Judicial Clerkship - Government in Newark, NJ

Government

Newark, NJ

Judicial Clerkship - Government in Newark, NJ

Judicial Clerkship

No

Job Title: Law Clerk 2025 - 2026

Job Responsibilities:
Law clerks in the **Members Only** are tasked with a variety of responsibilities depending on their assigned court division. These positions offer hands-on experience in a court environment and valuable insight into the judicial process. Responsibilities include:

1. Supreme Court:
- Work with justices on complex legal cases.
- Conduct legal research and prepare written memoranda on novel legal issues.
- Assist justices in preparing opinions.

2. Appellate Division:
- Conduct research and analyze legal data.
- Prepare legal memoranda and process emergent motion applications.
- Proofread published opinions and assist with editing opinions authored by judges.

3. Superior Court (Assignment Judges, Chancery Division, Law Division, and Tax Court):
- Learn all aspects of court administration.
- Assist with processing emergent motions.
- Observe judicial proceedings and attend conferences with attorneys and judges.
- Receive training in mediation and mediate small claims cases (for trial court clerks).

4. Tax Court:
- Perform duties similar to those in the Appellate Division and trial courts but do not mediate cases.
- Review and process motions filed with the court.
- Conduct legal research to inform a judge’s options and motions.

5. Family Division:
- Conduct legal research for judges’ opinions and motions.
- Assist with remote proceedings and communicate with litigants and attorneys.
- Draft legal opinions and orders, manage adjournment requests, and handle emergent applications.

6. Civil Division:
- Prepare bench memoranda for civil motions and motions in limine.
- Review pre-trial memoranda and prepare voir dire and points for charge.
- Draft and proofread legal correspondence and manage the motion calendar.

7. Criminal Division:
- Conduct legal research for judges’ opinions and motions.
- Assist in drafting jury instructions and legal opinions.
- Manage the motion calendar and perform case management functions.

8. General Equity (Chancery):
- Conduct legal research of substantive and procedural legal matters.
- Prepare bench memoranda, draft orders, and proofread judge’s orders and opinions.
- Interact with counsel and self-represented litigants regarding case management.

Education and Experience Information:
- Law clerks must have graduated from a law school approved by the American Bar Association by the time of their appointment.
- The program is intended for recent law school graduates, defined as those graduating within the last four years.
- Excellent writing and analytical skills are essential.
- Completion of a course in mediation is beneficial, and trial court law clerks serving as mediators must complete the Judiciary-sponsored 12-hour mediation training or an equivalent.

Salary Information:
- Salaries are based on a 52-week court term with an additional one or two-week overlap, which will be paid at a separate weekly rate. For the 2024-2025 Court Term, the salaries 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

Additional Information:
- Remote Work: The Judiciary offers a hybrid work schedule, with up to four days per month of remote work outside Judiciary buildings.
- Application Process: Applications open on June 10, 2024, through the Judiciary's web-based portal. Applicants will be contacted for interviews on or after June 17, 2024.
- Authorization to Work: US citizenship is not required, but candidates must be authorized to work in the US.
- Residency Law: Law clerks are not subject to the New Jersey residency requirement during their court term.
- Background Check: Selected individuals must agree to a thorough background check, including fingerprinting.
- Equal Opportunity Employer: The **Members Only** is committed to ensuring justice and encourages individuals from underrepresented groups to apply.

The **Members Only** offers approximately 480 clerkships annually, providing law school graduates an opportunity to gain real-world legal experience in a nationally recognized court system. These positions are designed to enhance future career prospects through exposure to various legal proceedings and collaboration with judges, attorneys, and court staff.