Pro Se Law Clerk

United States Courts; Columbia (SC); On-site; USD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Paid federal holidays

Retirement savings plan (TSP)

Life insurance

Job summary

United States Courts seeks Pro Se Law Clerks for the U.S. District Court.

Pro Se Law Clerks provide substantive legal analysis, advice, and assistance on cases pending before the District Court and other court-related legal issues, under the supervision of the Chief District Judge. Duties include initial review, drafting of orders or reports, and legal research; funding is subject to JSP guidelines and biennial reviews.

Qualifications

• Must hold a Juris Doctor and be a member of a State Bar.
• Experience handling pro se litigation, including prisoner litigation and state habeas corpus.
• Strong research, writing, and analytical abilities.
• Proficiency in computer-assisted research and MS Office.

Responsibilities

• Perform initial review and analysis of pro se cases.
• Draft Orders or Reports and Recommendations as directed by supervising judges.
• Conduct legal research and prepare memoranda for the supervising judge's review.
• Assist in interpreting court processes and procedures.

Skills

Analytical skills

Legal research

Legal writing

Oral communication

Pro se litigation experience

Attention to detail

Education

Juris Doctor (JD) from an ABA-accredited law school

State Bar membership

Tools

WordPerfect

Microsoft Word

Windows

Job description

Overview of the Position Pro Se Law Clerks are a significant resource for the federal court. Pro Se Law Clerks are appointed and supervised by the Chief District Judge and serve at his or her pleasure. The Chief Judge may assign Pro Se Law Clerks to work under the immediate direction of another supervising district or magistrate judge designated by the Chief Judge. Pro Se Law Clerks provide substantive legal analysis, advice, and assistance on cases pending before the District Court and on other court-related legal issues. The specific job duties to be performed are at the designated supervising judge's discretion, subject to parameters established by the Chief Judge and other judges. For example, duties may include, but are not limited to, initial review, screening and analysis of prisoner and other pro se cases and drafting of appropriate legal documents; legal research and drafting of proposed Orders or Reports and Recommendations; preparing legal memoranda for the supervising judge's review and consideration; and such other duties as may be assigned by the designated supervising judge or the Chief Judge. Pro Se Law Clerk positions are subject to the availability of continued funding, which is determined every two years.

Pro Se Law Clerks are a significant resource for the federal court. Pro Se Law Clerks are appointed and supervised by the Chief District Judge and serve at his or her pleasure. The Chief Judge may assign Pro Se Law Clerks to work under the immediate direction of another supervising district or magistrate judge designated by the Chief Judge. Pro Se Law Clerks provide substantive legal analysis, advice, and assistance on cases pending before the District Court and on other court-related legal issues. The specific job duties to be performed are at the designated supervising judge's discretion, subject to parameters established by the Chief Judge and other judges. For example, duties may include, but are not limited to, initial review, screening and analysis of prisoner and other pro se cases and drafting of appropriate legal documents; legal research and drafting of proposed Orders or Reports and Recommendations; preparing legal memoranda for the supervising judge's review and consideration; and such other duties as may be assigned by the designated supervising judge or the Chief Judge. Pro Se Law Clerk positions are subject to the availability of continued funding, which is determined every two years.

Qualifications

Applicants must possess a Juris Doctor from a law school of recognized standing and have excellent academic credentials. They must be a member of a State Bar. Applicants should highlight any experience they have in areas of pro se litigation, including prisoner litigation and state habeas corpus, but also in other areas, such as any relevant experience in the areas of death penalty, employment, or social security. They must also have superior analytical, research, and writing skills and be proficient in computer-assisted research, Windows, WordPerfect and Word. Desirable qualifications include: detail oriented, reliable, ability to work independently, excellent oral and written communications skills, and an understanding of court processes and procedures. Salary will be based upon experience and qualifications in accordance with JSP guidelines.

Employee Benefits

• The opportunity to serve in a rewarding public service position.
• Paid federal holidays.
• Extensive health, life, dental, and vision insurance plans.
• Traditional (pre-tax) and Roth (after-tax) retirement savings and investment plans through the
  Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) with employer matching contributions.
• Pre-tax medical and childcare reimbursement accounts.

Employees of the U.S. District Court are not classified under Civil Service.

The court reserves the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement, or to withdraw the announcement, any of which may occur without prior written or other notice. Only qualified applicants will be considered for the position. Participation in the interview process will be at the applicant's own expense and relocation expenses will not be provided.

Conditions of Employment

Employees must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents currently seeking citizenship or intending to become a citizen after meeting the eligibility requirements as outlined in Title 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3)(B). Judiciary employees serve under excepted service appointments and are considered "at-will" and can be terminated with or without cause or notice by the court. The U.S. District Court requires employees to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees, which is available to applicants to review upon request. This position is also subject to mandatory Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) for payroll deposit. The final candidate is subject to FBI Fingerprinting and a background check. All information provided by applicants is subject to verification and background investigation.

The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.