What are the responsibilities and job description for the Judicial Law Clerk/Staff Attorney position at City of Suffolk, VA?
The Suffolk Circuit Court Judges have a 1 -2 Â year opportunity (with possible extension option) beginning approximately August 7, 2025*Â to perform professional legal services for the Judges including the reviewing of civil and criminal motions, researching whether matters are properly served and noticed, conducting legal research, and drafting legal memoranda, prospective civil orders and legal opinions for the Court. Â The law clerk/staff attorney will work within broad policy and organization guidelines established by the Circuit Court Judges. The Employee's function is necessary to ensure that the Circuit Court serves the public in an effective and efficient manner. Â Employee must also exercise tact, courtesy, and discretion in frequent contact with attorneys, public officials and employees, and the general public. Â Reports to the Chief Circuit Court Judge.
Serves as staff attorney for the four (4) Circuit Court Judges.
Responsible for legal research and analysis of legal issues for the weekly motions docket of the judges; including: 1) checking each motion for compliance with procedural legal requirements; 2) calling non-compliant lawyers/legal staff, to enable them to bring their motions into compliance before motions day; 3) providing the judges with statutes and rules, for their review, on simple legal issues; 4) writing bench briefs involving legal research and analysis on complex legal issues; 5) assisting with and attending motions arguments in court, and 6) drafting opinion letters for the judges as requested.
Reviews a variety of Orders, Petitions and Motions, submitted daily to the Judges, to address compliance with statutory and other legal requirements, and responds to the parties and their counsel regarding such Orders. Â Examples of cases requiring such Orders are City tax sales, Church petitions for appointment of trustees and acquisition or disposition of real property, Adoptions, Orders pertaining to support, custody, visitation, and disposition of marital property, Rules to Show Cause and enforcement of prior Orders, Final divorce decrees, Name changes, Appointments of Guardians ad litem, and Garnishments.
Performs legal research and analysis of legal issues for habeas corpus petitions, including writing bench briefs, and drafting legal opinions regarding the same.
Prepares and/or reviews proposed responses to correspondence received by the Judges and the Clerk of the Court from prisoners and/or their counsel, including requests for sentence reconsideration, requests for approval of in forma pauperis status, requests for documents, complaints, and other miscellaneous requests.
Ability to prepare civil support guidelines for Pendente Lite hearings.
Performs Other Related Duties As Required.
Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited law school; License to practice law in the Commonwealth of Virginia preferred; 1 to 2 years of experience in the practice of civil and/or criminal law preferred. Requires a valid driver's license.
Knowledge of Virginia civil law and procedure.
Knowledge of the Rules of the Supreme Court of Virginia.
Knowledge of the rules of evidence and professional responsibility.Â
Ability to interpret and apply laws and court decisions, and to use legal source material in technical research.
Ability to express ideas effectively, orally and in writing.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignments.
Ability of speaking and/or signaling people to convey or exchange information. Includes receiving assignments and/or directions from superiors.
Ability to read a variety of reports, letters, and memos, contracts, deeds, ordinances, resolutions, legal briefs, etc. Requires the ability to prepare correspondence, reports, legal briefs, etc., using prescribed formats and conforming to all rules of punctuation, grammar, diction, and style. Â
Requires proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook.
Proficiency in the use of legal research tools such as Westlaw.
Requires the ability to speak before groups of people with poise, voice control and confidence.
Ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to a wide range of intellectual and practical problems; and to deal with a variety of abstract and concrete variables.
Ability to utilize mathematical formulas; to add and subtract totals; to multiply and divide; and to determine percentages and decimals; understand and apply the theories of algebra, geometry, trigonometry, descriptive statistics, and statistical inference.
- Start date of August 7, 2025 is negotiable.
Serves as staff attorney for the four (4) Circuit Court Judges.
Responsible for legal research and analysis of legal issues for the weekly motions docket of the judges; including: 1) checking each motion for compliance with procedural legal requirements; 2) calling non-compliant lawyers/legal staff, to enable them to bring their motions into compliance before motions day; 3) providing the judges with statutes and rules, for their review, on simple legal issues; 4) writing bench briefs involving legal research and analysis on complex legal issues; 5) assisting with and attending motions arguments in court, and 6) drafting opinion letters for the judges as requested.
Reviews a variety of Orders, Petitions and Motions, submitted daily to the Judges, to address compliance with statutory and other legal requirements, and responds to the parties and their counsel regarding such Orders. Â Examples of cases requiring such Orders are City tax sales, Church petitions for appointment of trustees and acquisition or disposition of real property, Adoptions, Orders pertaining to support, custody, visitation, and disposition of marital property, Rules to Show Cause and enforcement of prior Orders, Final divorce decrees, Name changes, Appointments of Guardians ad litem, and Garnishments.
Performs legal research and analysis of legal issues for habeas corpus petitions, including writing bench briefs, and drafting legal opinions regarding the same.
Prepares and/or reviews proposed responses to correspondence received by the Judges and the Clerk of the Court from prisoners and/or their counsel, including requests for sentence reconsideration, requests for approval of in forma pauperis status, requests for documents, complaints, and other miscellaneous requests.
Ability to prepare civil support guidelines for Pendente Lite hearings.
Performs Other Related Duties As Required.
Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited law school; License to practice law in the Commonwealth of Virginia preferred; 1 to 2 years of experience in the practice of civil and/or criminal law preferred. Requires a valid driver's license.
- License to practice law in the Commonwealth of Virginia must be obtained within 6 months of hire date.*
- Applicants MUST also attach a writing sample upon application in order to be considered.*
Knowledge of Virginia civil law and procedure.
Knowledge of the Rules of the Supreme Court of Virginia.
Knowledge of the rules of evidence and professional responsibility.Â
Ability to interpret and apply laws and court decisions, and to use legal source material in technical research.
Ability to express ideas effectively, orally and in writing.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignments.
Ability of speaking and/or signaling people to convey or exchange information. Includes receiving assignments and/or directions from superiors.
Ability to read a variety of reports, letters, and memos, contracts, deeds, ordinances, resolutions, legal briefs, etc. Requires the ability to prepare correspondence, reports, legal briefs, etc., using prescribed formats and conforming to all rules of punctuation, grammar, diction, and style. Â
Requires proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook.
Proficiency in the use of legal research tools such as Westlaw.
Requires the ability to speak before groups of people with poise, voice control and confidence.
Ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to a wide range of intellectual and practical problems; and to deal with a variety of abstract and concrete variables.
Ability to utilize mathematical formulas; to add and subtract totals; to multiply and divide; and to determine percentages and decimals; understand and apply the theories of algebra, geometry, trigonometry, descriptive statistics, and statistical inference.
