Judicial Law Clerk I for the Honorable Jennifer Schultz - Criminal Trial Division

City of Philadelphia • Philadelphia, PA

12d • $60,656 • Onsite

About The Position

This is a confidential position that serves at the sole discretion and pleasure of this Judge presently assigned to the PCRA program. Should the judicial assignment change, the operational need for this position will be eliminated.
This is professional legal work as a research assistant assigned to the Judge of the Post Conviction Relief Act program. An employee in this class is responsible for professional legal work as a law clerk reviewing and drafting dispositions on petitions for relief under the Post-Conviction Relief Act (PCRA). The primary task of the judicial law clerk is to review motions and case history to draft, bench memos, 907 notices, orders, and opinions for review by the assigned PCRA Judge. Work performed involves a greater degree of expertise due to the greater volume of cases for review and the need to function in a specialized area of law.
By Order of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, effective September 1, 2005, all law clerks employed by judges of the courts of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania are prohibited from appearing as counsel in the division/section of the court in which the judge by whom they are employed serves. Further, in courts which have no formally established divisions or sections, the law clerks are prohibited from appearing as counsel in the court itself.
In order to apply and be considered for this position, please visit https://fjdcareers.phila.gov/Cyberweb/ to complete an application and upload a resume.

Requirements

• Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited law school.
• Knowledge of the techniques and processes of legal research and preparation of memoranda, petitions, and similar instruments.
• Ability to prepare bench memos, 907 notices, orders, and opinions.
• Strong organizational, communication, and writing skills.
• Superior writing and analytical skills.
• Ability to perform the essential functions of the position.
• Must successfully complete a criminal background investigation.
• Must work in person (not remote).

Nice To Haves

• Three years of experience as a law clerk or practicing attorney preferred.
• Knowledge of the components and functions of the justice system.
• Knowledge of legal research techniques and preparation of memoranda, petitions, and similar instruments.
• Ability to prepare for judicial approval, 907 notices, orders, and opinions.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with members of the judiciary, court personnel, departmental administrators, attorneys, and associates.
• Ability to perform administrative tasks in an effective and organized fashion.
• Ability to use Westlaw and criminal court databases.
• Ability to use Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook and OneDrive

Responsibilities

• Review petitions and procedural history
• Research legal sources for memos or opinions based on statutory law, decisions, and precedents of higher courts.
• Searches for and studies legal records and documents to obtain data applicable to cases under consideration.
• Prepares high-quality bench memos, orders, and opinions by reviewing briefs, motions, evidence, transcripts, and prior case history and submit to assigned judicial authority for review and signature in a timely manner.
• Completes administrative tasks associated with assigned caseload.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, members of the judiciary, court and departmental administrators, and diverse court clientele and members of the public.
• Performs related work as required.
• Performs related work as required.

Benefits

• City employees get unlimited FREE public transportation all year long through SEPTA’s Key Advantage program. Employees can ride on SEPTA buses, subways, trolleys, and regional rail for their daily commute and more.
• The City offers its employees 8 weeks of paid parental leave.
• We offer Comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents.
• Our wellness program offers eligibility into the discounted medical plan
• Employees receive paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Generous retirement savings options are available
• As a qualifying employer, City of Philadelphia employees are eligible to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.
• The City of Philadelphia has forged partnerships with over a dozen esteemed colleges and universities in the area, ensuring that our employees have access to a wide range of tuition discounts and scholarships.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree