Law Clerk - Career and/or Term

United States Courts; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Colorado has two openings for judicial law clerks to an incoming U.S. Bankruptcy Judge.

Appointments are expected to start in/around January 2027 and may be one-year term or longer up to four years at the judge's discretion. The law clerk will research legal issues, draft opinions and orders, prepare bench memoranda, attend court proceedings, and advise the judge on matters based on statutes, rules, and case law.

Qualifications

• J.D. required from an ABA-accredited law school.
• Strong legal research and writing skills needed.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Research legal issues and draft opinions and orders.
• Prepare bench memoranda for pre-hearing matters.
• Attend court proceedings and advise the judge on legal issues.

Skills

Legal research

Legal writing

Multitasking

Education

J.D. from ABA-accredited law school

Tools

Westlaw

LexisNexis

Job description

Job Details for Law Clerk - Career and/or Term

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Colorado has two openings for judicial law clerks to an incoming U.S. Bankruptcy Judge. The appointments of the law clerks are expected to start in/around January 2027, but will be dependent upon the official appointment date of the judge. A term appointment would be for an initial term of one year but could be extended to up to four years at the discretion of the judge. The incoming judge is able to hire two law clerks: one for a term appointment, and a second to serve as a term clerk or a career clerk. The incoming judge may be willing to appoint a well-qualified candidate for a career position immediately. She is also willing to consider appointing a successful term clerk to a career position following an initial appointment as a term clerk.

The law clerk will support the judge in managing an increasingly busy bankruptcy case docket by balancing administrative and substantive legal duties. The law clerk will research legal issues, draft legal opinions and judicial orders, prepare pre-hearing bench memoranda, attend court proceedings, and provide advice to judge based on the applicable statutory, rules, and case law and will interact with judges, law clerks, and clerk’s office staff about legal and court-related issues. The law clerk must maintain a courteous and professional demeanor within chambers, the Court, the bar, and with the public at large. Those who thrive in a law clerk role have intellectual curiosity and a desire to develop their legal writing and analysis skills and welcome the opportunity for professional and personal growth. They are willing to ask questions and debate (including with the judge), have high expectations for themselves, and possess the ability to multitask and rise to challenges. A successful law clerk will demonstrate resilience and grit and will appreciate their role as a member of a dedicated team of public servants who genuinely care about serving the individuals who utilize the court system.

The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.