Temporary Assistant to a Visually Impaired Law Clerk

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and U.S. District Court Northern Illinois; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 62,000 - 81,000; Full time

Job summary

The United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois, announces a twelve-week, full-time temporary position as Assistant to a Visually Impaired Law Clerk in Chicago. Duties include reading aloud, proofreading, formatting, and assisting with legal documents.

A proofreading skill assessment will be part of the process, with applications through the court's online system. Applicants must meet JSP 8 requirements: 2 years of general experience and 3 years of specialized experience, and

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent is required.
• JSP 8 grade requires 2 years general experience and 3 years specialized experience.
• Education substitutions may substitute for up to two years of general/specialized experience.

Responsibilities

• Summarize and read aloud legal material for the law clerk.
• Proofread and cite-check written work including bluebooking.
• Maintain and organize case files and convert documents to accessible formats.

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Bachelor's degree substitution for general/specialized experience

Job description

Date: September 22, 2026

Job Announcement No.: 2026-37

No. of Vacancies: One

Position Title: Temporary Assistant to a Visually Impaired Law Clerk

Grade Range: JSP 08/01 to JSP 08/10

Salary Range: $62,470 - $81,208

Closing Date: October 6, 2026

The United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois, is now accepting applications for a Temporary Assistant to a Visually Impaired Law Clerk. Consideration will only be given to those who apply through the court’s online applicant tracking system and submit a cover letter and resume.

This is a twelve-week temporary replacement position starting January 2027.

POSITION OVERVIEW

This full-time temporary position is located at the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, and works directly with a visually impaired law clerk. The incumbent must be able to read aloud legal material and case-related items and assist with preparing, formatting, and proofreading a variety of written material. As part of the application process the applicant will be expected to complete a proofreading and editing skill assessment.

POSITION DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Summarizes and reads aloud written legal material in connection with the performance of the law clerk’s responsibilities.
• Proofreads and cite checks written work product, including citations to the record, grammar, spelling, formatting, and bluebooking.
• Maintains and organizes hard copy and electronic case and administrative files. Using software, converts electronic documents into an accessible format, e.g., such as Portable Document Format files.
• Describes visual aspects of evidence submitted to the court, such as maps, photographs, video recordings, tangible objects, and figures in patents.
• Assists with electronic legal research, including searches on Westlaw, and, if necessary, reads results aloud.
• Assists with any handwritten proofreading marks written on hard copy by others. This may include entering the changes or verbalizing them. Makes judge’s revisions on orders.
• Runs reports in CM/ECF and reviews them with the law clerk.
• Assists with maintenance of internal case and pending motion tracking system.
• Assists law clerk during hearings. This may include providing visual information on activities and individuals within the courtroom.
• Assists law clerk with other duties, such as sending faxes, making copies, and completing forms that must be handwritten. Performs other duties as assigned.

JOB REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS

The incumbent must be able to comprehend a wide range of legal concepts, principles and practices and must have excellent reading, writing, proofreading, and organizational skills. Must have the ability to maintain confidentiality and to interact with a wide variety of people. It is essential that the applicant be detail-oriented and extremely organized as this position requires preparation of written work product suitable for the judge’s approval. To qualify for the position, a person must be a high school graduate or the equivalent. In order to qualify for the JSP 8 grade, a person must have 2 years of general experience and 3 years of specialized experience.

General Experience

Progressively responsible clerical or administrative experience whereby employee provided a good knowledge of office clerical practices such as typing, organization of filings, and computer and telephone usage.

Specialized Experience

Progressively responsible experience that involved duties as the principal office assistant to a supervisor who was dealing with law‑related matters (such as in a law, insurance or real estate office).

Educational Substitutions

Education in a college, university or secretarial school of recognized standing may be substituted for a maximum of one year of the general experience on the basis of 30 semester (45 quarter) hours equals nine months of experience.

