on qualifications. Salary will be prorated based on number of hours worked.)
POSITION SUMMARY
The United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa is seeking a part-time law clerk to United States District Judge Stephen H. Locher. The clerk will report directly to Judge Locher and is primarily responsible for conducting legal research, advising the judge on legal matters, preparing legal documents such as orders, memoranda, jury instructions, and draft opinions, and verifying citations. This clerkship is for 20 hours per week and has a maximum term of four years.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Provide information, guidance, and advice to Judge Locher in connection with pending civil and criminal litigation, and manage special projects and other administrative duties for the judge as needed.
Draft opinions, orders, and other documents for Judge Locher’s signature.
Review complaints, petitions, motions, and pleadings to identify and address issues requiring the judge’s attention.
Perform research as required.
Serve as liaison between the Court and litigants; correspond with other court officials and personnel.
Review docket of pending litigation to assure proper progress; keep Judge Locher advised of cases where Court action is needed.
Perform other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS
To qualify for the position of part-time law clerk, the applicant must be a law school graduate (or be certified as having completed all law school studies and requirements and merely awaiting conferment of degree) from a law school of recognized standing, and have one or more of the following attributes:
Standing within the upper third of the law school class from a law school on the approved list of either the American Bar Association or the Association of American Law Schools;
Experience on the editorial board of a law review of such a school;
Graduation from such a school with an LLM degree; or
Demonstrated proficiency in legal studies which, in the opinion of the judge, is the equivalent of one of the
The applicant should have exceptional legal research and writing skills and be proficient with Westlaw and Microsoft Word. The applicant also must have the ability to communicate effectively with coworkers and others with professionalism and integrity. The applicant should be self-motivated and able to manage multiple tasks and competing deadlines.
For consideration at the JSP 12 level, an applicant must meet the qualifications for a JSP grade 11, possess one year of full-time legal work experience after graduation and be a member of the Bar of a state, territorial, or Federal Court of general jurisdiction.
BENEFITS
Benefits include:
Eleven paid holidays per year
Federal Employees’ Health Benefits
Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance
Flexible Benefits Program
Federal Judiciary Long Term Care Insurance
Long-term disability insurance
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
Employees must be United States citizens or eligible to work in the United States.
Employees are required to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees which is available for review upon request. A background investigation with law enforcement agencies, including fingerprint and criminal record checks, will be conducted as a condition of employment. Any applicant selected for a position will be hired provisionally pending successful completion of the investigation. Unsatisfactory results may result in termination of employment. Employment is terminable at will.
MISCELLANEOUS
The Federal Financial Management Reform Act requires direct deposit of federal wages.
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation, please notify human resources. The decision on granting reasonable accommodations will be made on a case-by-case basis.
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa reserves the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement, to withdraw the announcement, or to fill the position sooner than the closing date, any of which may occur without prior written or other notice.
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa does not reimburse for expenses associated with interviews or relocations.
APPLICATION INFORMATION
Candidates must submit: (1) a cover letter, (2) a resume, (3) writing sample, (4) law school transcript, (5) a list of references with contact information, and (6) two letters of recommendation. Applications submitted without all items will not be considered. Only applicants selected for an interview will be notified.
Applications materials should be marked “confidential” and mailed or e-mailed to: Mindi Decker, Human Resources/Training Manager
About U.S. District Court, Southern District of Iowa
The United States District Courts are the trial courts of the federal court system. Within limits set by Congress and the Constitution, the District Courts have jurisdiction to hear nearly all categories of federal cases, including both civil and criminal matters. There are 94 federal judicial districts, including at least one district in each state.
The Southern District of Iowa covers 47 of the 99 counties in Iowa, roughly located south of U.S. Highway 30. Des Moines is headquarters with divisional offices in Council Bluffs and Davenport.
