GRADUATE LAW CLERK (Relief)

Requires graduation from an accredited law school within the last twelve (12) months AND awaiting California State Bar Examination results.

The County of Tuolumne offers a Graduate Law Clerk Program to recent law school graduates who are awaiting California Bar Examination results.  Graduate Law Clerks can be assigned to the District Attorney or Public Defender, on an as needed basis.  

The Graduate Law Clerk Program offers full-time paid positions where incumbents will be expected to work forty (40) hours a week and will be employed while awaiting Bar results, for a period of no longer than 6 months.  Once successful results have been received from the California Bar Association and satisfactory work performance has been observed, you may be offered regular employment as a licensed attorney with the County of Tuolumne. Failure to pass the California Bar Examination within the six (6) month timeframe will result in termination of employment.  
 
GRADUATE LAW CLERK DEFINITION
 
Under direction or general supervision, provides legal research assistance to attorneys and performs related work as required.  This position provides incumbents who have graduated from law school and who are candidates for admission to the State Bar of California, work experience with the practical application of law, including criminal, municipal, civil, and business law.
 
SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED
 
Receives administrative and technical direction and supervision from a California Bar licensed department Attorney.  
 
CLASS CHARACTERISTICS
 
The Graduate Law Clerk is a single-position classification that is distinguished from the Deputy District Attorney and Deputy Public Defender classes in that former is filled on a limited basis by incumbents who are awaiting test results.
 (Illustrative Only)
Management reserves the right to add, modify, change, or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job.
 

• Researches, studies, interprets, and applies laws, court decisions, and other legal authorities for use in the preparation of cases, opinions, pleadings, briefs and other legal documents.
• Organizes extensive legal discovery, reports, documents and potential exhibits.
• Conducts pretrial review of case files for witness subpoenas and other necessary evidence for trial.
• Conducts preliminary interviews of potential complainants in criminal cases and reports on findings of facts to determine if cause of sufficient evidence is present to undertake prosecution.
• Reads, understands and analyzes legal documents such as pleadings, affidavits, court orders, transcripts statutory codes and appellate decisions.
• Prepares a variety of legal documents including drafts and memoranda summarizing the results of court decisions, administrative board decisions, State statutes, ordinances and opinions.
• Provides information to judges, attorneys, and the public concerning the work of the department.
• Communicates with witnesses, experts, clients and other interested parties.
• Schedules witnesses and prepares witnesses and clients in courtroom procedures and appropriate protocol.
• Interviews clients to obtain factual, biographical and financial information.
• Performs other related work as required.

Knowledge of:

• Legal principles and practices
• Methods and techniques of legal research
• Telephone, office, and online etiquette
• County customer service objectives and strategies. 

Ability to:

• Present statements of facts, law, and argument clearly and logically in written and oral form
• Perform legal research
• Prepare drafts of resolutions and other legal documents
• Communicate effectively orally and in writing

Education and Experience:
Graduation from an accredited law school within the last twelve (12) months AND awaiting California State Bar Examination results.
 
Eligible for Law Student Certification pursuant to the State Bar of California’s Practical Training of Law Students (PTLS) program.  
 
PTLS program Information: http://www.calbar.ca.gov/Admissions/Special-Admissions/Practical-Training-of-Law-Students
 
Candidates may apply during their year of anticipated graduation. Offers of employment conveyed prior to the candidate’s graduation shall be conditioned upon the candidate’s (1) graduation from an accredited law school, (2) completion of the California bar exam, and (3) eligibility for Law Student Certification pursuant to the State Bar of California’s Practical Training of Law Students (PTLS) program.
 
Licenses and Certifications:

• Possession of a valid California driver’s license.
• Eligibility for Certification as a Law Clerk

Salary : $23 - $28