**Job Title: Law Clerk 2025 - 2026**
**Job Responsibilities:**
1. **Supreme Court Law Clerks:**
- Work with justices on complex cases involving difficult legal issues.
- Perform legal research and prepare written memoranda on novel legal issues.
- Assist justices in preparing opinions.
2. **Appellate Division Law Clerks:**
- Conduct research and analyze legal data.
- Prepare legal memoranda and process emergent motion applications.
- Proofread published opinions.
3. **Trial Court Law Clerks:**
- Gain practical experience by observing judicial proceedings and attending conferences with attorneys and judges.
- Receive training in mediation, mediate small claims cases, and summarize information for judges.
4. **Tax Court Law Clerks:**
- Perform duties similar to those assigned to law clerks in the Appellate Division and trial courts, excluding mediation.
- Review and process motions filed with the court.
- Conduct legal research to inform a judge’s options and motions.
- Draft case management orders and other legal documents.
5. **Family Division Law Clerks:**
- Conduct legal research for the judge’s 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 Law Clerks:**
- Prepare bench memoranda for civil motions and motions in limine.
- Review pre-trial memoranda and prepare voir dire and points for charge.
- Perform legal research, draft legal orders, and assist with drafting legal opinions.
7. **Criminal Division Law Clerks:**
- Conduct legal research for the judge’s opinions and motions.
- Draft jury instructions, legal opinions, and legal orders.
- Manage the motion calendar and perform case management functions.
8. **General Equity (Chancery) Law Clerks:**
- Conduct legal research on substantive and procedural legal matters.
- Review case files and prepare bench memoranda.
- Draft orders and interact with counsel and self-represented litigants.
**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 graduating within the last four years.
- Excellent writing and analytical skills are essential.
- Completion of a course in mediation is helpful, and those selected as mediators must complete Judiciary-sponsored mediation training or its equivalent.
**Salary Information:**
- 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:**
- Individuals who have served or are currently serving in a trial court or Tax Court clerkship may be eligible for an additional one-year clerkship in the Appellate Division or Supreme Court.
- Approximately 480 clerkships are available annually, with most openings in the Superior Court Law Division in civil and criminal court and Superior Court Chancery Division in family court.
- Law clerks may hold outside employment with prior approval as provided in the Code of Conduct for Judiciary Employees.
- A driver’s license valid in New Jersey is required if the operation of a vehicle is necessary.
- US citizenship is not required, but candidates must be authorized to work in the US.
- Selected individuals must agree to a thorough background check, including fingerprinting.
- Law clerks are not subject to the New Jersey residency law during their court term, but those moving into another state position after the term must comply.
This summary provides an overview of the responsibilities, qualifications, and salary information for the position of Law Clerk in the New Jersey Courts for the 2025-2026 term. The position offers a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in various courts, enhancing career prospects in the legal field.
