Law Clerk

Law Clerk

The salary for this position is: $5,275 - $7,034 monthly

As a Law Clerk within Thurston County's Superior Court, you will perform research of legal issues as assigned by judges and perform legal research for the court regarding administrative issues under the supervision of judges and a Staff Attorney. Law Clerks review motions, briefs, and memoranda; research cited law; prepare written memoranda, reports, and draft orders; and make recommendations to senior staff and judges.

To ensure consideration for this position, please submit your application as soon as possible. The first review of applicants will begin on August 19, 2026.

Essential functions may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Perform legal research projects as assigned, research all statutes and case law necessary to complete projects.
• Perform legal research in cases and advise judge(s) as to questions of law, statutes and legal process as required.
• Receive, organize, and review motions of Court cases and prepare written/oral summaries and recommendations for the judges for briefs and memoranda pertaining to complex litigation; review legal documents and assist judge with organization.
• Perform legal research of proposed legislation, Court rules, and Court administrative concerns, and provide written evaluations and recommendations based on findings as assigned by the Presiding Judge.
• Draft legal memoranda and prepare reports.
• Coordinate with Court staff in contacting and disseminating information to lawyers and litigants and the scheduling of conferences and hearings.
• Communicate on behalf of the Judge or Court with lawyers, litigants, and the public at the direction of the judicial officer, staff attorney or Court administrator.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Work Environment – Office setting in Olympia, Washington.
• Schedule - Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
• Travel Requirements - Occasional travel between Courthouses may be required.
• Customer Interactions - Daily interactions with Thurston County staff and the public.

Message to potential applicants: We understand that some potential applicants are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every one of the functions or skills listed in a job description. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and we understand that may be someone who will learn some of these skills on the job. If you are interested in this position, and meet the minimum qualifications, we encourage you to go ahead and apply! Feel free to think about how you will bring your own set of skills to the role and tell us about the potential that you hold.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Graduation from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association.

DESIRED SKILLS:

• Candidates for this position should have excellent legal writing and research skills.
• Graduation from an accredited law school with a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or better.
• Successful passing of the Washington State Bar Examination or admission to the Washington State Bar within one year from date of hire.

OTHER RELATED RECRUITMENT INFORMATION:

Questions about this recruitment? Please contact Matt Morbello, View email address on click.appcast.io

This position is:

• At-Will and works at the pleasure of the Board of Judges
• NOT represented by a Union
• NOT eligible for overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
• Eligible for benefits
• Contingent upon passing a background check

Items requested for consideration:

• Application
• Resume
• Letter of Interest
• Writing Sample(s): Please submit a legal writing sample of no more than 10 pages in PDF format. You may submit a self-contained section from a longer piece, but please include a brief cover page explaining its context. The most helpful samples are objective legal memoranda, briefs, or scholarly papers that demonstrate strong analytic, writing, and citation skills. The sample must reflect your own work and should not have been heavily edited by others or AI. Please redact any confidential client information. You should attach this document to your application along with your resume and letter of interest.
• Supplemental Questions

Please note: Information in this announcement is subject to change without notice at any time during the length of the job advertisement.

THURSTON COUNTY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Thurston County is committed to provide equal opportunity to all persons seeking or having access to its employment, services and activities, which is free from restriction based on race, sex, marital status, color, creed or religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, including gender expression or identity, pregnancy, status as an honorably discharged veteran or military status, genetic information, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability, unless based upon bona fide occupational qualifications. Applicants with disabilities who need accommodation with the application or selection process should contact Thurston County's Human Resources, at View phone number on click.appcast.io. Those who are deaf, deaf-blind, hard of hearing or speech impaired may use the statewide relay system to reach Thurston County offices and departments to conduct their business telephonically. Relay users can simply dial 7-1-1 (or View phone number on click.appcast.io) to connect with Washington Relay.