzer, U.S. District Court for the E.D. Tennessee
Judge Kathryn Davis, United States Court of Federal Claims
Judge Kyle Duncan, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
Judge Joseph Leeson, United States District Court for E.D. Pennsylvania
Judge Paul Matey, Third Circuit Court of Appeals
Judge Edward Meyers, United States Court of Federal Claims
Judge Chad Readler, Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals
Judge Lee Rudofsky, United States District Court for the E.D. Arkansas
Judge David Tapp, United States Court of Federal Claims
Judge Lawrence VanDyke, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
Judge Victor J. Wolski, United States Court of Federal Claims
Our Keynote Speaker will be former Solicitor General of the United States Noel Francisco of Jones Day
Their biographies can be found here: Faculty.
Conferees will be limited to no more than thirty-five. Applicants will be notified of their acceptance until the limit of conferees is reached.
Applications must be received no later than November 30, 2025.
Applications must be received no later than November 30, 2025.
PLEASE NOTE: APPLICATIONS ARE ACCEPTED ON A ROLLING BASIS; AFTER CAPACITY IS REACHED, ALL OTHER APPLICATIONS WILL GO ON A WAITLIST.
ATTENDANCE AT ALL SCHEDULED EVENTS IS MANDATORY AND IS AN EXPRESS CONDITION OF ACCEPTANCE.
Direct all questions about the conference to Professor A.G. Harmon, Associate Dean of Bench and Bar Programs, at harmon@law.edu.
ATTENDANCE AT ALL SCHEDULED EVENTS IS MANDATORY AND IS AN EXPRESS CONDITION OF ACCEPTANCE.
Direct all questions about the conference to Professor A.G. Harmon, Associate Dean of Bench and Bar Programs, at harmon@law.edu.