Salary : $74,460.00 Annually
Location : Dickinson, ND
Job Type: Full-Time/Regular
Job Number: 2024-U3-DIX-3-LC
Department: Unit 3 - District Court Judge Chambers
Opening Date: 01/16/2024
General Summary or Purpose
We understand that compensation isn't a one-time discussion. Please see Compensation
for more details on our compensation strategy.
The current Dickinson postings for a Staff Attorney-District Court, Law Clerk, District Court Paralegal and Electronic Court Recorder/Transcriptionist are to broaden the applicant pool for one successful candidate to be hired to work within the Southwest Judicial District Court Judge Chambers located in Dickinson.
Interested applicants must submit a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and a copy of law school transcript.
If you are drawn to and want to play an integral role in supporting a judge by providing extensive legal research and analysis of legal issues and cases to make recommendations on the proposed disposition of cases, this opportunity may be right for you. This position provides the successful candidate the opportunity to become a Staff Attorney-District Court which requires two years of experience and a license to practice law in the State of ND.
The Ideal Candidate:

• Easily engages and communicates with others orally and in writing.
• Enjoys researching, analyzing and writing.
• Obsesses with detail ensuring accuracy of work.
• Deliberately and thoroughly organizes and analyzes information.
• Demonstrates an ability to provide sound judgment including the ability to think critically, identify, break down, evaluate and write information in a concise and logical manner.
• Thrives on having a constant workload and organizing, planning and prioritizing work priorities.
• Finds it rewarding to be highly dependable.
• Seamlessly works as part of the courtroom team in providing necessary trial preparations including court recording.

The Ideal Candidate Minimum Qualifications:

• Juris doctor degree from an accredited law school;
• Some related experience conducting legal research and legal writing; and
• AAERT (American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers) CER (Certified Electronic Court Reporter) certification or the ability to obtain within six months of job entry. A comparable certification by another state court or federal court may be substituted for the AAERT certification

Major Responsibilities & Essential Functions

Title of Immediate Supervisor: Supreme Court Justice/District Court Judge
Accountable for (Job Titles): None
FLSA Status: Exempt
The Law Clerk is responsible for providing assistance to judges or justices by providing legal research, preparing case summaries, and preparing legal memoranda. Works closely under the direction of the judge or justice. Makes a verbatim record of district and juvenile court trials, proceedings and other matters using audio recording equipment, writing court logs and noting appearances and essential events during the proceedings. Performs courtroom duties.

• Conducts legal research, analyzes legal issues, and examines applicable laws prior to court decisions.
  • Reads briefs, prior opinions, transcripts, court records, and documents.
  • Analyzes legal issues and arguments.
  • Performs legal research for statutes, legal precedents, regulations, or legislative history on relevant issues pertaining to the cases(s).
  • Provides interpretations applicable to the case(s) under the jurisdiction of the court.

Writes legal memoranda and statement of issues involved, including suggestions and recommendations to the justice or judge. Drafts proposed opinions as directed

Complies references on law and decisions necessary for legal determinations, shepardizes cases either manually or by computerized inquiry.

Reads and digests briefs, petitions, motions, opinions, and extracts pertinent points of fact and law.

Reviews, edits, refines, and proofs opinions.

Attends hearings and/or trials where research may be required to assist the court.

Performs research and/or assists in the compilation of information and data needed for special projects that may be requested by judge(s).

Accurately records, transcribes and certifies the record of court and jury trial proceedings, unless it is prepared by a third party, by computer-aided equipment per state and appellate requirements. Responsibility also requires taking court notes during hearings and to locate and present prior testimony. Requires travel to other counties within and outside of the district for court proceedings assigned to the district judge or referee.

Performs clerking duties in courtroom, administers oath, marks documents, maintains logs and other forms and transfers storage devices, files and record to the clerk of district court for reference.

Performs other duties of a comparable level or type.

Minimum Qualifications & Certification or Licensing Requirements
Requires a juris doctor degree from an accredited law school and some related experience in conducting legal research and legal writing.
If assigned recording duties, then requires AAERT (American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers) CER (certified electronic court reporter) certification or ability to obtain within six months of job entry. A comparable certification by another state court or federal court may be substituted for the AAERT certification.
Knowledge, Skill, & Physical Requirements
Knowledge Requirements:

• Knowledge of general law, statutory law, and court case precedent.
• General knowledge of court administration and office management policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of court system operations, court procedures, and rules including legal rules of evidence, civil procedures, criminal procedures, and appellate procedures.
• Knowledge of logical legal theorems, their application to legal precedent, rules of legal interpretation, and statutory interpretation.

Skill Requirements:

• Skilled in conducting legal research and the application and interpretation of legal concepts, principles, and legal theorems to the specifics of the individual cases.
• Skilled in the use of legal research resources and software (i.e. Westlaw, LawDesk, Miche, Premise, etc.) and general office support applications (i.e. word processing and other desktop software/applications).
• Skilled in formulating, writing, and drafting legal opinions in a clear, concise, and coherent manner in accordance with the requirements of the court.
• Skilled in applying fundamental legal principles, rules, concepts, precedents, and cases in addressing individual cases and legal problems/issues.

Physical Requirements:

• The essential functions of the job typically require: grasping, walking, sitting, talking, hearing, feeling, seeing, fingering, and some repetitive motions or other reasonable methods that accommodate an individual in completing the essential functions of the job.
• Employee is subject to some limited travel in the performance of the job.
• Physical requirements can typically be characterized as Sedentary Work: Exerting up to 10 lbs. of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body.

The North Dakota Court System offers an excellent benefits package including employer paid family health insurance premiums, retirement contributions and generous vacation and sick leave accruals, visit: