What are the responsibilities and job description for the Law Clerk I position at Judicial Branch?
The first review of applications will be September 24th, 2025 this position is open until filled. Please submit the following required documents on the State of Montana Careers website:
Resume - Please include dates of employment and your supervisor’s name/phone number for each position.
Cover Letter
Three Professional References
Writing Sample
Unofficial Law School Transcript (if less than 3 years from obtaining a Juris Doctor degree)
Applications without the required documents will not be reviewed in the recruitment process.
When submitting the required documents, you must check the “relevant document” box to ensure your attachments are uploading correctly to the specific application for this position. The Judicial Branch is an equal opportunity employer. Women, minorities, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
An employee new to the Judicial Branch will serve a one-year probationary period. The successful applicant will be subject to a criminal background check. Travel may be required and working hours may include evenings & weekends.
The Montana Judicial Branch offers a variety of opportunities to help you make a difference in your community, and further your career. As a service-oriented employer, we seek employees with a passion for customer service to help us fulfill our mission to provide an independent, accessible, responsive, impartial, and timely forum to resolve disputes; to preserve the rule of law; and to protect the rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitutions of the United States and Montana.
Benefits of working for the Judicial Branch:
- Work/life balance
- Family friendly policies
- Dedicated and caring colleagues
- Health coverage
- Retirement plans
- Paid vacation, sick leave, and Holidays (combination of up to 38 per year)
- Opportunities and room for professional growth
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness - Employment with the State of Montana may qualify you to receive student loan forgiveness under the PSLF
Job Overview:
Law clerks serving more than two years may be moved to senior law clerk status. This is professional legal work performed for the Honorable Judge Olivia Rieger in the 7th Judicial District in Glendive, MT.
Work involves the performance of professional legal research and other related clerical/administrative work in the preparation of memoranda, opinions, or orders for a judge concerning the cases before him/her. Work is performed under general supervision of a judge and is reviewed through conferences and written reports.
Job Duties:
- Reviews, studies, research, and annotates laws, court decisions, documents, opinions, briefs, and related legal authorities.
- Prepares briefs, legal memoranda, statement of issues involved, draft opinions and orders including appropriate suggestions or recommendations to the judge.
- Compiles references on laws and decisions necessary for legal determinations.
- Confers with judge concerning legal questions, legal theories, construction of documents, and preparation of orders.
- Attends court sessions to hear testimony and record necessary case information; maintains records attendant to court proceedings; assists judge in the selection and preparation of jury instructions.
- May perform courtroom duties including observing court and presiding over proceedings as a special master or referee under the district court judge’s supervision.
- May assist with preparation of training materials.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities :
- Knowledge of general law, state law, established precedent, and sources of legal reference.
- Knowledge of trial court practices, rules, and procedures.
- Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing, with a diverse group of people.
- Ability to research complex legal problems or questions and apply legal principles.
- Ability to represent the court in a respectful manner.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationship with others.
- Ability to transcribe audio tapes, if required by the position.
- Skill in the operation of a computer with word processing and legal research software.
- Skill in the operation of electronic recording equipment to record trial court proceedings.
Working Conditions:
- Work is performed primarily in an office setting or a courtroom.
Physical Demands:
- Work is essentially sedentary with occasional walking, standing, bending, and carrying items up to 25pounds such as papers and files. Some positions may require periods of extended sitting, standing or computer use. Some positions may require standing on a ladder to retrieve files from high shelves.
Minimum Qualifications (Education and Experience):
- A Juris Doctorate is required.
- Excellent writing skills
- Legal research experience.
New graduates as well as experienced attorneys will be considered. Admission to the State Bar of Montana is not required
Salary : $62,691