Job Details for Clerk of the Panel
| Court Name/Organization | Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation |
| Overview of the Position | The U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (the panel) is accepting applications for the full-time, permanent position of clerk of the panel. The clerk reports directly to the panel executive. The clerk has delegated authority for managing the panel’s programmatic areas and supervises operations of the clerk’s office, including such responsibilities as case and records management, budgeting, financial planning, statistical reporting, personnel management, and automation. The clerk’s office currently includes fifteen employees. The panel is a statutory national court under federal jurisdiction and is governed principally by 28 U.S.C. § 1407. Created by Congress in 1968, the panel consists of seven Article III judges appointed by the Chief Justice, each of whom must reside in a different circuit. The statute authorizes the panel to centralize related actions that share factual questions but are pending in different districts by ordering the transfer of all such actions into a single district for pretrial management. The panel is headquartered in Washington, D.C. |
| Location | Washington, DC |
| Opening and Closing Dates | 01/27/2026 - Open Until Filled |
| Appointment Type | Permanent |
| Classification Level/Grade | JSP 16 - JSP 17 |
| Salary | $198,534 - $249,900 |
| Announcement Number | 26-01 JPML-CLK |
Position Description
The Clerk’s duties include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Consulting with and making recommendations to the panel executive regarding panel policies and procedures.
- Analyzing statutes, local rules, and procedures affecting the operations of the panel.
- Managing clerk’s office personnel, including staff responsible for case management operations, and designing and managing training programs.
- Overseeing additional administrative functions, such as statistical analysis, reporting requirements, and human resources management.
- Preparing and managing the panel’s annual budget.
- Serving as the certifying and disbursing officer, and directing the panel’s financial functions including contracting, purchasing, disbursing, and accounting.
- Issuing process and maintaining the official records in the custody of the panel.
- Managing staff responsible for automation and information technology services, including electronic case filing system (CM/ECF).
- Providing logistical planning support for panel hearings and an annual judicial conference.
- Serving as a liaison to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts for administrative and facilities-related activities.
- Conducting presentations about and responding to queries from the judiciary, the bar, and the public concerning panel procedural operations.
- Performing other related duties as required by the panel executive.
Qualifications
To be qualified for appointment, a full-time, two-year commitment is required. Candidates must meet the following standards:
General: Applicants must have ten years of progressively responsible legal or administrative experience in public service or business that demonstrates a thorough understanding of the organizational, procedural, and human aspects of managing an organization. At least three of the applicant’s ten years of experience must have been in a position of substantial management responsibility, defined below.
General Experience
Substantial Management Experience
Substantial management experience is high‐level administrative experience that provided a thorough understanding of the organizational, procedural, and human aspects of managing an organization. Such experience typically includes financial management, space and facilities management, oversight of the information technology, and human resources functions, and long and short‐range planning.
Preferred Experience
Desired attributes include familiarity with panel practice, a law degree, and academic and professional achievement in law, management, and/or a related field.
The preferred candidate also will have:
- Prior managerial experience in the federal judiciary, including operational knowledge of the courts, financial management, human resources management, and CM/ECF/information technology.
- Strong analytical and interpersonal abilities, in addition to exceptional written and oral communication skills.
- Excellent computer skills, including a working knowledge of networks sufficient to oversee the management of the panel’s automation needs.
- Excellent organizational and management skills, as well as a keen attention to detail.
- Experience and tenure in leading teams, managing budgets and financial plans, and evaluating work processes and organizational impact.
- General knowledge of the federal civil justice system and the panel’s role in it, as well as a commitment to becoming well-versed in the nuances of complex, multidistrict litigation in federal courts.
Employee Benefits
The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation falls within the Judicial Branch of the U.S. Government. Panel employees are “Excepted Service Appointments”. Excepted Service Appointments are “At-Will” and can be terminated with or without cause by the panel at any time. Federal Government Civil Service classifications or regulations do not apply. This position is classified under the Judiciary Salary Plan (JSP-CUE). Panel employees are subject to mandatory Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) for payroll deposit.
Full‐time employees are eligible for a full range of benefits such as paid vacation and sick leave, paid holidays, retirement benefits that include a defined contribution program and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). TSP is a 401(k) equivalent program that includes matching contributions. Additional benefits include health and life insurance, disability and long-term care insurance, dental and vision insurance, a Flexible Benefits Program which includes medical and dependent care reimbursement, and transit subsidy program.
Miscellaneous
The Clerk’s duties include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Consulting with and making recommendations to the panel executive regarding panel policies and procedures.
- Analyzing statutes, local rules, and procedures affecting the operations of the panel.
- Managing clerk’s office personnel, including staff responsible for case management operations, and designing and managing training programs.
- Overseeing additional administrative functions, such as statistical analysis, reporting requirements, and human resources management.
- Preparing and managing the panel’s annual budget.
- Serving as the certifying and disbursing officer, and directing the panel’s financial functions including contracting, purchasing, disbursing, and accounting.
- Issuing process and maintaining the official records in the custody of the panel.
- Managing staff responsible for automation and information technology services, including electronic case filing system (CM/ECF).
- Providing logistical planning support for panel hearings and an annual judicial conference.
- Serving as a liaison to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts for administrative and facilities-related activities.
- Conducting presentations about and responding to queries from the judiciary, the bar, and the public concerning panel procedural operations.
- Performing other related duties as required by the panel executive.
Application Info
This position is open until filled with preference given to applications received by Feb. 16, 2026.
To apply, send a single attachment in one email to JPML-Clerk@jpml.uscourts.gov with the subject line "26-01 JPML-CLK." The attachment must be in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format.
The single attachment should be organized as follows:
- Cover letter
- Resume
- Contact information for three professional references
- Completed “Application for the Judicial Branch Employment” (AO 78)
The cover letter must be three pages or less and should describe the depth of your management experience in staffing, budget and project management, human resources, procurement, and information technology. It also should describe any other skills and training that qualify you to perform the duties of the clerk of the panel.
The resume should include years of specialized managerial experience, dates of employment, salary history, functions managed, and composition of the personnel managed.
Questions may be addressed to Glenda Magruder, Administrative Officer, at (202) 502-2800.
The Federal Courts practices zero tolerance for illegal drug use. Those applicants selected for further consideration may be subject to testing.
Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or eligible to work in the United States.
The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.