Full-Time Law Clerk/Staff Attorney Position 11th Judicial District Court - Many, Louisiana
The 11th Judicial District Court in Many, Louisiana, is seeking a full-time law clerk/staff attorney. The initial term of employment is one year, with the possibility of extension based on performance. The position pays $60,000.00 annually, plus benefits as described below.
The Court was recently selected by the National Center for State Courts and Microsoft as an AI implementation site. This year-long partnership was awarded to only four courts in the nation. Over the next month, a team will visit the Court to study its workflow and begin implementing Al solutions, with the goal of making the 11 th Judicial District Court a national model for the use of artificial intelligence in rural jurisdictions. This is an exciting opportunity, particularly for law school graduates interested in technology, innovation, and court modernization.
The law clerk/staff attorney will work directly with the judge and will be responsible for, among other duties:
- Attending all court hearings, taking notes, and following up on outstanding matters, including drafting judgments, orders, and rulings for the Court's review.
- Assisting the judge in bench and jury trials, including researching pre-trial pleadings, addressing unexpected legal issues that arise during trial, drafting jury instructions and verdict forms, and preparing post-trial memoranda when necessary.
- Preparing the Court's regular docket by researching novel legal issues and drafting bench memoranda for docketed matters.
- Reviewing and summarizing procedural histories, case records, and records from other agencies when necessary.
- Assisting the judge with the implementation of new programs, including drug court and juvenile mediation, as well as policies designed to improve court operations through technology.
- Performing any other work, research, preparation, scheduling, or related tasks that may arise.
The successful applicant must be prepared to serve as the only law clerk/staff attorney in a single-judge, general-jurisdiction court. The workload is substantial. The law clerk/staff attorney will be expected to perform a significant amount of legal research and writing and must be able to do so efficiently, independently, and within required deadlines. While the Court's staff works collaboratively, the law clerk/staff attorney must also be self-directed and capable of timely completing assignments.
Although the position is demanding, it offers an exceptional and unusually broad legal experience. The law clerk/staff attorney will be involved in every type of case, status conference, hearing, and trial held in the 11th Judicial District Court, which encompasses Sabine Parish. By the end of the clerkship, the law clerk/staff attorney will have gained meaningful experience in state civil and criminal litigation and a practical understanding of how courts operate and process individual cases.
This position is ideal for an intellectually curious applicant who is committed to reaching legally correct answers, wants substantial research and writing experience, and seeks meaningful exposure to the full range of litigation handled by a state trial court.
Qualifications: Applicant must be a law school graduate. Bar passage is not required.
Compensation and Benefits: The position pays a fixed salary of $60,000.00 per year. The law clerk/staff attorney may elect to participate in the parish's group medical insurance plan, with the parish paying a portion of the premium, and retirement benefits. Application Instructions: To apply, please send an email to both Judge Verity Gentry at [email protected] and Kristi Kor, Office Administrator, at [email protected].
Applicants should attach the following:
- Cover letter;
- Resume;
- Writing sample of 8-10 pages, preferably something more substantive than a first-year legal writing brief; and
- Names and contact information for three references.
Pay: $60,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
