RESEARCH ATTORNEY - APPELLATE DIVISION

Orange County Superior Court; Santa Ana (CA); Hybrid; USD 129,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Choice of five medical plans

Defined Benefit Retirement Plan (2.50%

$3,500 OBP annually

Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA)

Dental and Vision Plans

Vacation and sick leave packages

14 paid holidays per year

Job summary

The Orange County Superior Court is seeking Appellate Division Research Attorneys. They research legal issues in civil and criminal law, review writs and appellate briefs, and draft memoranda and proposed opinions for judicial officers.

Candidates must have California Bar membership, at least three years appellate experience, strong writing and research skills, and the ability to work under tight deadlines as part of a high-volume, public-service team.

Qualifications

• Active California State Bar membership is required.
• At least three years of post-California Bar appellate law experience or equivalent.
• Excellent writing, researching, and analytical abilities.

Responsibilities

• Research legal issues in civil and criminal law and review writs, appellate briefs, and trial records; draft clear memoranda and proposed opinions.
• Attend judicial case conferences and appellate argument hearings; discuss issues with judicial officers and revise work accordingly.
• Manage high-volume assignments with tight deadlines, demonstrating strong judgment and integrity.

Job description

This recruitment will be open on a continuous basis; however, the deadline for first round of consideration is Sunday, September 13, 2026. Please note that this recruitment will remain open until the needs of the Court have been met and may close at any time.

This recruitment is open to external candidates, internal OCSC employees, and internal OCSC promotions. This recruitment will be used to fill current vacancies, and an eligible list may be established to fill future vacancies.

SALARY INFORMATION

Research Attorney Annual Range: $129,313.60 - $164,777.60

Anticipated Starting Rate: $129,313.60

(Note: Research Attorneys may be able to promote to Senior Research Attorney upon meeting established criteria. The salary for Senior Research Attorney is up to $187,512.00 annually.)

BENEFITS HIGHLIGHTS

• Choice of five medical plans
• Defined Benefit Retirement Plan (2.50% at 67 formula)
• $3,500 Optional Benefit Plan (OBP) annually
• Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA)
• Dental and Vision Plans
• Vacation and sick leave packages
• 14 paid holidays per year

TELEWORK/ON-SITE OPPORTUNITY

This position is eligible for a combination of telework and on-site work assignments. Telework must be completed from a pre-designated home-based location within the State of California, and employees may be required to report on-site to address business needs. Telework is at the sole discretion of the Court and may be rescinded with 48 hours' notice, based on the needs of the Orange County Superior Court.

Opportunity Details

ABOUT ORANGE COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT

The Orange County Superior Court was established in 1893 and maintains jurisdiction over a wide range of matters, with our flagship location being the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana, with additional courthouses located in Orange (Lamoreaux), Newport Beach (Harbor), Fullerton (North), and Westminster (West), as the fifth-largest trial court in the United States and the third-largest court of general jurisdiction in California. We have more than 140 judicial officers and over 1,500 staff with an operating budget of nearly $280 million.

Our court is recognized for innovation, resource advancements, and community focus while managing over half a million case filings annually and serving a population exceeding three million. The Court's Judges, Commissioners, and employees are recognized for their high standards of achievement, integrity, modernization, and diversity. The Court is committed to ensuring equal access to court services and enhancing public confidence in the court system.

To learn more about the Superior Court of California, County of Orange, visit our homepage at www.occourts.org.

ABOUT THE POSITION

Appellate Division Research Attorneys work under the direction of the Appellate Panel Judges and the General Counsel and report to the Supervising Research Attorney. They are responsible for researching legal issues in both civil and criminal law; carefully reviewing and analyzing writs, appellate briefs, trial records, and other case documents; drafting clear, concise, accurate, and well-organized memoranda and proposed opinions; attending judicial case conferences and Appellate Division oral argument hearings; and making timely recommendations regarding the resolution of legal issues before the court. Additional responsibilities include the ability to discuss issues thoroughly with judicial officers, receive and implement constructive feedback, and work collaboratively to edit and revise one's work. Excellent analytical, writing, and research skills are required. These positions are responsible for a high-volume of work, often with short deadlines for the completion of assignments and require exceptional self-direction and time management skills, as well as excellent judgment and the performance of duties with the highest degree of integrity in order to uphold the public's trust and confidence in the administration of justice.

Note: Although most Research Attorney positions are assigned to our Civil Division, our current need is in the Appellate Division, and this recruitment has specifically been opened to fill that need. Attorneys may be reassigned at any time to General Civil, Complex Civil, Criminal, Family Law, Juvenile, or Probate Departments, depending on the needs of the Court.

RESEARCH ATTORNEY

Minimum Qualifications

BAR MEMBERSHIP

Active membership in good standing with the California State Bar.

EXPERIENCE

At least three (3) years of post-California Bar appellate law experience or experience as an appellate judicial staff attorney, or comparable position is required.

WRITING SAMPLE

Applicants must submit a self-edited writing sample with their application. A preferable writing sample consists of an appellate specific brief directed to an appellate division or appellate panel.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

• At least five (5) years of experience practicing in one or more of the following areas:
• Appellate practitioner, an appellate judicial staff attorney, or comparable position emphasizing legal writing and analysis
• Familiarity with appellate practice and writ practice and procedures
• Proficiency in online and windows-based legal research applications, as well as in using MS Word and Adobe Acrobat.
• Excellent research and writing skills are essential, along with the ability to work independently on a wide variety of legal issues of varied complexity, to effectively manage one's time in order to meet stringent time constraints, and to interact professionally with Judicial Officers, colleagues, and court staff.

Orange County Superior Court is an Equal Opportunity Employer