Court Law Clerk

New Jersey Women Lawyers Association; Newark (NJ); On-site; USD 87,133 - 124,189; Full time

Job summary

A federal court is seeking a Court Law Clerk for a term beginning in January 2026. The position focuses on drafting legal documents and conducting research for District Judges amidst a heavy caseload. Ideal candidates will have a JD degree and demonstrate strong organizational skills, ability to work under deadlines, and good judgment. The role may involve court hearings and administration duties, aiming to support effective case resolution. The deadline for applications is January 5, 2026.

Qualifications

• JSP 11 requires a JD degree only.
• JSP 12 requires one year of legal work experience post JD and bar admission.
• JSP 13 requires two years of legal work experience post JD and bar admission.

Responsibilities

• Draft legal memoranda and proposed opinions for review by District Judges.
• Conduct legal research on various legal issues.
• Monitor dockets to assure proper progress of cases.
• Provide guidance and advice to District Judges on pending matters.
• Attend court hearings and perform case management duties.

Skills

Research and writing ability

Strong verbal and written communication skills

Excellent organizational skills

Ability to handle multiple tasks

Ability to work with strict deadlines

Maturity and good judgment

Education

JD degree

Job description

Overview

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
DISTRICT OF NEW JERSEY
Melissa E. Rhoads, Clerk of Court
Career Opportunity
Announcement # 26-02
Position Title: Court Law Clerk
Classification Level/ JSP 11 – $87,133
Salary Range JSP 12 – $104,436
JSP 13 – $124,189
*Qualifications based on experience pursuant to AO guidelines
Duty Station: Camden, Newark, or Trenton, New Jersey
Posting Period: December 18, 2025, through January 5, 2026, closing at 5:00 p.m.

POSITION SUMMARY: The United States District Court for the District of New Jersey is seeking a Court Law Clerk for a term beginning in or about January 2026 and concluding on September 30, 2027. The Judicial Conference created the court law clerk program to facilitate case resolution in high-workload courts by providing additional law clerks to district courts with exceptionally heavy caseloads. The Chief Judge is the appointing authority for all law clerk positions. If hired, the position may be extended beyond September 30, 2027, depending upon the needs of the office and funding. The selected Court Law Clerk will perform work for one (1) or more active District Judges, based on the needs of the Court. The position may be based in the Trenton, Newark, or Camden vicinage; however, it is anticipated that the first approximately six months will be served in the Trenton vicinage.

Responsibilities

• Draft legal memoranda and proposed opinions and orders for review by the District Judge(s), including motions for summary judgment and motions to dismiss, in connection with a wide variety of matters, including but not limited to habeas corpus petitions, immigration cases, Social Security appeal cases, civil rights actions, and other civil and criminal cases.
• Conduct legal research as required on a broad range of legal issues.
• Monitor dockets to assure proper progress of cases.
• Provide information, guidance, and advice to the District Judge(s) relating to pending civil and criminal matters.
• Provide procedural information to litigants and counsel.
• Perform case management and other duties associated with the administration of cases.
• Perform other duties as assigned, including attending court hearings, as needed.

The caseload in the jurisdiction is heavy, and the types of cases presented are varied, often involving novel and complex issues of the law. The position involves daily communication with the Judge(s) and other court staff concerning legal and court-related issues.

Qualifications

• JSP 11 – JD degree only.
• JSP 12 – One (1) year of legal work experience post JD and bar admission.
• JSP 13 – Two (2) years of legal work experience post JD and bar admission.
• Ideal candidates are law school graduates who have:
• A strong academic background, and demonstrated research and writing ability;
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, and the ability to work effectively with a variety of people in person, on the phone, and via email;
• Excellent organizational skills and experience handling multiple tasks and projects;
• Ability to work with strict deadlines and in a fast-paced environment;
• Maturity, good judgment, and high ethical standards; and
• Ability to work independently or as a team player, with a positive work attitude.

Note: The outside practice of law is prohibited except as provided by the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior federal clerkship experience, standing within the upper quarter of law school, superior analytical ability and strong legal research and experience on the editorial board of a law review or law journal preferred.

Conditions of Employment

• Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or eligible to work in the U.S. This is a highly-sensitive position, thus selected candidate must undergo a higher-level background investigation conducted by the Office of Personnel Management. A background check is also required which includes a fingerprint and a criminal record check. Any applicant selected for a position will be hired provisionally pending favorable suitability determination of the background investigation.

Information for Applicants

• Where appropriate, the court provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please notify Human Resources at the Clerk’s Office 609-989-2084. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
• The court reserves the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement or to withdraw the job announcement, or to fill the position sooner than the closing date, if a closing date is shown, any of which action may occur without any prior written notice. The court will only communicate with those qualified applicants who are selected for an interview. If a subsequent vacancy of the same position becomes available within a reasonable time of the original announcement, the court may elect to select a candidate from the original qualified applicant pool. Judiciary employees serve under excepted appointments and are considered “at will” and can be terminated with or without cause by the court. All information provided by applicants is subject to verification and false statement or omissions of information on any application materials may be grounds for non-selection, withdrawal of an offer of employment or dismissal after being employed. This position is subject to mandatory electronic fund transfer (direct deposit) for salary payment.

Benefits

• To learn more about the Judiciary’s benefits click HERE.

Application Process

• Qualified applicants must submit the following materials electronically in one (1) PDF via the recruitment link below no later than 5:00 p.m. on January 5, 2026:
• Salary history (external applicants only)
• All application materials should be submitted to the attention of: Robin A. Newman, Esq. Human Resources Manager
• Recruitment Link: https://njduscourts.app.box.com/f/755e72a6645048a6bd54879b1c5bb88e
• THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF NEW JERSEY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER