Judicial Law Clerks

Course Advisor; United States; On-site; USD 33,890 - 95,530; Full time

Job summary

Course Advisor is seeking a Judicial Law Clerk to assist judges in court and conduct legal research. Responsibilities include supervising law students, drafting judicial opinions, and reviewing litigation dockets. Candidates should possess strong skills in reading comprehension, critical thinking, and effective communication. The role promises a varied work experience with growth in judicial domains, particularly in states with improving job outlooks for law clerks.

Qualifications

• Must understand written legal documents and court-related materials.
• Able to actively listen and respond effectively.
• Strong critical thinking skills for evaluating legal options.

Responsibilities

• Assist judges with legal research and document preparation.
• Supervise law students and volunteers.
• Draft, proofread, and compile judicial opinions and statistics.

Skills

Reading Comprehension

Active Listening

Critical Thinking

Writing

Speaking

Active Learning

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

LexisNexis

Thomson Reuters WestlawNext

Job description

Position Description Assist judges in court or by conducting research or preparing legal documents.

What Do Judicial Law Clerks Do On a Daily Basis?

• Supervise law students, volunteers, or other personnel assigned to the court.
• Draft or proofread judicial opinions, decisions, or citations.
• Compile court-related statistics.
• Keep abreast of changes in the law and inform judges when cases are affected by such changes.
• Respond to questions from judicial officers or court staff on general legal issues.
• Review dockets of pending litigation to ensure adequate progress.

Key Skills

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem‑solving and decision‑making.

Types of Judicial Law Clerk Jobs

• Principal Law Clerk
• Federal Court of Appeals Law Clerk
• Federal Law Clerk

Job Outlook for Judicial Law Clerks

There were about 14,000 jobs for Judicial Law Clerk in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 5.7% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 800 new jobs for Judicial Law Clerk by 2026. The BLS estimates 800 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Judicial Law Clerk are Oregon, Kentucky, and Nevada. Watch out if you plan on working in Alaska, Maryland, or Colorado. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

How Much Does a Judicial Law Clerk Make?

The salary for Judicial Law Clerks ranges between about $33,890 and $95,530 a year.

Judicial Law Clerks who work in New York, Connecticut, or Illinois, make the highest salaries.

Tools & Technologies Used by Judicial Law Clerks

• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Office
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft Access
• LexisNexis
• Corel WordPerfect Office Suite
• Oracle JavaServer Pages JSP
• Thomson Reuters WestlawNext
• LexisNexis Smartlinx
• Legal Files software
• Justice Systems FullCourt Enterprise
• LexisNexis CourtLink Strategic Profiles
• Canyon Solutions Jcats