Judicial law Clerk I for the Honorable Samantha J. Williams

City of Philadelphia • Philadelphia, PA

4h • Onsite

About The Position

​​The FJD is hiring a Judicial Law Clerk I to The Honorable Samantha J. Williams. The Clerk provides professional level legal work as a research assistant supporting judges of the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania. The Judicial Law Clerk work involves providing members of the judiciary with assistance in preparation of writing briefs, opinions and similar material.
​The ideal candidate for this role is a graduate of an accredited law and is strongly interested in criminal law, especially major felony cases including but not limited to drug possessions, weapons possession, violent crimes, and sexual assault.
​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.
​The Judicial Law Clerk is a confidential employee and serves at the discretion and pleasure of the judge. ​
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.
• Strong interest in criminal law.
• Knowledge of the techniques and processes of legal research.
• Knowledge of the preparation of motions, petitions and similar instruments.
• Ability to prepare for judicial approval, 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 use Westlaw and/or Lexis/Nexis.
• Successful completion of a criminal background investigation.
• Ability to perform the essential functions of the position.
• Must work in person (not remote).

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge of Pennsylvania criminal procedure and law preferred.
• Membership of the Bar of the Supreme Court of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is not a requirement for Law Clerk 1; however, if you are a current member of the Bar, you must be and remain in good standing.
• Demonstrated commitment to public interest is a plus.
• Strong academic background.
• Superior writing and analytical skills.
• Appropriate experience in the use of Windows Software applications.

Responsibilities

• Researches legal sources for briefs 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 rough drafts of opinions.
• Maintains file on case documents and all related correspondence.
• Manages law school and undergraduate interns.
• Manages appeals tracking database.
• Manages sentencing tracking database.
• Conducts document and search warrant reviews.
• Provide general information about the assigned functions.
• 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. Experience savings of 10% to 40% on your educational expenses, extending not only to City employees but in some cases, spouse and dependents too!

What This Job Offers

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