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Job Details for Judicial Law Clerk

Court Name/Organization Washington Eastern Bankruptcy Court
Overview of the Position The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Washington is seeking applicants for a Judicial Law Clerk position with the Honorable Whitman L. Holt in the Yakima, WA division. A Law Clerk to a U.S. Bankruptcy Judge performs substantive review, research, and writing on matters pending before the court. This term clerk position will be for one year or two years, based on final agreement between the successful candidate and Judge Holt.
Location Yakima, WA
Opening and Closing Dates 10/09/2025 - Open Until Filled
Appointment Type Permanent
Classification Level/Grade JSP 11 - JSP 14
Salary $73,939 - $161,889
Link to Court Careers Information https://www.waeb.uscourts.gov/court-job-openings
Announcement Number 25-03

Position Description

 Representative Duties

  • Reviews complaints, petitions, motions, and other pleadings to determine the issues involved, the basis for relief, and compliance with applicable rules and procedures,
  • Reviews dockets of pending litigation and monitors progress,
  • Screens motions and drafts orders (including making substantive and stylistic revisions to proposed orders submitted by counsel) for the judge’s review,
  • Performs legal research,
  • Identifies issues before the court and makes recommendations,
  • Drafts bench memos for the judge’s consideration,
  • Proofreads orders and opinions, including verifying citations,
  • Maintains liaison between the court and litigants,
  • Communicates with counsel, court officials, and litigants regarding procedural requirements and issues,
  • Keeps abreast of changes in the law and briefs the judge,
  • Assists the judge during courtroom proceedings,
  • Performs project work and other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Applicants must be a law school graduate at time of appointment and have one or more of the following attributes:

  • Standing within the upper third of the law school class,
  • Experience on the editorial board of a law review, moot court, externship, or clinical program,
  • Demonstrated proficiency in legal studies, which in the opinion of the hiring judge, is equivalent to one of the above.

Applicants must possess excellent writing, research, analytic, and administrative skills, an interest in bankruptcy law, and be proficient with word processing and computer-aided research The successful candidate will have the ability to relate well with others in a small chambers group, the professionalism to maintain good rapport with the clerk’s office and the bar, careful attention to detail, and the capability to work independently while nevertheless responding to emails and completing projects in a timely fashion.

Employee Benefits

Employees of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court are entitled to similar benefits as other federal government employees, including:

  • Federal health insurance benefits.
  • Group life insurance and long-term care options.
  • Flexible Benefits Program (pre-tax flexible spending for health care and dependent care).
  • Paid annual and sick leave plus paid holidays.

Note: this position is not eligible for participation in the Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS) or Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) unless transferring without a break in service from a previously covered federal employee position.

Court employees serve under excepted appointments and are considered “at-will” employees. As such, employment can be terminated with or without cause at any time. The Federal Financial Reform Act requires direct deposit of federal wages for court employees. Applicants must be U.S. Citizens or eligible to work in the United States. As a condition of employment, the selected candidate must successfully complete a background investigation.

Although the court is located in Yakima, WA, Bankruptcy Judge Holt has flexibility regarding possible remote work options, which can be discussed further during the interview process.

Miscellaneous

 Representative Duties

  • Reviews complaints, petitions, motions, and other pleadings to determine the issues involved, the basis for relief, and compliance with applicable rules and procedures,
  • Reviews dockets of pending litigation and monitors progress,
  • Screens motions and drafts orders (including making substantive and stylistic revisions to proposed orders submitted by counsel) for the judge’s review,
  • Performs legal research,
  • Identifies issues before the court and makes recommendations,
  • Drafts bench memos for the judge’s consideration,
  • Proofreads orders and opinions, including verifying citations,
  • Maintains liaison between the court and litigants,
  • Communicates with counsel, court officials, and litigants regarding procedural requirements and issues,
  • Keeps abreast of changes in the law and briefs the judge,
  • Assists the judge during courtroom proceedings,
  • Performs project work and other duties as assigned.

Application Info

Please send a cover letter, resume, writing sample, law school transcript, and application form AO-78 (available on the court’s website under Court Information/Court Job Openings) to personnel@waeb.uscourts.gov in PDF format. Please note Vacancy Announcement 25-03 on the subject line of the email. Applicants selected for interviews will be contacted. Due to the volume of applications anticipated, only candidates in consideration for this position will be contacted. This position will remain open until filled.

The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.