Law Clerk I (PCRA Unit)

Philadelphia PA; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 62,000 - 69,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free SEPTA transit

8 weeks paid parental leave

Vacation and sick days

Health coverage

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Job summary

The First Judicial District of Pennsylvania is seeking a Law Clerk I (PCRA Unit) for full-time, in-person work in Philadelphia. The role involves reviewing petitions under the Post-Conviction Relief Act, drafting 907 notices, orders, and opinions for review by the PCRA Judge, and handling a high-volume caseload within the Criminal Trial Division.

Qualified candidates hold a JD from an accredited law school, with three years of law clerk or attorney experience preferred.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited law school required.
• Experience as a law clerk or practicing attorney preferred.
• Strong legal research, memorandum drafting, and writing skills.
• Ability to prepare for judicial approval, 907 notices and opinions.

Responsibilities

• Review petitions and procedural history.
• Research legal sources for briefs and opinions.
• Prepare rough drafts of opinions and final documents.
• Draft notices, orders, and opinions for judicial review and signature.
• Maintain case files and support docketing and service of notices.

Skills

Legal research

Memoranda drafting

Writing skills

Organizational skills

Communication skills

In-person work

Education

Juris Doctorate degree

Job description

First Judicial District of PA is an Equal Opportunity Employer (M/F/D/V).

Start Over with Job Search

Returning Applicant? Login Now

Law Clerk I (PCRA Unit)

Union:Non-Union Position Department:Criminal Trial Division FT/PT Status:Full Time Salary:$62,476-$68,734 Note:New hires must start at step 1 of pay grade Job Description

A completed application must be submitted by 11:59 PM on 10/14/2026.

About FJD

The First Judicial District of Pennsylvania is the Philadelphia County Court System composed of two courts: the Court of Common Pleas and the Municipal Court. Our mission is to adjudicate cases and provide services to the community within our jurisdiction while ensuring fair, timely, and accessible justice to the people of Philadelphia.

Benefits Summary

• FREE public transportation all year long through SEPTA’s Key Advantage program.
• 8-weeks of Paid parental leave
• Generous paid time off: 14 days’ vacation, 15 sicks days, 5 annual (paid personal) leave days, 12 paid holidays.
• Comprehensive and affordable health coverage to meet you and your family’s needs.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness forgives the remaining balance on your federal Direct Loans after you’ve made the equivalent of 120 qualifying monthly payments under an accepted repayment plan and while working full-time for an eligible employer such as the FJD.
• Pension through Philadelphia Municipal Employees Retirement Plan
• 457 (b) Deferred Compensation Plan is tax-advantage retirement plan to accelerate your retirement savings by putting money aside pretax into investment portfolios. This is separate from your pension.
• Tuition Discounts and Scholarships: FJD participates in the City of Philadelphia’s Return to Learning Partnership Program to provide access to a wide range of tuition discounts and scholarships. Discounts range between 10% to 40%

About Department

The Criminal Section has jurisdiction over all felony cases and appeals from Municipal Court for a trial de novo (new trial) including a right to a trial by jury. Among the types of cases that fall within the assignments of the Trial Division Criminal Section are homicide cases, capital PCRA cases and felony cases. The Probation Department and Pretrial Services are included in the Criminal Section of the Division.

Position Summary

This is a full-time in-person position requiring work directly with court personnel, and judges in the Philadelphia Courts.

The PCRA Law Clerk I is a full-time, in person position for the Court of Common Pleas, Criminal Trial Division. An employee in this class is responsible for professional legal work as a law clerk reviewing and drafting dispositions on petitions for relief under the Post-Conviction Relief Act (PCRA). The primary task of a law clerk in the PCRA Unit is to review motions and case history to draft 907 notices, orders, and opinions for review by the designated PCRA Judge. Work performed involves a greater degree of expertise due to the greater volume of cases for review and the need to function in a specialized area of law.

By Order of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, effective September 1, 2005, all law clerks employed by the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania Courts are prohibited from appearing as counsel in the division/section of the court in which they work and are employed. Further, in courts with no formally established divisions or sections, the law clerks are prohibited from appearing as counsel in the court itself.

Requirements

• Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited law school. AND
• Three years of experience as a law clerk or practicing attorney preferred.
• Knowledge of the techniques and processes of legal research and preparation of memoranda, petitions, and similar instruments.
• Ability to prepare for judicial approval, 907 notices, orders, and opinions.
• Strong organizational, communication, and writing skills.
• Superior writing and analytical skills.
• Ability to perform the essential functions of the position.
• Satisfactory clearance of a criminal background investigation.
• Must work in person (not remote).

Essential Functions

• Review petitions and procedural history
• Research legal sources for briefs or opinions based on statutory law, decisions, and precedents of higher courts.
• Searches for and studies legal records and documents to obtain data applicable to cases under consideration.
• Prepares rough drafts of opinions.
• Prepares high-quality briefs, orders, and opinions by reviewing documents, files, and case correspondence and submit to assigned judicial authority for review and signature in a timely manner.
• Completes docketing and service of notices, orders, and opinions.
• Maintains files on case documents and all related correspondence.
• Completes administrative tasks associated with assigned caseload.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, members of the judiciary, court and departmental administrators, and diverse court clientele and members of the public.
• Performs related work as required.

Marginal Functions

• Provide general information about the assigned functions.
• Performs related work as required.

Environmental Conditions

• Standard clerical office conditions.
• Direct contact with diverse clientele.

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Knowledge of the components and functions of the justice system.
• Knowledge of legal research techniques and preparation of memoranda, petitions, and similar instruments.
• Ability to prepare for judicial approval, 907 notices, orders, and opinions.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with members of the judiciary, court personnel, departmental administrators, attorneys, and associates.
• Ability to perform administrative tasks in an effective and organized fashion.
• Ability to use Westlaw and criminal court databases.
• Ability to use Microsoft Word and Excel.

ADA Notice

The First Judicial District is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the First Judicial District will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective employees and incumbents to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.