Job Details

Position Summary

$110,788 (CL 28)

San Francisco, CA

Applications will be accepted through August 15, 2025

One-year term position, renewable up to a maximum of five years depending on performance and budget.

About the Position

Staff attorneys are responsible for the substantive, procedural, and administrative processing of motions and fully briefed cases. This position will foster your legal research, writing, and oral presentation skills. Applicants who are hired for this position will be placed in a subject area team within OSA, depending on staffing needs as well as applicant experience and interest. Current needs span across subject areas – immigration, criminal, habeas, and civil.

Representative Duties and Responsibilities

Processing motions and cases entails:

• Reviewing the parties' filings and the record;
• Independently researching the legal issues;
• Identifying the strongest recommendation(s) for resolving the matter;
• Orally presenting recommendations to monthly panels of judges;
• Drafting orders and non-precedential decisions;
• Effectively managing a docket of cases; and
• Promptly and accurately performing administrative tasks.

Staff attorneys may also be called upon to respond to public inquiries and requests for information, and to process emergency motions on an expedited basis outside of regular work hours.

With increased experience, staff attorneys may handle a higher volume of assignments, conduct peer review of cases, mentor legal externs, and work on increasingly complex matters.

Position Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school.
• At least two (2) years post-J.D. legal work experience consistent with the duties and responsibilities of this position.
• Proof that you are licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of any State, territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia, and an active member of the bar in good standing.

How to Apply

Please submit a single PDF application packet through the Career Portal that includes:

• A cover letter describing your interest in and qualifications for the position;
• A current resume showing your education, work experience, and other relevant experience; and
• Responses to the supplemental questions below.

Supplemental Questions

Please answer each of the following questions in a paragraph or two. Responses will be evaluated to assess an applicant's ability to write clearly and concisely.

1. How would a limited-term staff attorney position at the court support your career goals?
2. Describe a situation where you displayed strong oral communication skills.
3. Describe a situation where you were persuaded to change your mind.

Interviews

Our tentative plan is to conduct interviews via Zoom from August 21-29.

If selected for an interview:

• You will be asked to provide three references and a copy of your law school transcript.
• You will receive contact information for staff attorneys who have offered to answer questions about their experience at the court through optional, informal conversations that are not part of the hiring process.