Commitment To Diversity
The Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney is committed to developing a diverse workplace. It is our policy not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, physical disabilities, veteran status, or what law school you attended. Our goal is to ensure that this office reflects the Metro Louisville community. For this reason, the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office has implemented a Minority Recruitment Program. For more information about this program, contact:
Karen Young
Diversity and Inclusion Liaison
Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney
514 West Liberty Street
Louisville, Kentucky 40202-2887
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorneys
Positions as prosecutors in the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney have become one of the most competitive legal positions in Metro Louisville and Jefferson County. Although there are 48 total lawyers in the office, the turnover rate is low, employee satisfaction is high, and there are many applicants, both experienced and inexperienced. The starting salary for new law school graduates with no prior experience is $55,000 per year, and a two year service commitment is required. For experienced lawyers, salary is negotiable, but a two year commitment is also required. View the job description for this position.
If you are interested in applying for a position as an Assistant Commonwealth Attorney, please send a cover letter, resume, official law school transcript, list of references, and a recent writing sample (preferably in the area of criminal law) to:
Karen Young
Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney
514 West Liberty Street
Louisville, Kentucky 40202-2887
Not all applicants are asked to interview.
Law Clerks
When law clerk positions become vacant, those vacancies are posted on the job bulletin board at the Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville. On-site interviews are conducted at that law school. Students from other law schools are eligible for law clerk positions as long as their schedules and travel permit.
Due to budgetary constraints, paid summer clerkships are not available. Under certain circumstances, an Assistant Commonwealth Attorney may be willing to supervise a volunteer, unpaid law clerk during the summer. Also, this office is willing to cooperate with all law schools in the placement of grant-funded or law school-funded summer law clerks.
To inquire about, or to apply for a position as a law clerk, please send a cover letter, resume, list of references, official law school transcript, and a recent writing sample (preferably in the area of criminal law) to
Karen Young
Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney
514 West Liberty Street
Louisville, Kentucky 40202-2887
Law Student Interns
The Commonwealth Attorney’s Office cooperates with all law schools to place students from their Internship or Externship programs. Each semester, numerous students from the University of Louisville’s Brandeis School of Law earn credit by serving in the Externship placements in this office. These students, who have a limited practice license, conduct trials and hearings under the supervision of experienced prosecutors. (In the last few years, four of these Externs have won felony convictions in trials they prepared and conducted.)
To inquire about a position as an Student Legal Intern or Extern in this office, please contact the appropriate placement coordinator at your law school.
Pro Bono and Public Service Placements
The Commonwealth Attorney’s Office cooperates with all law schools, especially with the University of Louisville’s Brandeis School of Law, to provide supervising attorneys for students who wish to complete pro bono and public service requirements here. To inquire about, or to seek a public service placement in this office, interested students should check with the appropriate public service coordinator at their law school, or contact:
Karen Young
Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney
514 West Liberty Street
Louisville, Kentucky 40202-2887
Undergraduate Internships
The Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney has a small number of undergraduate internships available from time to time. These are unpaid positions but participants can obtain valuable experience and insight into the criminal justice system and the operation of a prosecution office. Internships are available for students who are interested in eventually becoming attorneys, police officers, criminal investigators, probation and parole officers and for students interested in pursuing graduate work in criminal justice related studies.
Undergraduate interns will be able to observe various court proceedings, become familiar with legal procedures and documents and participate in clerical and other work in the office. Tours or visits in the field or to other facilities may be a part of some internships.
If you are interested in applying for a position as an undergraduate intern in the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney, please send by email a cover letter, current resume, and the three Undergraduate Internship documents [PDF] to:
Michael Rudicil
Undergraduate Internship Coordinator
Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney
514 West Liberty Street
Louisville, Kentucky 40202-2887