Job Details for Term Law Clerk
| Court Name/Organization | Rhode Island Bankruptcy Court |
| Overview of the Position | The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Rhode Island is seeking qualified candidates for one Term Law Clerk position to Chief Bankruptcy Judge John A. Dorsey, Jr. The start date is Aug. 24, 2026. This position is full-time (a minimum of 80 hours per two-week period). The term length is 12 months but may be extended by mutual agreement. By Judicial Conference policy, a term law clerk may not serve more than four years in the federal system. |
| Location | Providence, RI |
| Opening and Closing Dates | 03/09/2026 - 04/10/2026 |
| Appointment Type | Permanent |
| Classification Level/Grade | JSP 11 - JSP 13 |
| Salary | $84,579 - $120,548 |
| Link to Court Careers Information | http://www.rib.uscourts.gov |
Position Description
A Law Clerk provides legal support to the judge by conducting legal research and preparing legal documents, such as orders, memoranda, and draft opinions addressing a wide assortment of issues arising in bankruptcy proceedings. Law Clerks will also have the opportunity to work on various long-term projects and be involved in courtroom proceedings. Law Clerks also perform case management through the Case Management/Electronic Case Filing (CM/ECF) system, and will perform administrative office functions such as editing, proofreading, telephone communications, written correspondence, and scheduling.
Qualifications
Candidates must possess excellent legal research and writing skills. They must also be law school graduates from an accredited law school; be organized and work well; and be experienced with Word, Westlaw, Lexis, and related platforms. Prior to the position’s start date candidates must have either: (i) one year or more of federal clerkship experience; or (ii) at least two years of litigation experience.
General Experience
Only qualified applicants will be considered for this position. Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident who is seeking citizenship as outlined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)(B). Employees of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court are considered “at will” employees. Applicants selected for interviews must travel at their own expense (for in-person interviews) or, with Judge Dorsey’s approval, be available to connect via Zoom (for remote interviews).
The U.S. Bankruptcy Court requires employees to follow a code of conduct, which is available upon request. Reference checks with current and former employers will be conducted on top candidates. A background investigation with law enforcement agencies, including fingerprint and criminal record checks, will be conducted as a condition of employment. Any applicant selected for a position will be hired provisionally pending successful completion of the investigation. Unsatisfactory results may result in termination of employment.
The Federal Financial Management Reform Act requires direct deposit of federal wages.
Employee Benefits
The U.S. Bankruptcy Court provides a generous benefits package, competitive salary. All law clerks are eligible for health and life insurance benefits, long term care options, sick leave, and paid holidays. Judiciary employees are not covered by the Office of Personnel Management’s civil service classification system or regulations.
Miscellaneous
A Law Clerk provides legal support to the judge by conducting legal research and preparing legal documents, such as orders, memoranda, and draft opinions addressing a wide assortment of issues arising in bankruptcy proceedings. Law Clerks will also have the opportunity to work on various long-term projects and be involved in courtroom proceedings. Law Clerks also perform case management through the Case Management/Electronic Case Filing (CM/ECF) system, and will perform administrative office functions such as editing, proofreading, telephone communications, written correspondence, and scheduling.
Application Info
Judge Dorsey does not accept hard copy applications. Qualified applicants should submit the following materials via OSCAR or via e-mail (Acrobat.pdf format) to Judge Dorsey’s Career Law Clerk Natalie_Medved@rib.uscourts.gov:
- A cover letter of up to three pages
- A current resume
- A minimum of three professional references
- A copy of law school transcript
- A writing sample that is five to ten pages in length; the writing sample ideally should be written solely by the applicant; however, if it was edited by others, the applicant must indicate in the cover letter the extent to which it has been edited by others.
- A completed AO78, Application for Employment.
- Please submit all documents as a single pdf.
The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.