Law Clerk

Erie County, Pennsylvania; Erie (Erie County); On-site; USD 32,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

Erie County Courts in Erie, PA, seeks a Law Clerk to assist Common Pleas Court Judges by conducting legal research and drafting opinions, orders, and memoranda. The role requires strong legal reasoning and written communication, with responsibilities including attending hearings and acting as a liaison between counsel and the court.

The position is full-time, non-exempt, located at the Erie County Courthouse, with a starting pay rate of 27.94 USD per hour. The posting closes on 2026-11-16.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's of Law or Juris Doctor Degree from an Accredited Law School

Responsibilities

• Performs legal research for deciding cases and writing opinions.
• Drafts opinions, orders and legal memoranda.
• Consults with judges concerning research.
• Attends hearings; liaison between counsel and court.
• Assists other office staff in the completion of duties.

Skills

Legal research

Legal reasoning

Written communication

Computer skills

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Bachelor's of Law

Job description

• Attorney or law school graduate who engages in legal reasoning to assist the Common Pleas Court Judges. This position is responsible to a Common Pleas Judge.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Performs legal research for the purposes of deciding cases and writing opinions. Drafts opinions, orders and legal memoranda. Consults with judges concerning research. Attends hearings, serve as a liason between counsel and the court. Assists other office staff in the completion of duties.
• The above statements reflect the general details considered necessary to describe the principal functions of the job and shall not be considered as a detailed description of all the work requirements that may be inherent in the job.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Knowledge of appropriate methods of performing legal research. A working knowledge of legal philosophy. The ability to communicate in written form clearly and concisely. Ability actively engage in legal reasoning. Proficiency with computer and on-line legal research methods.
• Bachelor's of Law or Juris Doctor Degree from an Accredited Law School

Position: Law Clerk

Department Courts Location Erie County Courthouse Status Full Time Starting Pay Rate $27.94 Hourly Hours Per Week 37.5 Exemption Status Non-Exempt Posting Date 11/02/2026 Closing Date 11/16/2026 Pay Grade NB14 Bargaining Unit NON-BARGAINING

Definition of Class

• Attorney or law school graduate who engages in legal reasoning to assist the Common Pleas Court Judges. This position is responsible to a Common Pleas Judge.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Performs legal research for the purposes of deciding cases and writing opinions. Drafts opinions, orders and legal memoranda. Consults with judges concerning research. Attends hearings, serve as a liason between counsel and the court. Assists other office staff in the completion of duties.
• The above statements reflect the general details considered necessary to describe the principal functions of the job and shall not be considered as a detailed description of all the work requirements that may be inherent in the job.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Knowledge of appropriate methods of performing legal research. A working knowledge of legal philosophy. The ability to communicate in written form clearly and concisely. Ability actively engage in legal reasoning. Proficiency with computer and on-line legal research methods.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's of Law or Juris Doctor Degree from an Accredited Law School

Conditions Of Employment

Equal Employment Opportunity Policy

Erie County provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment, prohibits discrimination or harassment of any type on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Erie County Government values the power of diversity in our workforce. Our goal is to continue developing inclusive workforce policies that require individual equality, support the diversity of employee experiences, and include unique perspectives.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.