Judicial assistant? Forum

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Judicial assistant?

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Aug 14, 2018 10:35 am

Has anybody filled this kind of position as a barred attorney? I'm curious as to whether it could be used as a stepping stone to a clerkship...I know it might seem ridiculous, but Im just throwing it out there for discussion

BlackAndOrange84

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Re: Judicial assistant?

Post by BlackAndOrange84 » Tue Aug 14, 2018 10:50 am

Anonymous User wrote:Has anybody filled this kind of position as a barred attorney? I'm curious as to whether it could be used as a stepping stone to a clerkship...I know it might seem ridiculous, but Im just throwing it out there for discussion
Unless a judge is expressly looking for a 1/2 JA, 1/2 career clerk, I doubt it. These jobs are mostly filled by law firm secretaries that the judge has worked with in the past.

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Re: Judicial assistant?

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Aug 14, 2018 10:53 am

This depends entirely on the judge. Judges structure their chambers totally differently and have different expectations for their JAs. I am aware of two judges on different circuits who have attorneys work as JAs. One position is permanent; the other is a term clerk (and is officially a term clerk for resume purposes). They spend most of their time on secretarial duties and pitch in on substantive work.

minnbills

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Re: Judicial assistant?

Post by minnbills » Tue Aug 14, 2018 11:57 am

I've seen people start as a JA, then go to law school and clerk for the same judge they previously JA'd for. I would not call it a well-trodden path though.

20181989

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Re: Judicial assistant?

Post by 20181989 » Tue Aug 14, 2018 2:17 pm

These jobs are mostly filled by law firm secretaries that the judge has worked with in the past.
Also my experience w/my judge.

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Re: Judicial assistant?

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Aug 14, 2018 2:39 pm

Yes, I agree with the above. I’ve seen judges have lawyers as JAs where the position has been half-time clerk, half-time JA. Unless that’s how the position is advertised, a JA position is not going to be a way to get a clerkship. And frankly unless you’ve worked as a JA before, I don’t think most judges would want to hire you for the job, as it’s pretty different from clerking

(I also know a judge who has a lawyer as their courtroom deputy/clerk. However that’s a permanent position, completely separate from the term law clerks, and I think most of the lawyers I know think it’s a bit odd.)

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