Judicial Clerkship - Government in Jersey City, NJ

Government

Jersey City, NJ

Judicial Clerkship - Government in Jersey City, NJ

Judicial Clerkship

No

Job Title: Law Clerk 2025 - 2026

Job Responsibilities:
Law clerks in the **Members Only** are expected to engage in various tasks depending on their placement within the court system. Supreme Court law clerks collaborate with justices on complex legal cases, conducting research and preparing written memoranda on novel issues of law. Appellate Division law clerks are responsible for research, analysis of legal data, preparation of legal memoranda, processing emergent motion applications, and proofreading published opinions. Law clerks for assignment judges learn all aspects of court administration and assist with processing emergent motions. Trial court law clerks gain practical experience by observing judicial proceedings, attending conferences with attorneys and judges, receiving training in mediation, mediating small claims cases, and summarizing information for judges. Tax Court law clerks perform duties similar to those in the Appellate Division and trial courts but do not mediate cases.

Law clerks in the Civil Division prepare bench memoranda, perform legal research, draft legal orders, and manage the motion calendar while assisting with drafting legal opinions and case management functions. In the Criminal Division, law clerks conduct legal research, assist in drafting jury instructions and legal opinions, manage the motion calendar, and perform case management functions. Family Division law clerks conduct legal research, assist with remote proceedings, and communicate with litigants and attorneys. General Equity (Chancery) law clerks conduct legal research, review case files, draft orders, and interact with counsel and self-represented litigants regarding case management and procedural issues.

Education and Experience Information:
To qualify for a law clerk position, candidates must have graduated from a law school approved by the American Bar Association by the time of their law clerk appointment. The program is intended for recent law school graduates, defined as those who have graduated within the last four years. Excellent writing and analytical skills are essential. It is beneficial for candidates to have completed a course in mediation prior to starting the clerkship. Selected candidates must provide an official, final law school transcript, not a photocopy, including the date of graduation at the time of hire.

Salary Information:
Salaries for the 2024-2025 court term are as follows:
- Supreme Court: $76,400
- Supreme Court Appellate Division: $69,750
- Superior Court Assignment Judge: $63,950
- Superior Court Chancery Division (General Equity): $63,950
- Superior Court Law Division (Civil and Criminal): $58,900
- Superior Court Chancery Division (Family): $58,900
- Tax Court: $58,900

The salaries for the 2025-2026 court term are to be determined based on funding availability.

Additional Information:
The **Members Only** offers a hybrid work schedule, allowing up to four days per month of remote work outside of Judiciary buildings, contingent upon certain requirements such as having high-speed home internet access. Law clerks may hold outside employment with prior approval as per the Code of Conduct for Judiciary Employees. A driver's license valid in New Jersey is required only if necessary to perform essential duties. US citizenship is not required, but candidates must be authorized to work in the US. A thorough background check, including fingerprinting, is mandatory for selected individuals.

Approximately 480 clerkships are available annually, with a limited number in the Supreme Court, Superior Court Appellate Division, and Tax Court. The majority of openings are in the Superior Court Law Division in civil and criminal court and the Superior Court Chancery Division in family court. Applicants are encouraged to apply early and must follow the application instructions precisely to be considered for hire. The program encourages applications from individuals from historically underrepresented groups, women, individuals with disabilities, and other protected class members.

The **Members Only** is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer committed to ensuring an open door to justice.