Description

Term Judicial Law Clerk

To Chief District Court Judge Tanya Walton Pratt

JSP 11 -13 ($66,818 - $95,234) dependent on background and experience

OPENING DATE: June 22, 2022

CLOSING DATE: July 22, 2022, or until filled

The United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana is accepting applications for a Term Judicial Law Clerk position for Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt.  Responsibilities include management of civil and criminal cases; research; preparation of legal memoranda, bench memos, orders, and opinions; assistance with courtroom proceedings; and administrative and other duties as assigned.  The term for this position will begin in approximately October 2022, on a date to be determined.  The position will be from one year up to four years.

Starting salary is dependent upon qualifications, prior years of legal work experience, and bar admission. For appointment at JSP Grade 12, the applicant must have one year of legal work experience and bar membership.  For appointment at JSP Grade 13, the applicant must have two years of legal work experience and bar membership. Salary may be higher with previous experience as a law clerk to a federal judge. Preference will be given to those with post-JD litigation experience, as well as federal court experience.  First consideration may be given to those who apply early.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Candidates should have the following qualifications:  (1) law school graduation in the top quarter of the graduating class; (2) law review, journal, or other significant legal writing experience; (3) the equivalent of one full year of legal experience through employment, internships, and/or externships; (4) good character, maturity, and willingness to work long hours; (5) excellent skills in research, writing, proofreading, communication, and source and cite checking (including use of proper Bluebook form); and (6) proficiency in computer-assisted legal research.  Prior law clerk experience, experience researching and writing motions, memoranda of law, and appellate briefs in federal court, or post-graduate litigation experience is preferred and may be considered as a valid substitute for class rank.  Candidates must demonstrate an ability and willingness to work collegially with others and to maintain confidentiality.

HOW TO APPLY:

Email the following in one PDF document to [email protected]:  (1) cover letter, (2) résumé (including GPA, class rank, and day and/or evening telephone numbers), (3) one writing sample (no more than 10 pages), (4) law school transcript, and (5) a completed AO 78 Application for Judicial Branch Federal Employment, which is on the court website at www.insd.uscourts.gov. Faxed and mailed résumés will not be accepted.  The application deadline is July 22, 2022, or until filled.  No applications will be accepted after the deadline.

The United States District Court is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  Applicants are subject to a complete FBI fingerprint check and background investigation.  Employment will be provisional and contingent upon the satisfactory completion of the required background investigation.  The Federal Financial Reform Act requires direct deposit of federal wages for court employees.  The Court is a smoke-free environment.  Federal judicial law clerks are governed by certain ethical guidelines that generally prohibit the practice of law and significantly restrict the ability to engage in pro bono legal representation and outside employment. Law clerks also are prohibited from engaging in any political activities, whether partisan or nonpartisan.