District Court Staff Attorney

Douglas County (NE); Nebraska; On-site; USD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Douglas County (NE) seeks a Law Clerk to assist judges with research, writing and courtroom preparation. The role involves annotating statutes and decisions, preparing memoranda, proposed orders and jury instructions, and supporting the Law Clerk Program and Law Library/Self Help Center.

Requirements include a Juris Doctor and Nebraska license, good standing, at least three years of legal experience (including judicial clerkship), and a pre-employment background check with drug screening.

Qualifications

• JD and Nebraska bar license required.
• Good standing with the Nebraska State Bar Association.
• Three years of experience practicing law, including experience as an attorney working as a judicial law clerk required.
• 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.

Responsibilities

• Research, study and annotate laws, court decisions, documents, opinions and briefs to assist the Court; 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.

Skills

Legal research

Legal writing

Case briefing

Education

Juris Doctor (JD) and licensed to practice law in the State of Nebraska

Job description

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.