JSP Steps Forum

[HillandHollow]

How do the "steps" the judicial salary Plan work for term clerks? I understand how to calculate which JSP grade a clerk will start at, and that everyone starts generally at step 1 of whichever grade. But what is the point of the steps? Here is a hypo, in order, if it helps:

Admitted to bar
2 years legal work experience
THEN,
2 year d. ct. clerkship
THEN,
a second 2 year d. ct. clerkship in a different district. (so, 5th and 6th year post-grad)


What JSP grade and step is the person looking at for the second clerkship? Do they just top out at JSP 13, step 1?

[TEIAM]

How do the "steps" the Judicial Salary Plan work for term clerks? I understand how to calculate which JSP grade a clerk will start at, and that everyone starts generally at step 1 of whichever grade. But what is the point of the steps? Here is a hypo, in order, if it helps:

Admitted to bar
2 years legal work experience
THEN,
2 year d. ct. clerkship
THEN,
a second 2 year d. ct. clerkship in a different district. (so, 5th and 6th year post-grad)


What JSP grade and step is the person looking at for the second clerkship? Do they just top out at JSP 13, step 1?

I don't know what the answer is, and I don't know that anyone will because it's somewhat discretionary. BUT, you definitely do get the step raises. I was on a two-year clerkship and the step raise was automatic upon my one-year anniversary. My discretionary bump to JS12 took effect the next pay period.

[wwwcol]

How do the "steps" the Judicial Salary Plan work for term clerks? I understand how to calculate which JSP grade a clerk will start at, and that everyone starts generally at step 1 of whichever grade. But what is the point of the steps? Here is a hypo, in order, if it helps:

Admitted to bar
2 years legal work experience
THEN,
2 year d. ct. clerkship
THEN,
a second 2 year d. ct. clerkship in a different district. (so, 5th and 6th year post-grad)


What JSP grade and step is the person looking at for the second clerkship? Do they just top out at JSP 13, step 1?

I don't know what the answer is, and I don't know that anyone will because it's somewhat discretionary. BUT, you definitely do get the step raises. I was on a two-year clerkship and the step raise was automatic upon my one-year anniversary. My discretionary bump to JS12 took effect the next pay period.

Varies. In my district, a term law clerk is ineligible for a step increase, even if the law clerk is maxed out grade-wise.

[A. Nony Mouse]

Yeah, in my experience term clerks stayed at step one and just moved up grades as they accrued the required experience, so it will likely vary.

[spud3000]

FWIW. I came in with enough experience to get JSP-14. However, each chambers can only have one, so that went to the career clerk and I started at 13-1. Once I hit year two, it automatically went to 13-2.

[HillandHollow]

I don't know what the answer is, and I don't know that anyone will because it's somewhat discretionary. BUT, you definitely do get the step raises. I was on a two-year clerkship and the step raise was automatic upon my one-year anniversary. My discretionary bump to JS12 took effect the next pay period.

Wait, I'm sorry, I might not be understanding you here. From year one to year two, did you automatically move up a grade or a step? The info from OSCAR says you jump a grade, but stay in step 1:

"JSP-11, step 1 – Law school graduates with academic excellence and no legal work experience. Annual base salary is $52, 329 (plus applicable locality rate).
JSP-12, step 1 – One or more years of post-graduate legal work experience and bar membership of a state, territory, or federal court of general jurisdiction. Annual base salary is $62,722 (plus applicable locality rate).
JPS-13, step 1 – Two or more years of post-graduate legal work experience and bar membership of a state, territory, or federal court of general jurisdiction. Annual base salary is $74,584 (plus applicable locality rate)."

[HillandHollow]

FWIW. I came in with enough experience to get JSP-14. However, each chambers can only have one, so that went to the career clerk and I started at 13-1. Once I hit year two, it automatically went to 13-2.

Awesome, this is essentially the situation I'm asking about. Thank you

[HillandHollow]

Varies. In my district, a term law clerk is ineligible for a step increase, even if the law clerk is maxed out grade-wise.

Thank you, good info.

[TEIAM]

I don't know what the answer is, and I don't know that anyone will because it's somewhat discretionary. BUT, you definitely do get the step raises. I was on a two-year clerkship and the step raise was automatic upon my one-year anniversary. My discretionary bump to JS12 took effect the next pay period.

Wait, I'm sorry, I might not be understanding you here. From year one to year two, did you automatically move up a grade or a step? The info from OSCAR says you jump a grade, but stay in step 1:

"JSP-11, step 1 – Law school graduates with academic excellence and no legal work experience. Annual base salary is $52, 329 (plus applicable locality rate).
JSP-12, step 1 – One or more years of post-graduate legal work experience and bar membership of a state, territory, or federal court of general jurisdiction. Annual base salary is $62,722 (plus applicable locality rate).
JPS-13, step 1 – Two or more years of post-graduate legal work experience and bar membership of a state, territory, or federal court of general jurisdiction. Annual base salary is $74,584 (plus applicable locality rate)."

In my district, the bump to JS12 is discretionary and up to the judge. The step jump is automatic. The way my district processes promotions left me at JS11, step 2 for one pay period while the promotion to JS12, step 1 was processing.

[yuzu]

How do the "steps" the Judicial Salary Plan work for term clerks? I understand how to calculate which JSP grade a clerk will start at, and that everyone starts generally at step 1 of whichever grade. But what is the point of the steps? Here is a hypo, in order, if it helps:

Admitted to bar
2 years legal work experience
THEN,
2 year d. ct. clerkship
THEN,
a second 2 year d. ct. clerkship in a different district. (so, 5th and 6th year post-grad)


What JSP grade and step is the person looking at for the second clerkship? Do they just top out at JSP 13, step 1?

For the first clerkship, you'd be admitted at JSP-13, step 1. After a year you'd be automatically bumped to JSP-13, step 2. You should be eligible for JSP-14, step 1, at the beginning of the second clerkship since you'd have two years of clerkship experience at that point. However, if there is already another JSP-14 clerk in the second chambers, you would be required to join at JSP-13 (probably step 3?).

However, if your first clerkship is slightly longer than two years, you might be able to switch to JSP-14, step 1, just before your first clerkship is over. Then, I have been told by some court HR people, if there is already a JSP-14 clerk the second clerkship may hire you at JSP-13 step 7 to match your prior JSP-14, step 1 salary. It was for this reason that they strongly advised me to switch to JSP-14 for the last week or two of my clerkship.

[HillandHollow]

For the first clerkship, you'd be admitted at JSP-13, step 1. After a year you'd be automatically bumped to JSP-13, step 2. You should be eligible for JSP-14, step 1, at the beginning of the second clerkship since you'd have two years of clerkship experience at that point. However, if there is already another JSP-14 clerk in the second chambers, you would be required to join at JSP-13 (probably step 3?).

However, if your first clerkship is slightly longer than two years, you might be able to switch to JSP-14, step 1, just before your first clerkship is over. Then, I have been told by some court HR people, if there is already a JSP-14 clerk the second clerkship may hire you at JSP-13 step 7 to match your prior JSP-14, step 1 salary. It was for this reason that they strongly advised me to switch to JSP-14 for the last week or two of my clerkship.

Great, thank you very much. If this information is able to be located somewhere, it isn't easily done.