Law Clerk I with Judge Angela K. Paton

Arizona Court of Appeals•Phoenix, AZ

3d•$60,170•Onsite

About The Position

The Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One, Law Clerk I position is an exempt salaried position. Under the direction of the Chambers Judge, a Law Clerks primary responsibility is to review briefs and the court record and to prepare a pre-draft decision in assigned cases. This position presents a rare opportunity to work directly with experienced judges and staff lawyers on complex and fascinating legal issues, improve their writing and analytical skills, and make a lasting contribution to the law in Arizona.

Requirements

Must be a law school graduate or a current law school student expecting to graduate before the employment start date.
Bachelors degree (B.A./B.S.)
Law degree from an accredited college/university and law school.
Knowledge and understanding of law, court procedures, and court systems.
Knowledge of legal research tools (Westlaw, Lexis Nexis, etc.).
Ability to work with professionalism in a busy environment.
High ethical standards and maintaining confidentiality about pending court cases and business processes.
Ability to organize and manage multiple projects simultaneously and changes in responsibilities, duties, and procedures through cross training.
Superior verbal and written communication skills.
Superior research and analytical skills.
Show initiative and sound judgement in decision making.
Close attention to detail and proofreading and commitment to accuracy.
Excellent interpersonal skills in various situations.
Skilled in citation formatting.
Ability to apply common sense and understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, and diagram form.
Ability to deal with problems involving several variables in standardized situations.
Ability to apply knowledge and experience to each case using parallels from other cases and deductive reasoning.

Nice To Haves

Legal experience, including work as a lawyer, extern, or intern, is a plus.
Other professional experience, particularly involving research and writing is preferred.

Responsibilities

Analyze the record and legal issues and undertake legal research.
Draft proposed written decisions for consideration by judges.
Participate in conference, answer judges questions, and attend oral arguments.
Access and use the Courts case management system.
Access and use SharePoint and Office 365.
Serve as bailiff for oral arguments.
Law clerks may be given other projects by their judge(s). Such projects may include case law or statutory research, assistance in handling requests for special action relief and other legal research and writing.
An effective law clerk also helps with projects as assigned to help resolve cases efficiently and productively.
Law clerks have shared administrative responsibilities with the chambers Judicial Assistant.
Law clerks may be assigned general supervisory responsibilities for externs working in their chambers.
Law clerks are bound by the ethical standards established by the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees.