Job Title: Law Clerk 2025 - 2026
Job Responsibilities:
Law clerks in the **MEMBERS ONLY**SIGN UP NOW***. are engaged in a variety of responsibilities depending on the court in which they serve. These responsibilities include:
1. Supreme Court: Law clerks work with justices on complex cases involving difficult legal issues. They perform legal research, prepare written memoranda on novel issues of law, and assist the justices in preparing opinions.
2. Appellate Division: Law clerks conduct research, analyze legal data, prepare legal memoranda, process emergent motion applications, and proofread published opinions. They also prepare weekly memos for judges, edit opinions, handle emergent applications, and assist with additional research projects.
3. Superior Court Assignment Judge: Law clerks learn all aspects of court administration and assist with processing emergent motions.
4. Trial Court: Law clerks gain practical experience by observing judicial proceedings, attending conferences with attorneys and judges, and receiving training in mediation. They mediate small claims cases and summarize information for judges.
5. Tax Court: Law clerks perform duties similar to those in the Appellate Division and trial courts but do not mediate cases. They review and process motions, conduct legal research, draft case management orders, manage the motion calendar, and assist with remote proceedings.
6. Family Division: Law clerks conduct legal research for opinions and motions, assist with remote proceedings, communicate with self-represented litigants and attorneys, draft legal opinions and orders, and handle emergent applications.
7. Civil Division: Law clerks prepare bench memoranda, perform legal research, draft legal orders, manage the motion calendar, assist with drafting legal opinions, and communicate with attorneys and litigants.
8. Criminal Division: Law clerks conduct legal research, assist in drafting jury instructions and legal opinions, manage the motion calendar, perform case management functions, and assist with remote proceedings.
9. General Equity (Chancery): Law clerks conduct legal research, review case files, draft orders, interact with counsel and self-represented litigants, and assist in processing emergent temporary restraining order applications.
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.
- Mediation skills are a plus, and a course in mediation is helpful prior to the start of the clerkship.
- Applicants selected for clerkships must complete the Judiciary-sponsored 12-hour mediation training or its equivalent, unless they have completed an approved alternative dispute resolution course.
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:
- 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 for the position.
- US citizenship is not required, but candidates must be authorized to work in the US.
- Law clerks must agree to a thorough background check, including fingerprinting.
- New Jersey residency is required within one year of hire, but law clerks are exempt during their court term.
- Approximately 480 clerkships are available, with most opportunities in the Superior Court Law Division in civil and criminal court and the Superior Court Chancery Division in family court.
- The **MEMBERS ONLY**SIGN UP NOW***. is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
- The Judiciary offers a hybrid work schedule with up to four days per month of remote work outside of Judiciary buildings.
