Job Details for Term Law Clerk
| Court Name/Organization | Florida Northern District Court |
| Overview of the Position | The selected individual will serve as a judicial law clerk to U.S. Magistrate Judge Zachary Bolitho. A law clerk is responsible for providing legal assistance to the judge. The duties of this job will include managing civil and criminal cases, researching legal issues, drafting orders, preparing case files for hearings and trials, preparing and sending correspondence, responding to inquiries from attorneys and others, scheduling case-related meetings, and interacting with staff members throughout the judiciary. A law clerk is also responsible for performing some clerical/administrative duties. The caseload in the jurisdiction is heavy, and the types of cases presented are varied. At times, the cases present novel or complex issues of law. Managing the workload requires organizational skills, great attention to detail, and well-developed research, writing, and analytical skills. Despite a busy docket, the office environment is personable and offers daily interaction with the judge and other law clerks. This is a full‐time term position (40 hours per week; term of one year with a possible extension up to four years). Employment with the U.S. District Court offers a generous benefits package, civil and criminal law trial experience at the federal court level, and an environment providing significant responsibility and challenge. |
| Location | Pensacola, FL |
| Opening and Closing Dates | 08/18/2025 - Open Until Filled |
| Appointment Type | Permanent |
| Classification Level/Grade | JSP 11 - JSP 13 |
| Salary | $73,939 - $137,000 |
| Link to Court Careers Information | https://www.flnd.uscourts.gov/employment |
| Announcement Number | 25-05 |
| Link to Job Announcement | |
Qualifications
To qualify for the position, one must be a law school graduate at the time of appointment and demonstrate or more of the following accomplishments or proficiencies:
- Academic standing within the upper third of the law school class from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association;
- Experience on the law review or moot court; or
- Proficiency in legal studies that, in the opinion of the appointing judge, is the equivalent of one of the above.
A law clerk must be able to initiate and complete challenging tasks independently and work efficiently in a fast-paced environment.
Preferred Qualifications
Preferred applicants will be ranked in the top ten percent of the law school class and will have been a member of the editorial board of the law review or have been active in moot court. Prior legal experience in a law firm, government agency, or other judicial clerkship is preferred but not required.
Employee Benefits
Although not included in the federal government’s Civil Service classification, the law clerk enjoys the same benefits as other federal government employees. The benefits include 11 paid national holidays per year and other vacation to be scheduled on a schedule agreed upon between the administrative law clerk and the Judge and optional participation in:
- Federal employees’ health benefits,
- Supplemental dental and vision insurance,
- Federal employees’ group life insurance,
- Flexible benefits program,
- Commuter benefit program, and
- Long-term care insurance
The Court reserves the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement, or to withdraw the announcement, either of which actions may occur without prior written or other notice. If a subsequent vacancy of the same position becomes available within a reasonable time of the original announcement, the court may select a candidate from the original qualified applicant pool.
Application Info
Qualified applicants should submit a cover letter, current resume with contact information, a completed application form AO-0078 (available at www.flnd.uscourts.gov), law school transcript, three letters of recommendation, and a writing sample that substantially reflects the applicant’s independent work product.
Applications and required materials must be submitted by email to Hannah_Ward@flnd.uscourts.gov or by mail to:
Vacancy Announcement 25-05
U.S. Courthouse
Chambers of Judge Zachary Bolitho
One North Palafox Street, Pensacola, Florida 32502
Additional Applicant Information
Applicants must be a U.S. citizen, a U.S. National, or qualify under the Appropriations Act Citizenship exemptions. Employees are required to use the Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) for payroll deposit.
Judiciary employees serve under excepted appointments (not civil service).
Employees of the U.S. District Court are "at will" employees and are required to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees, which is available to candidates for review on our website. Term law clerks are classified as sensitive positions within the judiciary. The selected candidate(s) will be subject to a criminal history background check and a technical fingerprint check through the FBI Criminal Justice Information Services Division database as a condition of employment. Employment will be considered provisional until the background check is successfully completed.
Compensation and grade will be set based on the experience and qualifications of the successful candidate(s),subject to the policies and guidelines set forth in the Judiciary Salary Plan.
The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.