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Job Details for Term Law Clerk

Court Name/Organization Missouri Eastern District Court
Overview of the Position The position of Term Law Clerk to U.S. Magistrate Judge Abbie Crites Leoni will begin June 1, 2026, in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. This is a full-time in-office position subject to a term limit of four years.
Location Cape Girardeau, MO
Opening and Closing Dates 04/21/2026 - Open Until Filled
Appointment Type Permanent
Classification Level/Grade JSP 11 - JSP 13
Salary $74,678 - $138,370
Announcement Number TLC-0426

Position Description

Principal duties of the position include:

  • Provide legal, clerical, and administrative support related to a high-volume criminal caseload, as well as docket management and coordination of criminal and civil proceedings. Draft various scheduling and other necessary orders following review of daily informals.
  • Research substantive issues of federal and state law.
  • Draft legal memoranda, opinions and orders.
  • Support the Judge in preparation for hearings and trials.
  • Generally, provide legal counsel and support to the Judge.
  • Arrange and manage the judge’s calendar and travel logistics, including daily monitoring of the judge’s docket, case filings, deadlines, and more.
  • Compile and arrange information and data and prepare required periodic reports regarding court and non-court activities.
  • Oversee the day-to-day operational management of Chambers. Coordinate all general activities and serve as a liaison for the physical needs of Chambers, including supplies, law library, heating/cooling, lighting, and cleaning.
  • Perform a wide variety of special projects at the request of the judge, which may include event planning or related tasks. Infrequent travel to the St. Louis courthouse for training, court proceedings, and other activities.
  • Exhibit the highest standards of excellence and integrity.
  • All other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

To qualify for the position of term law clerk, an individual must be a law school graduate (or be certified as having completed all law school studies and requirements and merely awaiting conferment of degree) from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association or the Association of American Law Schools, and have demonstrated one of the following accomplishments or proficiencies:

(a) Standing within the upper third of the law school class from a law school of the approved list of either the American Bar Association or the Association of American Law Schools;

(b) Experience on the editorial board of a law review of such a school;

(c) Graduation from such a school with an LLM degree; or

(d) Proficiency in legal studies that, in the opinion of the appointing Judge, is the equivalency of one of the above. Some examples of criteria that are considered to be acceptable as equivalent include:

1. Publication of a noteworthy article in a law school student publication or other scholarly publication;

2. Special high-level honors for academic excellence in law school, such as election to the Order of the Coif;

3. Winning of a moot court competition or membership on a moot court team that represented the law school in competition with other law schools.

This list is not all-inclusive; the determination of an acceptable equivalence rests with the appointing Judge.

One or more years of practice experience as a litigation attorney is preferred.

The number of years of legal work experience possessed, as well as bar membership, impacts salary. Legal work experience is progressively responsible experience in the practice of law, in legal research, legal administration, or equivalent experience received after graduation from law school.

Employee Benefits

In addition to paid federal holidays, benefits for this position include federal employees’ group health, dental, vision and commuter or parking subsidy. Judiciary employees serve under excepted appointments (not civil service). Excepted appointments are at will and can be terminated with or without cause.

Miscellaneous

Principal duties of the position include:

  • Provide legal, clerical, and administrative support related to a high-volume criminal caseload, as well as docket management and coordination of criminal and civil proceedings. Draft various scheduling and other necessary orders following review of daily informals.
  • Research substantive issues of federal and state law.
  • Draft legal memoranda, opinions and orders.
  • Support the Judge in preparation for hearings and trials.
  • Generally, provide legal counsel and support to the Judge.
  • Arrange and manage the judge’s calendar and travel logistics, including daily monitoring of the judge’s docket, case filings, deadlines, and more.
  • Compile and arrange information and data and prepare required periodic reports regarding court and non-court activities.
  • Oversee the day-to-day operational management of Chambers. Coordinate all general activities and serve as a liaison for the physical needs of Chambers, including supplies, law library, heating/cooling, lighting, and cleaning.
  • Perform a wide variety of special projects at the request of the judge, which may include event planning or related tasks. Infrequent travel to the St. Louis courthouse for training, court proceedings, and other activities.
  • Exhibit the highest standards of excellence and integrity.
  • All other duties as assigned.

Application Info

Applicants must be U.S. citizens or eligible to work in the United States. Appointment is contingent upon providing proof of U.S. citizenship, for requirements please see, Link: Citizenship Requirements Employment Judiciary. Applicants selected for interviews must travel at their own expense and relocation expenses will not be reimbursed. Judiciary employees serve under excepted appointments (not civil service). Excepted appointments are at will and can be terminated with or without cause.

Any interested applicant is invited to submit a current résumé, cover letter, writing sample that has not been revised by anyone else, and at least two professional references. Candidates may, but are not required to, submit letters of recommendation and law school academic transcripts.

Please note that if selected for an interview candidates are required to complete an application for judicial branch employment, form AO-78, Application for Judicial Branch Federal Employment, undergraduate academic transcripts, and law school academic transcripts.

Application materials may be e-mailed to MOED_Employment@moed.uscourts.gov with TLC-0426 in the subject line.

Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. The Court reserves the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement or to withdraw the announcement without prior notice, written or otherwise. If another position becomes vacant in a similar classification within a reasonable time of the original announcement, the appointing judge(s) may select a candidate from the applicants for either position without reposting any position. Employees are required to adhere to a Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees.

The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.