The Office of the Staff Attorneys is soliciting applications from practicing attorneys, law clerks, and third-year law students. Up to three successful candidates will be appointed to two-year Term Staff Attorney positions, beginning in Summer 2024. Contingent upon performance and budget availability, these positions are renewable for a second two-year term. In addition, the office has hired a significant number of term staff attorneys as career staff attorneys.
The office functions as the court’s central legal staff, serving the court at large rather than individual judges. The office’s principal mission is to assist the court in the disposition of motions and appeals that are not orally argued. Staff attorneys review case records and filings, conduct extensive legal research and analysis, and prepare case-specific legal memoranda and proposed orders. They handle appeals involving a wide range of subject matter areas, including civil rights, employment discrimination, federal criminal law and sentencing, habeas corpus, immigration, and social security. A significant portion of the office’s caseload consists of motions and appeals brought by pro se litigants, many of them prisoners.
Required: A Juris Doctor degree from an ABA-accredited law school. Superior analytical, research, and writing skills; demonstrated ability to manage a significant workload under strict time constraints; the ability to accept and learn from constructive criticism; and a commitment to public service.
Preferred: Related experience with the federal or state judiciary as a law clerk, staff attorney, or counsel to the clerk; participated in law review, moot court, or a similar academic experience; and/or excelled academically during law school. Other private and public sector legal experience is also highly valued.
Please submit applications via OSCAR by visiting www.oscar.uscourts.gov. Application packages must include the following: (1)
cover letter, (2) resume, (3) a self-edited writing sample, (4) law school transcript, and (5) three letters of recommendation.