Court Law Clerk

Overview

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
DISTRICT OF NEW JERSEY
Melissa

E. Rhoads, Clerk of Court
Career Opportunity
Announcement # 26-02

Position Title:

Court Law Clerk
Classification Level/ JSP 11 – $87,133
Salary Range JSP 12 – $104,436
JSP 13 – $124,189

* Qualifications based on experience pursuant to AO guidelines
Duty Station:
Camden, Newark, or Trenton, New Jersey
Posting Period:
December 18, 2025, through January 5, 2026, closing at 5:00 p.m.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The United States District Court for the District of New Jersey is seeking a Court Law Clerk for a term beginning in or about January 2026 and concluding on September 30, 2027. The Judicial Conference created the court law clerk program to facilitate case resolution in high-workload courts by providing additional law clerks to district courts with exceptionally heavy caseloads. The Chief Judge is the appointing authority for all law clerk positions.

If hired, the position may be extended beyond September 30, 2027, depending upon the needs of the office and funding. The selected Court Law Clerk will perform work for one (1) or more active District Judges, based on the needs of the Court. The position may be based in the Trenton, Newark, or Camden vicinage; however, it is anticipated that the first approximately six months will be served in the Trenton vicinage.

• Draft legal memoranda and proposed opinions and orders for review by the District Judge(s), including motions for summary judgment and motions to dismiss, in connection with a wide variety of matters, including but not limited to habeas corpus petitions, immigration cases, Social Security appeal cases, civil rights actions, and other civil and criminal cases.
• Conduct legal research as required on a broad range of legal issues.
• Monitor dockets to assure proper progress of cases.
• Provide information, guidance, and advice to the District Judge(s) relating to pending civil and criminal matters.
• Provide procedural information to litigants and counsel.
• Perform case management and other duties associated with the administration of cases.
• Perform other duties as assigned, including attending court hearings, as needed.

The caseload in the jurisdiction is heavy, and the types of cases presented are varied, often involving novel and complex issues of the law. The position involves daily communication with the Judge(s) and other court staff concerning legal and court-related issues.

• JSP 11 – JD degree only.
• JSP 12 – One (1) year of legal work experience post JD and bar admission.
• JSP 13 – Two (2) years of legal work experience post JD and bar admission.
• Ideal candidates are law school graduates who have:
• A strong academic background, and demonstrated research and writing ability;
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, and the ability to work effectively with a variety of people in person, on the phone, and via email;
• Excellent organizational skills and experience handling multiple tasks and projects;
• Ability to work with strict deadlines and in a fast-paced environment;
• Maturity, good judgment, and high ethical standards; and
• Ability to work independently or as a team player, with a positive work attitude.

Note:

The outside practice of law is prohibited except as provided by the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees.

• Prior federal clerkship experience, standing within the upper quarter of law school, superior analytical ability and strong legal research and experience on the editorial board of a law review or law journal preferred.

• Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or eligible to work in the U.S. This is a highly-sensitive position, thus selected candidate must undergo a higher-level background investigation conducted by the Office of Personnel Management. A background check is also required which includes a fingerprint and a criminal record check. Any applicant selected for a position will be hired provisionally pending favorable suitability determination of the background investigation.

• Where appropriate, the court provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need reasonable…