Job Details
| Court Name/Organization | Kentucky Western District Court |
| Location | Louisville, KY |
| Opening and Closing Dates | 11/19/2024 - 02/28/2025 |
| Appointment Type | Temporary |
| Classification Level/Grade | JSP 11 - JSP 13 |
| Salary | $72,553 - $103,409 |
| Link to Court Careers Information | https://www.kywd.uscourts.gov/employment/ |
| Announcement Number | 25-01 |
| Link to Job Announcement | |
Position Description
The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky is seeking a temporary judicial law clerk to United States Magistrate Judge Colin H. Lindsay. This law clerk position is for a term of twelve weeks beginning approximately May 5, 2025. A law clerk provides legal support to the judge by conducting legal research, drafting opinions and orders, and participating in case management. This position will also entail performing some administrative duties for Judge Lindsay such as answering the phones and interacting with visitors to Chambers. Because this temporary position is to fill the role of Judge Lindsay’s career clerk while she is out of the office, prior clerking experience is strongly preferred. While Judge Lindsay’s preference is for a clerk to work in Chambers in Louisville, Kentucky, he will consider permitting an applicant with the requisite level of experience to work remotely. Applicants interested in remote work should request the same in their cover letter.
Summary of Representative Duties and Responsibilities
Reviews legal submissions, performs legal research, and drafts orders and opinions addressing a wide assortment of issues arising in civil and criminal litigation including some specialized areas of focus such as social security law and habeas law. Performs case management through the Case Management/Electronic Case Filing (CM/ECF) system. Performs limited administrative functions such as answering phones, scheduling appointments, and maintaining the judge’s calendar. Works independently and with little supervision.
Qualifications
To qualify for the position of law clerk on the personal staff of a federal judge, the applicant 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 of recognized standing and have one or more of the following attributes:
- Standing within the upper third of the law school class from a law school on the approved list of either the American Bar Association or the Association of American Law Schools;
- Experience on the law review of such a school;
- Experience in moot court or a similar program;
- Graduation from such a school with an LLM degree;
- Exceptional legal research skills;
- Exceptional legal writing skills; or
- Demonstrated proficiency in legal studies which, in the opinion of the judge, is the equivalent of one of the above.
Additional Preferences
Standing within the top 25% of the law school class. Familiarity with the federal judicial system’s electronic case filing system. Bar admission in any state with a slight preference for Kentucky. Practice experience in civil discovery. Prior experience in a federal clerkship. Exceptional ability to communicate, articulate, and relate to coworkers and others with professionalism and integrity. Self-motivated, able to manage multiple tasks and meet competing deadlines.
Miscellaneous
The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky is seeking a temporary judicial law clerk to United States Magistrate Judge Colin H. Lindsay. This law clerk position is for a term of twelve weeks beginning approximately May 5, 2025. A law clerk provides legal support to the judge by conducting legal research, drafting opinions and orders, and participating in case management. This position will also entail performing some administrative duties for Judge Lindsay such as answering the phones and interacting with visitors to Chambers. Because this temporary position is to fill the role of Judge Lindsay’s career clerk while she is out of the office, prior clerking experience is strongly preferred. While Judge Lindsay’s preference is for a clerk to work in Chambers in Louisville, Kentucky, he will consider permitting an applicant with the requisite level of experience to work remotely. Applicants interested in remote work should request the same in their cover letter.
Summary of Representative Duties and Responsibilities
Reviews legal submissions, performs legal research, and drafts orders and opinions addressing a wide assortment of issues arising in civil and criminal litigation including some specialized areas of focus such as social security law and habeas law. Performs case management through the Case Management/Electronic Case Filing (CM/ECF) system. Performs limited administrative functions such as answering phones, scheduling appointments, and maintaining the judge’s calendar. Works independently and with little supervision.
Application Info
- Employees of the U.S. District Court are not covered by the Office of Personnel Management’s civil service classification system or regulations and are considered “at will” employees.
- Applicant must be either a U.S. citizen, a person who owes allegiance to the United States (e.g.,nationals of American Samoa, Swains Island, and the Northern Mariana Islands, and nationals who meet other requirements described in 8 U.S.C. § 1408), a person admitted as a refugee or granted asylum who has filed a declaration of intention to become a lawful permanent resident and then a citizen when eligible, or a lawful permanent resident who is seeking citizenship as outlined in 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3)(B).
- As a condition of employment, an FBI Background Investigation is required.
- This position is not benefits eligible except under certain circumstances where the applicant is transferring from or immediately returning to federal service from another federal appointment.
- This position is full-time and includes paid federal holidays.
- Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) for payroll deposit is required.
- Only the most qualified applicants will be interviewed.
- We do not pay relocation or interview travel expenses.
- Due to the volume of applications, chambers will only communicate with those applicants selected for an interview.
How to Apply
Applications accepted through OSCAR or via e-mail to CHL_Lawclerk@kywd.uscourts.gov. Any applicant who wishes to apply via e-mail should send the following: (1) cover letter; (2) resume; (3) law grade sheet or transcript; (4) references; (5) recommendations; and (6) writing sample as a single PDF to CHL_Lawclerk@kywd.uscourts.gov. The subject matter of the e-mail should reference this posting. The materials should be organized in the order set forth above. If necessary, recommendation letters may be forwarded separately by the applicant’s law school or recommender to the same e-mail address listed above. Any recommendation letter sent separately from an application shall include the applicant’s name in the subject line of the e-mail. Any candidate who submits his or her application via e-mail should not also submit an application via OSCAR and vice versa.
For additional information on the U.S. District Court, visit our website.
The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.