Attorney General Cox Announces Andrew J. Kleinfeld Fellowship

December 23, 2025

(Anchorage, AK) - Alaska Attorney General Stephen J. Cox today announced the establishment of a new fellowship under the Solicitor General. That fellowship, named for Judge Andrew J. Kleinfeld, will provide top young lawyers a direct path into service for the State of Alaska.

The Kleinfeld Fellowship is designed to attract recent appellate clerks-ideally from the Alaska Supreme Court, the Ninth Circuit, or other federal circuits-who wish to serve the State of Alaska and gain invaluable appellate experience. This fellowship will complement the current Fellowship Program for the Civil Division, which provides law school graduates and recent clerks with exposure to the division's diverse legal work, by drawing on one of the Department's existing fellowship positions for this appellate-focused role.

Attorney General Cox described the new fellowship as "a way to honor Judge Kleinfeld's enduring influence on Alaska and the nation. Judge Kleinfeld's devotion to the rule of law was matched only by his love for Alaska and for his family. His brilliant but no-frills writing style underscored his common-sense fidelity to words of the Constitution, the laws of our nation, and the laws of our State. Alaska's system of justice has been immeasurably blessed by Judge Kleinfeld's long judicial service, and just maybe this fellowship will eventually uncover the next Judge Kleinfeld."

Judge Andrew J. Kleinfeld's Alaska story began long before his federal-court appointments. After earning his law degree at Harvard, he left the East Coast in 1969, drawn to the vast horizon of Alaska. He clerked for Justice Jay Rabinowitz of the Alaska Supreme Court-a decision he made after reading dozens of Alaska Supreme Court opinions and being struck by Justice Rabinowitz's passionate defense of free speech. Thus started a life-long love affair with Alaska and with the law. After his clerkship, Judge Kleinfeld opened a law firm in Fairbanks, settled in a log house north of the city, cheered the Yukon Quest sled dog race from his front porch, and made Alaska his home. Over the next half-century, he and his wife Judith Kleinfeld raised three children and many, many, many dogs.

Judge Kleinfeld's first judicial role came when he was in his late 20s: he served part-time as a U.S. Magistrate for the District of Alaska from 1971 to 1974. His reputation from that early judicial service and years in private practice was, in a word, stellar. Unsurprisingly, President Ronald Reagan appointed him to the U.S. District Court for Alaska in 1986. Then, President George H.W. Bush elevated him to the Ninth Circuit in 1991, where he continued to work from Fairbanks.

Known for writing plainly, speaking articulately, and taking passion in mentoring clerks-who first had to read Orwell's essay Politics and the English Language before their clerkships began-Judge Kleinfeld left a distinct imprint on the law and the entire legal community.

U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan-a former Alaska Attorney General who clerked for Judge Kleinfeld-has long credited the Judge's mentorship with shaping his own career in public service. "Judge Kleinfeld was a legal giant and one of the most consequential judges in Alaska's relatively young history. Having clerked for Judge Kleinfeld almost 30 years ago in his Fairbanks chambers, I can attest to his deep respect for the rule of law, his love for procedure, and his dedication to public service. I learned so much from this great Alaskan. I can't think of a more fitting namesake for this prestigious new fellowship. I want to thank Attorney General Cox for recognizing the important legacy of Judge Kleinfeld, and I look forward to seeing all of the outstanding fellows who will follow in Judge Kleinfeld's footsteps."

Kleinfeld Fellows will work directly under the State Solicitor General, assisting in appellate advocacy before appellate courts inside Alaska and outside the State. They will handle cases touching on statutory and constitutional interpretation, federalism, separation of powers, criminal law, and the State's sovereign interests. The office will make all efforts to provide opportunities for oral argument, depending on case volume and availability.

The fellowship will be hands-on from day one. Fellows will brief real cases, contribute to oral argument preparation (with a chance to argue in appropriate cases), and receive close mentorship from the Solicitor General, the civil and criminal Deputy Solicitors, and other senior appellate attorneys. Like Judge Kleinfeld, they'll learn to write cleanly, think precisely, and argue only what the text can bear.

Application Process

Eligibility. Applicants should be finishing or recently completing an appellate clerkship-ideally from the Alaska Supreme Court, the Ninth Circuit, or another federal appellate court-and should bring a genuine interest in practicing in Alaska and a strong commitment to public service. In the spirit of Judge Kleinfeld's own approach to hiring clerks, the Department seeks lawyers of high intelligence and broad education-well-rounded in history, economics, political science, literature, and the sciences. The fellowship is open to graduates of every law school; strong ability, not pedigree, matters most. Fellows should write and speak clearly about complex issues, approach the law with intellectual honesty, and bring the kind of good nature that makes teamwork enjoyable. Fellows must be licensed or willing to become licensed in Alaska.

Term and Structure. The fellowship will last 24 months, with a mix of criminal and civil appellate practice. Fellows will work under the supervision of the Solicitor General.

Application Process. Applicants should include a resume, law school transcript, two letters of recommendation-preferably including one from a judge-or two letters of recommendation and an additional reference from a judge, one unedited writing sample, and a short letter describing their interest in Alaska and to the principles embodied by Judge Kleinfeld-clean and articulate advocacy and arguments grounded in statutes and the Constitution. Application materials may be emailed to [email protected].

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Department Media Contacts: Communications Director Patty Sullivan at [email protected] or (907) 269-6368. Information Officer Sam Curtis at [email protected] or (907) 269-6269.