Law Clerk I

Aptonet; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Aptonet in Washington, DC seeks qualified Law Clerks to provide legal research, document preparation, and litigation support in a fast-paced environment. You will work under supervision to assist attorneys with complex matters and preparation of legal filings.

The role requires a law degree or ABA-approved status, strong research skills, and ability to work under deadlines on full-time hours, Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–5:00 PM.

Qualifications

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong analytical, critical-thinking, and problem-solving abilities.
• A law degree, current enrollment in an ABA-accredited law school with at least one year of completed study, or equivalent legal training, experience, or education.
• Sound working knowledge of federal and state court systems, legal research procedures, and legal research resources.
• Thorough knowledge of legal research tools, including LexisNexis and Westlaw.
• Hands-on experience with computer applications, including word processing, databases, document review and file management systems, spreadsheets, and imaging tools.
• Familiarity with electronically stored information (ESI), eDiscovery procedures, and related resources.
• Ability to consistently produce high-quality work under tight deadlines and significant time pressure.
• Ability to obtain a Public Trust clearance.
• Must be a U.S. citizen.

Responsibilities

• Conduct complex legal research to support attorneys and trial staff.
• Assist in preparing legal documents, including motions, briefs, memoranda of law, and other legal filings.
• Support the drafting of formal decisions in connection with legal claims and administrative proceedings.
• Review documents for relevance, privilege, and other applicable legal considerations.
• Research and interpret applicable statutes, regulations, and case law.
• Analyze complex factual scenarios and identify relevant legal issues.
• Assist attorneys throughout all phases of litigation.
• Support case management, document review, and legal file organization.
• Perform additional legal research and litigation support duties as assigned.

Skills

Excellent written and verbal comms

Strong analytical and problem-solving

Education

Law degree or ABA-approved law school status

Tools

LexisNexis

Westlaw

Relativity

Job description

Schedule: Full-time, Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–5:00 PM

Position Overview

We are seeking qualified Law Clerks to provide legal research, document preparation, and litigation support in a fast-paced legal environment. The successful candidates will work under the direction of a Project Supervisor or Project Manager, assisting legal professionals with complex legal matters, case analysis, and the preparation of legal documentation.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct complex legal research to support attorneys and trial staff.
• Assist in preparing legal documents, including motions, briefs, memoranda of law, and other legal filings.
• Support the drafting of formal decisions in connection with legal claims and administrative proceedings.
• Review documents for relevance, privilege, and other applicable legal considerations.
• Research and interpret applicable statutes, regulations, and case law.
• Analyze complex factual scenarios and identify relevant legal issues.
• Assist attorneys throughout all phases of litigation.
• Support case management, document review, and legal file organization.
• Perform additional legal research and litigation support duties as assigned.

Responsibilities may be performed individually or in combination, depending on the needs of the assignment.

Basic Qualifications

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong analytical, critical-thinking, and problem-solving abilities.
• A law degree, current enrollment in an American Bar Association (ABA)-accredited law school with at least one year of completed study, or equivalent legal training, experience, or education.
• Sound working knowledge of federal and state court systems, legal research procedures, and legal research resources.
• Thorough knowledge of legal research tools, including LexisNexis and Westlaw.
• Hands-on experience with computer applications, including word processing, databases, document review and file management systems, spreadsheets, and imaging tools.
• Familiarity with electronically stored information (ESI), eDiscovery procedures, and related resources.
• Ability to consistently produce high-quality work under tight deadlines and significant time pressure.
• Ability to obtain a Public Trust clearance.
• Must be a U.S. citizen.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a government, legal, or litigation support environment.
• Experience using Relativity; candidates should highlight this experience on their resumes, if applicable.
• Previous trial experience.
• Experience with, or an interest in, informal adjudications conducted under agency-specific statutes and regulations.
• Experience managing high volumes of cases, claims, or legal documents.
• Current or active security clearance.

Legal Writing Sample Requirements

Candidates must be prepared to provide a legal writing sample for evaluation. The sample must meet the following requirements:

• Document type: A legal brief, memorandum, or similar substantive legal document. Form letters are not acceptable.
• Length: Maximum of 2–3 pages.
• Quality: Must be free of punctuation, spelling, and grammatical errors.
• Privacy: Must not contain any personally identifiable information (PII).
• Anonymization: Replace all real or fictitious names with generic alternatives, such as John Doe, Jane Doe, ABC Company, or XYZ Company. Names must be replaced rather than redacted.
• Work arrangement: Full-time, 40 hours per week.
• Working days: Monday through Friday.
• Working hours: 8:30 AM–5:00 PM, excluding federal holidays unless otherwise specified.
• Overtime and travel: May be required based on operational needs and with appropriate authorization.
• Duration: Assignment expected to continue through May 31, 2026, following completion of the required clearance process or issuance of a waiver.
• Extension: One potential one-year extension, through May 31, 2027.
• Career opportunity: Potential for direct placement or transfer to the employing organization after six months, subject to applicable conditions.