Northwest Territories Judicial Internship

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS: Northwest Territories Judicial Internship, Winter 2025 

Windsor Law’s Judicial Internship Program is accepting applications for the Winter 2025 Northwest Territories Judicial Internship. This once-in-a-career opportunity places students with Justices of the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories (Supreme Court :: Courts of the Northwest Territories (nwtcourts.ca)). Students spend most of their time in Yellowknife, but may also have the opportunity to travel to other courts across the territory. Students earn all fifteen credits toward their law degree over the course of the term.  

Internship placements are available in the Fall and Winter terms. One student per term is selected for this placement.  Students are responsible for ensuring all mandatory courses are completed, or that they have a plan to complete required courses by the time they graduate. Students may not complete additional coursework during this placement. Students must be able to be in the Northwest Territories for the entire term (September-December, or January-April). There is financial and logistical support for this placement.  

Learn more here: Judicial Internships | Faculty of Law (uwindsor.ca).  

Please submit all documents by November 1st at 12:00pm. 

Please combine the following documents into a single PDF file addressed to Professor Gemma Smyth when submitting: 

• Cover letter explaining your rationale and plan for completing this placement, 

• Resume, 

• Writing sample. Do not submit your Legal Research and Writing Memo or co-authored publications.  

• Transcripts. 

Please visit Symplicity to learn more about how to apply for this unique experience! 

 
If you have any questions, please connect with Professor Smyth: gemma.smyth@uwindsor.ca. 

 

General Application Information 

Law 2 and 3 students who have completed their required courses are eligible for this placement. Students who wish to apply for this program must have successfully completed Law I. The Supreme Court of the NWT suggests that students complete Evidence before participating in the program.

Students may apply by submitting an online Qualtrics form (link is located above). Required Documents include a cover letter setting out the student's reasons for seeking an internship and the qualities and experience the student possesses that make them suited for the position. A resume and transcript must also be included (an unofficial transcript will suffice). Students will also provide a writing sample and any further information that supports their application. The applications will be assessed in consultation with the Supervising Judge. Students who were unsuccessful in the Fall term are encouraged to apply again for the Winter term.

Selection for this Internship is made by the Court in consultation with the Externship Program Director. Selection is based on students’ academic performance, legal research and writing skills, and particular interests and backgrounds relevant to the clerkship program. Although regular tuition applies for this Clerkship, funds have been allocated to cover some expenses incurred.

Students will receive 15 credits for the term

• 9 credits will be assigned to your work, which will be documented in a log book on a weekly basis. This portion will continue to be assessed by the Supervising Judge in consultation with the Externship Program Director as required, on a Pass-Fail basis, at the end of term.  
• 3 credits will be assigned to a paper completed over the term. The paper will be assessed by the Supervising Judge with a numerical grade.
• 3 credits will be assigned to guided reflective exercises. These assignments will be assessed with a numerical grade.

This experience satisfies both the perspective course and research paper component for JDs.

Students are entitled to an $8000 grant to support the internship. In order to arrange for this, an invoice must be sumitted to UWindsor.

For all reimbursable expenses, receipts should be saved. The expeses should be recorded on the NWT Expense Tracking spreadsheet that is submitted monthly.

 

NWT Judicial Internship Student Manual

Invoice Template

NWT Expense Tracking Form

NWT Expense Guidelines

UWindsor Travel Policy

Supreme Court Policy on Electronic Devices

Territorial Court Policy on Electronic Devices

Please contact the Externship Director Gemma Smyth with any questions about this placement.

Contact the Clinical and Experiential Learning Coordinator at externship@uwindsor.ca .