**Job Title**: Law Clerk 2025-2026
**Job Responsibilities**:
1. **Supreme Court Law Clerks**: Work with justices on complex cases involving difficult legal issues. Responsibilities include performing legal research, preparing written memoranda on novel issues of law, and assisting the justices in the preparation of opinions.
2. **Appellate Division Law Clerks**: Conduct research, analyze legal data, prepare legal memoranda, process emergent motion applications, and proofread published opinions. Responsibilities include preparing weekly memos, editing opinions, handling emergent applications, and assisting with additional research projects.
3. **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. Responsibilities include preparing bench memoranda, performing legal research, managing the motion calendar, and assisting with drafting legal opinions.
4. **Tax Court Law Clerks**: Perform duties similar to those assigned to law clerks in the Appellate Division and trial courts, but do not mediate cases. Responsibilities include reviewing and processing motions, conducting legal research, drafting case management orders, managing the motion calendar, and assisting with remote proceedings.
5. **Assignment Judge Law Clerks**: Learn all aspects of court administration and assist with processing emergent motions. Responsibilities include conducting research, preparing legal memos, managing the judge’s docket, and regularly communicating with counsel and courthouse staff.
6. **Family Division Law Clerks**: Handle disputes involving children, youth, spouses, and domestic partners. Responsibilities include conducting legal research, assisting with remote proceedings, communicating with litigants and attorneys, assisting in drafting legal opinions and orders, and handling emergent applications.
7. **Civil Division Law Clerks**: Gain practical experience and insight into the judicial process by observing judicial proceedings and attending conferences. Responsibilities include preparing bench memoranda, performing legal research, drafting legal orders, managing the motion calendar, and communicating with attorneys and litigants.
8. **Criminal Division Law Clerks**: Conduct legal research for the judge’s opinions and motions, assist in drafting jury instructions and legal opinions, manage the motion calendar, and perform case management functions.
9. **General Equity (Chancery) Law Clerks**: Conduct legal research of substantive and procedural legal matters, review case files, draft orders, proofread judges' orders and opinions, and interact with counsel and litigants regarding case management issues.
**Education and Experience Information**:
- Applicants 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 mediation course is helpful, as trial court law clerks who serve as mediators must complete the Judiciary-sponsored 12-hour mediation training or its equivalent.
**Salary Information**:
- 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**:
- The Judiciary offers a hybrid work schedule, allowing up to four days per month of remote work.
- Law clerks may hold outside employment with prior approval as provided in the Code of Conduct for Judiciary Employees.
- A valid New Jersey driver's license is required only 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 required for selected candidates.
- Approximately 480 clerkships are available, with most openings in the Superior Court Law Division and Chancery Division.
- The Judiciary of New Jersey is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
- Applicants must apply through the Judiciary's web-based portal, and applications will be accepted starting June 10, 2024.
