What are the responsibilities and job description for the Court of Appeals Law Clerk for the 2026-27 Term position at Minnesota Judicial Branch?
DESCRIPTION:
Minnesota Court of Appeals law clerks participate in the judicial decision-making process by providing legal research and case analysis to the judges of the Court of Appeals. The Minnesota Court of Appeals reviews cases appealed from district courts and administrative agencies.
Through this challenging and intellectually stimulating work, law clerks develop their skills in legal research, reasoning, strategy, and writing; gain exposure to multiple substantive areas of law; receive valuable training and mentoring from judges; and form friendships and career-long relationships with their fellow judicial law clerks. This one-year clerkship enables law clerks to engage in public service while receiving training and experience that will distinguish them from other applicants for practitioner positions.
It is anticipated that 20-30 Court of Appeals law clerk positions will be open for the term of August 2026 - August 2027, all located in the Minnesota Judicial Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. Each law clerk is hired by either one specific judge or a group of three judges.
EXAMPLES OF JOB DUTIES :
The primary duties of a law clerk are to analyze and research cases on appeal. A law clerk's typical responsibilities include closely reviewing the record and transcripts from the district court, evaluating opposing briefs, supplementing the legal research submitted in the briefs, assisting the judge in accurately synthesizing the facts and the law through preparation of bench memoranda, assisting the judge in drafting opinions, and cite-checking opinions.
TYPICAL QUALIFICATIONS :
The minimum academic requirement for application is enrollment as a second-year law student; graduation from an accredited law school is required to begin employment. Professional skills and academic record are both considered. Strong writing and research skills are essential. Significant legal writing experience, which may include experience on a law review or law journal, is preferred. The judges of the court will select law clerks after reviewing applications and conducting interviews.
SALARY: The anticipated salary for the 2026 -27 term will be at least $35.92/hour ($75,000/year) or possibly more, depending on future legislative appropriations.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:
Position Logistics:
This position is classified as a Court of Appeals Law Clerk. Work will be performed at the Minnesota Judicial Center located in downtown Saint Paul, Minnesota.
To Apply: Applications must be submitted by July 13th, 2025 , at 11:59pm. In-person Interviews will take place on Friday, September 12th and Monday, September 15th, 2025. In-person interviews are preferred, but virtual interviews will be available for candidates who are located at a distance and unable to travel to the Minnesota Judicial Center for their interview.
All applications will be carefully reviewed. Please take the time to submit a complete application including all sections such as work experience and education. A complete application must include the following documents:
- cover letter
- resume
- legal writing sample
- official transcript, with class rank, if available
- 2 - 3 letters of recommendation.
Please ensure you have all the documents listed above at the time you apply. These documents will need to be uploaded to your electronic application. If your school sends letters of recommendation directly to the Judicial Branch, please have them send those letters to the email address below, no later than the application deadline. If you don’t have all the required documents at the time of submitting your application or before the application deadline, please notify the email below indicating which documents are missing and we will let you know what the next steps are. Please note that there is also a series of supplemental questions in the application, most of which require answers. Complete the questions thoroughly, as responses will be submitted to the judges verbatim. If you have any questions, please submit them to the email address below . Because the application form is identical to the application form for the Minnesota Supreme Court, you may wish to submit applications to both courts at the same time.
Minnesota Judicial Center
Human Resources Department, Rm. 120
25 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155
MNLawClerkRecruiting@courts.state.mn.us
Salary : $75,000
