Job Details for Term Staff Attorney
| Court Name/Organization | Third Circuit Court of Appeals |
| Location | Philadelphia, PA |
| Opening and Closing Dates | 01/31/2025 - Open Until Filled |
| Appointment Type | Temporary |
| Classification Level/Grade | CL 27 - CL 28; higher appointments may be available |
| Salary | $81,474 - $97,653 |
| Link to Job Announcement | |
Position Description
Staff Attorney Offices were created in the U.S. Courts of Appeals by act of Congress in 1976. Staff attorneys serve the court at large and are essential in furthering the disposition of cases before the court.
In the Third Circuit, approximately twenty-five attorneys work with a dedicated administrative staff in a highly collegial environment. Term staff attorneys are a vital complement to our established group of supervisory attorneys and career attorneys. Term staff attorneys are hired at various levels of legal experience, and recent law school graduates work alongside and engage with attorneys with prior judicial clerkship or other professional experience.
Our office has been a launching point for a wide range of careers nationwide. Many of our former staff attorneys have become leaders in public interest, private sector, and academic settings.
Primary staff attorney duties include:
- Developing expertise in habeas corpus, immigration, bankruptcy, civil rights and constitutional law, appellate jurisdiction, and federal civil and criminal procedure;
- Gaining familiarity with state and territorial laws of the Third Circuit;
- Drafting memoranda, per curiam opinions, and orders for the judges;
- Responding to questions from judges concerning individual cases, as needed; and
- Managing assigned cases.
Qualifications
Ideal candidates are graduating law school students or recent graduates who possess:
- A strong academic background;
- Demonstrated research and writing ability;
- Maturity, good judgment, and high ethical standards;
- Excellent oral and written communication skills; and
Flexibility and motivation in handling work assignments, and a positive work attitude.
Employee Benefits
Leave benefits include vacation and medical leave. Staff attorneys are covered by Social Security and are eligible to participate in group medical and life insurance and supplemental benefits programs. Term staff attorneys generally are not eligible for retirement benefits unless transferring without a break in service from another retirement-eligible federal position.
Miscellaneous
Staff Attorney Offices were created in the U.S. Courts of Appeals by act of Congress in 1976. Staff attorneys serve the court at large and are essential in furthering the disposition of cases before the court.
In the Third Circuit, approximately twenty-five attorneys work with a dedicated administrative staff in a highly collegial environment. Term staff attorneys are a vital complement to our established group of supervisory attorneys and career attorneys. Term staff attorneys are hired at various levels of legal experience, and recent law school graduates work alongside and engage with attorneys with prior judicial clerkship or other professional experience.
Our office has been a launching point for a wide range of careers nationwide. Many of our former staff attorneys have become leaders in public interest, private sector, and academic settings.
Primary staff attorney duties include:
- Developing expertise in habeas corpus, immigration, bankruptcy, civil rights and constitutional law, appellate jurisdiction, and federal civil and criminal procedure;
- Gaining familiarity with state and territorial laws of the Third Circuit;
- Drafting memoranda, per curiam opinions, and orders for the judges;
- Responding to questions from judges concerning individual cases, as needed; and
- Managing assigned cases.
Application Info
The hiring committee reviews applications via OSCAR (Online System for Clerkship Application and Review). To ensure consideration of your application, create an OSCAR account, or log in to your existing account, and apply to our position listing in the Staff Attorney Office section.
Due to the volume of applications anticipated, emailed applications, paper applications, and late applications are unlikely to be acknowledged or considered. Telephone inquiries to the Court about this position are discouraged.
The following application materials are required:
- Cover letter;
- Resume;
- Law school transcript; and
- Writing sample, self-edited, demonstrating your ability to analyze a discrete legal issue. If you wish to submit a published article for consideration, please submit an additional, self-edited writing sample. Please save and upload your writing samples as a single document.
- Names, addresses, and telephone numbers of three (3) references with first-hand bases for evaluating the applicant’s aptitude for the work performed by staff attorneys.
The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.