Law Clerk I

Munro Footwear Group; Billings (MT); On-site; USD 88,166,000 - 92,299,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Paid leave & Holidays

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Job summary

Montana Judicial Branch in Billings seeks a Law Clerk I for a one-year probationary role. The position involves rigorous legal research, drafting memoranda and orders, and assisting a judge with court proceedings. Some travel and evening/weekend hours are possible.

A Juris Doctorate, strong writing, and effective research skills are required, with opportunities for career growth and PSLF eligibility in public service.

Qualifications

• A Juris Doctorate is required.
• Legal research experience is required.
• Excellent writing skills are required.

Responsibilities

• Perform professional legal research and prepare memoranda, opinions, or orders.
• Prepare briefs and legal memoranda with issues and recommendations.
• Confer with judge on questions, theories, and documents.
• Attend court sessions, maintain records, and assist with jury instructions.
• Transcribe records or provide bailiff services if needed.
• Maintain a law library collection and assist with related clerical tasks.

Skills

Legal research

Legal writing

Communication skills

Courtroom procedures

Transcription

Computer literacy

Education

Juris Doctorate

Tools

Legal research software

Word processing software

Job description

Job Description - Law Clerk I (13009) (26142295)

Position Title

Law Clerk I

An employee new to the Judicial Branch will serve a one-year probationary period. The successful applicant will be subject to a criminal background check. Travel may be required and working hours may include evenings & weekends.

The Montana Judicial Branch offers a variety of opportunities to help you make a difference in your community, and further your career. As a service-oriented employer, we seek employees with a passion for customer service to help us fulfill our mission to provide an independent, accessible, responsive, impartial, and timely forum to resolve disputes; to preserve the rule of law; and to protect the rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitutions of the United States and Montana.

Benefits of working for the Judicial Branch

• Work/life balance
• Family friendly policies
• Dedicated and caring colleagues
• Health coverage
• Paid vacation, sick leave, and Holidays (combination of up to 38 per year)
• Opportunities and room for professional growth
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness - Employment with the State of Montana may qualify you to receive student loan forgiveness under the PSLF

Job Overview

• Law clerks serving more than two years may be moved to senior law clerk status. This is professional legal work performed for the Honorable Judge Thomas Pardy of the 13th Judicial District in Billings, Montana.
• Work involves the performance of professional legal research and other related clerical/administrative work in the preparation of memoranda, opinions, or orders for a judge concerning the cases before him/her. Work is performed under general supervision of a judge and is reviewed through conferences and written reports.
• Reviews, studies, research, and annotates laws, court decisions, documents, opinions, briefs, and related legal authorities.
• Prepares briefs, legal memoranda, statement of issues involved, draft opinions and orders including appropriate suggestions or recommendations to the judge.
• Compiles references on laws and decisions necessary for legal determinations.
• Confers with judge concerning legal questions, legal theories, construction of documents, and preparation of orders.
• Attends court sessions to hear testimony and record necessary case information; maintains records attendant to court proceedings; assists judge in the selection and preparation of jury instructions.
• May perform courtroom duties including recording court testimony or arguments and providing bailiff services.
• May transcribe the record of court proceedings if required by the position.
• May maintain a law library collection.

Qualifications - External

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of general law, state law, established precedent, and sources of legal reference.
• Knowledge of trial court practices, rules, and procedures.
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing, with a diverse group of people.
• Ability to research complex legal problems or questions and apply legal principles.
• Ability to represent the court in a respectful manner.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationship with others.
• Ability to transcribe audio tapes, if required by the position.
• Skill in the operation of a computer with word processing and legal research software.
• Skill in the operation of electronic recording equipment to record trial court proceedings.

Minimum Qualifications

A Juris Doctorate is required.

Legal research experience.

Excellent writing skills.

Salary

31.14 - 31.14 Hourly

Telework Eligibility

Not Telework Eligible

Benefits Package Eligibility

Health Insurance, Paid Leave & Holidays, Retirement Plan

Number of Openings

1

• Employee Status: Regular
• Schedule: Full-Time

Job Type

Standard

Shift

Day Job

Travel

Yes, 5 % of the Time

Primary Location

Billings

Agency

Judicial Branch

Union

000 - None

Posting Date

Sep 10, 2026, 9:51:07 PM Closing Date (based on your computer's timezone) : Ongoing

Anyone who needs to request a reasonable accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the HR staff identified on the job listing or by dialing the Montana Relay at 711. Montana Job Service Offices also offer services including assistance with submitting an online application. State government does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, childbirth or medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, marital status, creed, political beliefs or affiliation, veteran status, military service, retaliation, or any other factor not related to merit and qualifications of an employee or applicant.