Judicial Clerkship - Government in Trenton, NJ

Government

Trenton, NJ

Judicial Clerkship - Government in Trenton, NJ

Judicial Clerkship

No

**Job Title:**
Law Clerk 2025 - 2026

**Job Responsibilities:**
Law clerks within the **Members Only** have the opportunity to work across various courts including the Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Superior Court, and Tax Court. Responsibilities differ slightly depending on the specific court assignment but generally include:

- **Supreme Court:** Law clerks collaborate with justices on complex legal cases, perform legal research, prepare written memoranda on novel legal issues, and assist in the preparation of opinions.
- **Appellate Division:** Responsibilities include conducting research, analyzing legal data, preparing legal memoranda, processing emergent motion applications, proofreading published opinions, and editing opinions authored by judges.
- **Trial Court:** Law clerks gain practical experience by observing judicial proceedings, attending conferences, receiving mediation training, mediating small claims cases, and summarizing information for judges.
- **Tax Court:** Similar to Appellate Division and Trial Courts, Tax Court law clerks engage in reviewing and processing motions, conducting legal research, drafting case management orders, managing the motion calendar, and communicating with attorneys and litigants.
- **Family Division:** Law clerks conduct legal research, assist with remote proceedings, communicate with litigants and attorneys, assist judges in drafting legal opinions and orders, manage adjournment requests, and handle emergent applications.
- **Civil Division:** Duties include preparing bench memoranda, performing legal research, drafting legal orders, drafting and editing legal correspondence, managing the motion calendar, and assisting with case management functions.
- **Criminal Division:** Law clerks are responsible for conducting legal research, drafting jury instructions and legal opinions, managing the motion calendar, performing case management functions, and assisting with remote proceedings.
- **General Equity (Chancery):** Clerks conduct legal research, prepare bench memoranda, draft orders, proofread judge's orders and opinions, and assist with emergent temporary restraining order applications.

**Education and Experience Information:**
- 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.
- Completion of a mediation course prior to the start of the clerkship is beneficial. Trial court law clerks serving as mediators must complete Judiciary-sponsored mediation training or provide proof of equivalent training.

**Salary Information:**
Salaries for the 2024-2025 court term are as follows, with the 2025-2026 salaries to be determined based on funding availability:
- Supreme Court: $76,400
- Supreme Court Appellate Division: $69,750
- Superior Court Assignment Judge and Chancery Division (General Equity): $63,950
- Superior Court Law Division (Civil and Criminal) and Chancery Division (Family): $58,900
- Tax Court: $58,900

**Additional Information:**
- 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 if operating a vehicle is necessary for the position.
- 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, with a limited number for the Supreme Court and other divisions.
- The Judiciary offers a hybrid work schedule, with up to four days per month of remote work potentially available.
- Individuals from historically underrepresented groups, women, individuals with disabilities, and other protected class members are encouraged to apply.

This clerkship provides a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a nationally recognized court system, with exposure to a wide variety of legal issues and the chance to work closely with judges, attorneys, and court staff.