Law Clerk (Session Only)

Minnesota Senate; Saint Paul (MN); Hybrid; USD 34,000 - 48,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Telework opportunities

Holiday pay

Optional retirement accounts

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Job summary

Minnesota Senate seeks two part-time Law Clerks to conduct nonpartisan legal and non-legal research for Counsel and Analysts in the Office of Senate Counsel, Research, and Fiscal Analysis. This appointment runs January through May 2027.

Applicants must have completed at least one year of ABA‑accredited law school, possess strong writing and research skills, and be able to work independently. Telework opportunities are available.

Qualifications

• Completion of at least one year of law school at an ABA-accredited institution.
• Non-partisan background.
• Knowledge of WestLaw and Microsoft Office.
• Strong communication, research and writing skills.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple projects.

Responsibilities

• Conducting legal and non-legal research on a variety of issues being considered by the legislature.
• Drafting memos summarizing and analyzing research results.
• Identifying and summarizing relevant cases.
• Identifying and comparing laws from other states.

Skills

Legal research

Research and writing

Communication skills

Independent work

Multitasking

Education

1 year of law school (ABA-accredited)

Tools

WestLaw

Microsoft Office

Job description

This vacancy will fill two, part-time (10 hours/week) Law Clerk positions.

Reports to: Director of Senate Counsel, Research, and Fiscal Analysis (SCRFA) or designee

Salary: $29.48/hourly

This is a nonpartisan position and the expectation is that the successful candidate will remain free from party affiliation, bias or designation the duration of the appointment.

This position will be eligible for some telework opportunities.

This position is expected to work 10 hours/week during the 2027 legislative session.

This position has an anticipated start date of early-January 2027 and will last until mid-May 2027.

Applications will be accepted until November 19, 2026 at 4pm.

Position Purpose

A Law Clerk will conduct nonpartisan legal and non-legal research for Counsel and Analysts in the Office of Senate Counsel, Research, and Fiscal Analysis. A Law Clerk must independently conduct research and communicate the results of that research orally or in writing to the person requesting the research. A Law Clerk must maintain confidentiality regarding all work conducted for the office.

Primary Responsibilities

• Conducting legal and non-legal research on a variety of issues being considered by the legislature.
• Drafting memos summarizing and analyzing research results.
• Identifying and summarizing relevant cases.
• Identifying and comparing laws from other states.

Minimum Qualifications

Completion of at least one year of law school at an ABA-accredited institution, including coursework on legal research and writing.

In addition to the qualifications listed above, applicants must demonstrate in their application:

• A non-partisan background.
• Knowledge of WestLaw and Microsoft Office programs.
• Strong communication skills.
• Strong research and writing skills.
• Ability to work independently.
• Ability to manage multiple projects.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ability to quickly learn new subject areas.
• Demonstrable interest in the legislative process, public policy, or public sector work.

Why work for the Minnesota Senate?

The Minnesota Senate offers benefits for temporary employees including:

• Holiday pay
• Optional retirement accounts
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

The Minnesota Senate provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to any characteristics protected by federal, state, or local laws. The Minnesota Senate is committed to providing an inclusive and respectful workplace for our employees.