District Court Staff Attorney

Douglas County, Nebraska; Nebraska; On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Douglas County, Nebraska seeks a Juris Doctor attorney to perform complex legal work under the District Court Lead Staff Attorney, including legal research, writing memoranda, and providing consultation for the Court and staff.

The position requires Nebraska bar admission, three years of practice including experience as a judicial law clerk, and a pre-employment background check with drug screen.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) and Nebraska bar license required.
• Good standing with Nebraska State Bar Association required.
• Three years of legal practice, including judicial law clerk experience.

Responsibilities

• Research, study and annotate laws, court decisions, documents, opinions and briefs for trials, hearings and appeals.
• Review case files, summaries, and outlines to aid judges in complex matters.
• Prepare legal memoranda, proposed orders and jury instructions with relevant principles.

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Licensed to practice law in Nebraska

Three years of legal experience including judicial law clerk

Job description

The Position

Incumbent works under the direction of the District Court Lead Staff Attorney or designee, performing various complex professional legal work, legal research, and legal consultation for the Court and staff.

Essential Functions

• Research, study and annotate laws, court decisions, documents, opinions, briefs and related legal authorities, assisting the Court with trials, hearings, appeals and other litigated matters; attend such legal proceedings.
• Review case files, briefs, motions, and exhibits, summarizing and preparing outlines of legal issues before the Court to aid the Judge in understanding complex legal matters during legal proceedings.
• Prepare legal memoranda proposed written orders, and proposed jury instructions, applying relevant legal principles and providing appropriate recommendations to the requesting Judge.
• Establish and maintain effective work relationships with judges, bailiffs, supervisors, coworkers, other agencies, and the public.
• Comply with department policies and laws to create a cooperative, safe, respectful and quality work environment.
• Follow principles of the Code of Judicial Conduct (e.g. confidentiality, impartiality, avoidance of any conflict of interest).
• Provide work assignment and review functions for the Law Clerk Program during absence of Lead Staff Attorney.
• Assist in the Law Library/Self Help Center.
• Perform special projects.
• Attend meetings and trainings.
• Maintain job knowledge and skills (e.g. research, meetings, webinars, seminars, conferences, continuing education).
• Report to work with regular, consistent attendance.
• Perform other duties as assigned and directed.

Education and Work Experience and Other Requirements

• Juris Doctor (JD) and licensed to practice law in the State of Nebraska required. *
• Good standing with the Nebraska State Bar Association required.
• Three (3) years' experience practicing law, including experience as an attorney working as a judicial law clerk required.*
• Completion of a pre-employment criminal record check and conditional offer drug screen required.
• *Equivalent combination of education and work experience may be substituted for requirements on a year-for-year basis.

Physical Requirements & Working Conditions

• The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Work is generally performed in an office setting. Noise level is usually quiet. Work hours are typically standard day shift hours; however, schedule may vary (e.g. weekends, overtime/extra hours). Work may be stressful when dealing with time constraints, multiple/changing priorities, limited resources, and uncooperative/irate individuals.
• Work requires some physical activity, including extended periods of sitting, frequent standing, walking, reaching, and occasional kneeling, bending, crouching, and stooping. Work also requires the ability to frequently lift/carry objects weighing up to 10 pounds and occasionally up to 25 pounds.
• Required sensory abilities include vision, hearing and touch. Visual abilities, correctable to normal ranges, include close, distance and color vision, and the ability to adjust focus. Communication abilities include the ability to talk and hear within normal ranges. Incumbent must possess the hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity necessary to operate computers and other equipment.

Douglas County is an EOE - Disability/Veterans