A bachelor's degree from a college or university of recognized standing may be substituted for two years of general experience. Preferably, such degree should have included courses in law, government, public or business administration or related fields.

Education in a legal or paralegal curriculum may be substituted for a maximum of two years of specialized experience on the basis of one full academic year (30 semester or 45 quarter hours) equals one year of experience. Less than one full year of study will be credited on a pro‑ra­ta basis.

NOTICE TO APPLICANT

Consideration will only be given to those who apply through the court's online applicant tracking system and provide a cover letter, resume, and two professional references by October 6, 2026.

Due to the volume of applications received, the Court will only communicate with those applicants who will be interviewed. Applicants selected for interviews will be communicated to only through email and must travel at their own expense and relocation expenses will not be reimbursed. Applicants will be screened to determine their experience and qualifications. The United States District Court requires employees to follow the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees. Reference checks with current and former employers will be conducted. Only qualified applicants will be considered for this position. A preliminary background investigation with law enforcement agencies, including fingerprint and criminal record check will be conducted as a condition of employment. Unsatisfactory results may result in termination of employment. The selected candidate will be subject to an FBI fingerprint check as a condition of employment and may be subject to periodic updates.

The United States District Court is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Diversity is important to the Judiciary. It is an essential component of services that the Judiciary is charged with providing to maintain justice, equality, fairness, respect, and dignity in society. To fulfill its duties, the Judiciary must include all members of society—not just regardless, but also inclusive of race, gender, disability, and the many other variables that make up the citizens of our nation. The Judiciary has a duty to promote a fair, just, and sustainable model of inclusive democracy and social justice that surpasses any governmental entity in the history of this nation or of any other nation.

To be eligible for employment, applicants must meet one of the following requirements:

1. U.S. citizen;
2. Person who owes allegiance to the U.S. (i.e., nationals of American Samoa, Swains Island, and the Northern Mariana Islands);
3. Person admitted as a refugee or granted asylum who has filed a declaration of intention to become a lawful permanent resident and then a citizen when eligible; or
4. Lawful permanent resident (i.e., green card holder) who is seeking citizenship. A lawful permanent resident "seeking citizenship":
   1. May not apply for citizenship until he or she has been a permanent resident for at least five years (three years if seeking naturalization as a spouse of a citizen);
   2. Must apply for citizenship within six months of becoming eligible; and
   3. Must complete the process within two years of applying (unless there is a delay caused by the processors of the application).

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.

INFORMATION ABOUT THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS

The Northern District of Illinois is home to the five largest cities in Illinois: Chicago, Aurora, Rockford, Joliet, and Naperville. Also known as “The Windy City,” Chicago is the third most populous city in the U.S. with nearly 2.7 million inhabitants and approximately 8 million people living in the Chicago metropolitan area. With Lake Michigan as its eastern border, Chicago covers more than 237 square miles.

Chicago is home to numerous museums and cultural institutions including Art Institute of Chicago, Field Museum, Museum of Science and Industry, Shedd Aquarium, and Adler Planetarium. A center of art and culture, Chicago has over 200 theaters, nearly 200 art galleries, and more than 7,300 restaurants.

Known for its magnificent skyline, Chicago is home to buildings designed by some of the world’s most renowned architects including Daniel Burnham, Louis Sullivan, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Mies van der Rohe, who designed the Dirksen Courthouse.

Major Chicago universities include University of Chicago, Northwestern University, Loyola University, University of Illinois Chicago, DePaul University and Illinois Institute of Technology. Professional Chicago sports teams include the Bulls (NBA), Sky (WNBA), Bears (NFL), Cubs (MLB), White Sox (MLB), Fire (MLS), Chicago Blackhawks (NHL), and Red Stars (NWSL). Chicago is a major world finance center. The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, the Chicago Stock Exchange, the Chicago Board Options Exchange, and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange are within blocks of the Courthouse. The Northern District of Illinois is home to three international airports including O’Hare International Airport, among the busiest airports in the world.