Law Clerk

United States Attorneys' Offices; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid vacation

Sick leave

Holidays

Telework

Life insurance

Health benefits

Federal retirement

Job summary

The United States Attorneys' Office for the District of Columbia seeks a law clerk to join a team handling cases from the Superior Court Division to the U.S. Court of Appeals. The role focuses on legal research, writing, and case preparation in a fast-paced federal environment.

Qualified candidates must have earned a JD from an ABA-accredited school within the last year, be in the top third of their class with GPA 3.0 or higher, and be a U.S. citizen. Bar admission is not required at appointment.

Qualifications

• Must have completed a law degree from an ABA-accredited school within the previous year.
• JD must be earned before the closing date; top 1/3 of class or GPA 3.0+ required.
• United States citizenship is required.

Responsibilities

• Perform extensive legal research using Westlaw and Lexis, and draft motions, orders, and memoranda.
• Assist attorneys with trial preparation, hearings, and witness interviews.
• Review complaints, petitions, and pleadings; monitor changes in federal law and precedent.
• Manage case files, handle exhibit preparation, and maintain legal libraries; liaise between chambers and counsel.
• Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as training progresses.

Skills

Legal Research

Legal Writing

Case Analysis

Communication

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Tools

Westlaw

Lexis

Job description

Summary

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia (DC) is unique and serves as both the local and the federal prosecutor for the nation's capital. Clerks assigned to the Superior Court Division prosecute DC Code offenses ranging from misdemeanors to homicides; Criminal Division prosecute a broad range of U.S. Code violations; and Appellate Division are responsible for handling all appeals from criminal convictions in the DC Court of Appeals and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit.

Responsibilities

If selected for this position, you will join a well-respected team in the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia that is responsible for investigating and prosecuting an assortment of criminal cases. Types of cases include, but are not limited to, homicides, sexual assaults, carjackings, kidnappings, robberies, burglaries, domestic violence, and narcotics and weapons possession. Typical work assignments will include:

• Legal Research & Writing: Perform extensive research using Westlaw/Lexis, and draft legal documents including motions, orders, and memoranda.
• Case Preparation: Assist attorneys with trial preparation, hearings, and witness interviews.
• Case Management: Review complaints, petitions, and pleadings, and monitor changes in federal law and court precedent.
• Administrative Support: Manage case files, handle exhibit preparation, and maintain legal libraries.
• Communication: Act as a liaison between chambers/offices and attorneys.

Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.

For more information on the Department of Justice and the United States Attorneys' Offices, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/.

As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen or National
• Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory pre-employment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. Continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation
• You must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable
• If selected, you may be required to complete a one year probationary period.
• You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance with eligibility for Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) access depending on organizational assignment / duty location.

Qualifications

Specialized/Legal Experience: Specialized/legal experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Below are the qualification requirements (degree and/or experience) required prior to being appointed to a law clerk position.

Required Qualifications: Applicants must have completed their law degree from a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) within the previous year. Law school graduates who received their JD prior to May 1, 2025 are not eligible. Applicants must have a class rank required within top 1/3 of law school class or grade point average of 3.0 or higher out of possible 4.0. Bar membership is not required.

United States citizenship is required.

Preferred Qualifications: Hiring preferences include strong academics, legal writing, analytical skills, and knowledge of Federal regulations and case law. Law Clerk appointments may be made for periods not to exceed 14 months pending admission to the bar. No person may be given more than one law clerk appointment; however, an appointment made for less than 14 months may be extended for not to exceed 14 months in total duration. A law clerk appointment will terminate on its not to exceed date or the law clerk may resign prior to the not to exceed date or expiration date of appointment.

Law clerks may convert to an entry-level attorney position after demonstration of satisfactory employment as a law clerk and admittance to a bar of a U.S. state, territory, or commonwealth.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)

The ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in the announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and receive a score of 85 or better on established ranking criteria. You must provide proof of eligibility to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form. Additional information about ICTAP eligibility is at: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)

The CTAP provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the Department of Justice with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your Department of Justice component has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility, 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement, and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and receive a score of 85 or better on established ranking criteria. You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application. Additional information about CTAP eligibility is at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

Education

All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, see http://www.ed.gov

OR Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to timely provide such evidence by submitting proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency with your application materials. More information may be found at http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.

Benefits

• paid vacation
• sick leave
• holidays
• telework
• life insurance
• health benefits
• participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System

Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See www.sss.gov.

Reasonable Accommodation Statement: Federal Agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities, where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

EEO Statement/Policy: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. More information can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/media/1425556/dl?inline.

Political Appointees (Current or Former)

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the HR Office. Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.