Expand your court experience or begin your legal career as a District Court Law Clerk!

In this position, you will work directly with Judge-Designee Veena Iyer, who will be starting in July 2024 and will be assigned to the criminal court rotation and chambered at the Ramsey County Courthouse at 15 W. Kellogg Blvd, Saint Paul, MN 55102. 
As Judge Designee-Iyer’s first law clerk, you will play a key role in establishing her chambers to ensure promotion of the court’s mission of providing justice through a system that assures equal access for the fair and timely resolution of cases and controversies. 
In this role:
– You will develop expertise in court processes, procedures, and systems as you support the establishment of the chambers and management of the caseload;
– You will build relationships with the judge, attorneys, justice partners, and court administration as you serve as an ambassador for the chambers; 
– You will gain deeper experience in legal research, analysis, and writing as you prepare draft memoranda, orders, and opinions. 

This position will require mostly in-person work but may also include occasional flexibility to work remotely. 

Regular hours are Monday – Friday, 8:00 – 4:30. This position will require the ability to work full-time during these hours. 

The anticipated start date for this position is mid-July 2024 but is negotiable, particularly for individuals taking the July 2024 bar exam. 

Responsibilities
The following are examples of major job duties expected of this position:

• Review, study, and research laws, court decisions, documents, opinions, briefs, and related legal authorities.
• Prepare proposed orders, legal memoranda, and jury instructions, including appropriate suggestions or recommendations to the judge.
• Compile information necessary for legal determinations.
• Confer with judge concerning legal questions, construction of documents, and granting of orders.
• Attend court sessions to hear oral arguments and record necessary case information; maintain records attendant to court proceedings.
• Courtroom duties including taking court minutes, calling the calendar, swearing in jury panels and witness, and
  assisting in various court proceedings such as arraignments, motions, hearings, pre-trial conferences, and trials.
• Administrative duties as assigned, including maintaining chambers operations, corresponding with attorneys, and
  filing on behalf of the court.

Minimum Qualifications                                     

• Juris Doctor from an accredited law school and/or licensed to practice law in Minnesota OR current enrollment in third year of a JD program (3L).
• Excellent legal research and writing abilities. 
• Good computer skills, including knowledge of Westlaw, Microsoft Word, and Zoom.
• Ability to organize and manage own work with minimal supervision.  
• Ability to handle a wide variety of tasks simultaneously.
• Strong sense of professionalism.
• Ability to deal professionally and courteously with court personnel, attorneys, the public, and media.
• Access to a reliable internet connection is required if working remotely.

To Apply

Please visit Minnesota Judicial Branch – Minnesota Judicial Branch Careers (mncourts.gov). In addition to completing the online application, please attach a one to two-page cover letter, resume, law school transcript, and writing sample (no more than 10 pages). In addition to your general legal qualifications, please highlight the following experience if you have it: (1) criminal law in Ramsey County or elsewhere; (2) process development and improvement; and (3) customer service.

All employment offers are contingent upon satisfactory results of a criminal background check. 

ABOUT US

Why Work for Us?

Minnesota Judicial Branch employees consistently express pride in their public service and in the quality of programs and services provided to customers, as well as appreciation for the teamwork and collaboration that is promoted within the MJB.​ We celebrate and are committed to the principles of diversity and inclusion, and actively seek and value diversity in professional background and cultural characteristics. We are intentional and mindful about the organizational culture we are building, seeking broad-minded individuals with robust capabilities who value supporting one another’s growth. ​

Employee Benefits

The Minnesota Judicial Branch cares about and invests in you as an employee. Because of that, we offer affordable ye competitive benefits to support you and your family’s wellbeing. Our comprehensive benefits package for eligible employees includes health and wellness benefits, enhanced fertility benefits, short- and long-term disability, pension, paid parental leave, tuition reimbursement, and more. Learn more at Employee Benefits – Careers at the Minnesota Judicial Branch Careers. Minnesota Judicial Branch employees may also be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. This federal program allows qualified individuals to have their loans forgiven after meeting certain requirements working in public service. You can learn more about this program from the Minnesota Office of Higher Education and the office of Federal Student Aid.

Equal Employment Opportunity

​It is the policy of the Minnesota Judicial Branch that all decisions regarding employment are made without discrimination on the basis of disability. Please let us know if you need a reasonable accommodation for a disability to participate in the employee selection process by contacting Human Resources at 2ndDistrictHR@courts.state.mn.us. The Minnesota Judicial Branch is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the​ policy of the Minnesota Judicial Branch that all decisions regarding​ recruitment, hiring, promotions, and other terms and conditions of​ employment be made without discrimination on the grounds of race, color,​ creed, religion, national origin, gender, marital status, status with regard​ to public assistance, membership or activity in a local human rights​ commission, disability, sexual orientation, or age. We value and encourage​ applicants from diverse backgrounds.​

Internal Applicants

If you are a current employee of the Minnesota Judicial Branch, please apply to open positions conveniently through your Oracle account by visiting Opportunity Marketplace – Browse Opportunities.