Judicial Assistant to a Supreme Court Justice

Overview

The California Supreme Court, located in San Francisco, is accepting applications for the position of Judicial Assistant to a Supreme Court Justice.  Under general supervision, the Judicial Assistant to a Supreme Court Justice performs varied, complex, and confidential project management, policy analysis, paralegal, legal secretarial, outreach, and office administrative assistance for Associate Justice Leondra R. Kruger; and performs related work as assigned.

The Supreme Court of California offers a hybrid work schedule with two days per week in the office and three days per week remote, depending on work assignments.

Responsibilities

• Provides varied administrative, paralegal, and legal secretarial support.
• Coordinates activities related to the justices’ weekly conferences, including weekly distribution and assignment of conference memoranda; maintains conference database; sorts and numbers conference memoranda and petitions; maintains conference files; and provides needed petitions to staff reviewing conference memoranda.
• Prepares justice’s benchbook, including a complete set of documents for each case.
• Reviews and prepares calendar memoranda, preliminary responses, conference memos, and calendars for submission to the Calendar Coordination Office for court circulation.
• Notifies Calendar Coordination Office of attorney assignments and sets electronic mail rules notifications for chambers staff to enable automatic forwarding of case updates.
• Conforms calendar memoranda to opinion format for circulation; distributes briefs and other staffs’ calendar memoranda for review by staff.
• Edits, proofreads, and reviews internal court documents including preliminary responses, conference memoranda, opinions, and court orders for correctness with respect to grammar, spelling, punctuation, content, and organization. 
• Prepares final draft of opinions by checking facts referenced against all documents from the lower tribunal such as the clerk’s and reporter’s transcripts, administrative record, exhibits, and correspondence; verifies and validates legal authorities cited using resources found in the law library, computer databases, and legislative intent materials; conforms opinions to uniform style using the California Style Manual and other style manuals; circulates to the Calendar Coordination Office.
• Transmits final draft of opinions and modifications to Reporter of Decisions.
• Serves as the principal administrative contact and liaison for all incoming requests and communications to the justice; manages the justice’s calendar, which may include coordinating meetings with other justices, executives, program administrators, and external stakeholders.
• Manages accepted invitations through close coordination with organization representatives; prepares and provides agenda, background materials, and status reports on upcoming appearances; provides necessary information to the justice and the California Highway Patrol regarding event logistics; facilitates the hosting of miscellaneous events.
• Serves as the primary contact for annual clerkship and externship applicants; coordinates with university career offices; schedules interviews with candidates; handles onboarding matters such as arranging start dates.
• Works with legal staff to ensure all publication and appearance agreements adhere to the California Code of Judicial Ethics.
• Monitors, prepares, and updates documentation and databases in relation to the justice’s Statement of Economic Interest reporting requirements; monitors the justice’s fulfillment of mandatory continuing education and ethics classes.
• Books, manages, and coordinates travel arrangements; processes reimbursement and travel expense claims.
• Maintains and updates chambers library including case records and files.

WORKING CONDITIONS
The California Supreme Court is an equal opportunity employer. The California Supreme Court complies with obligations under the law to provide equal employment opportunities to qualified individuals with disabilities.

Light Work: Incumbents generally work in a typical office environment with adequate light and temperature. May occasionally exert up to 30 pounds of force, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. Positions in this class typically require sitting, walking, reaching, standing, grasping, pushing, pulling, lifting, keyboarding, kneeling, crouching, stooping, seeing, hearing, talking, and repetitive motions.

Must be available to work overtime.

Qualifications

Equivalent to six (6) years of legal secretarial experience, including five (5) years of technical legal research.

OR

Bachelor’s degree and two (2) years of legal secretarial experience, including technical legal research.

Completion of an American Bar Association approved Paralegal program may also be substituted for one (1) year of technical legal research experience. Additional directly related experience and/or college-level coursework may be substituted on a year-for-year basis for either of the paths outlined above.

OR

One (1) year as a Judicial Assistant to an Appellate Court Justice or Supervising Judicial Assistant or Senior Deputy Clerk OR two (2) years as a Judicial Assistant OR three (3) years as a Deputy Clerk with the judicial branch.

Equivalent years of experience performing the duties of a class comparable in the level of responsibility to the classes listed above in a California Superior Court or California state-level government entity also qualify.

Knowledge of:

• General functions and organization of the judicial system and the roles and functions of other legal and law enforcement agencies.
• Legal and administrative office practices and procedures.
• Complex legal concepts, terminology, principles, and procedures.
• Methods of complex legal research.
• Policies, procedures, and rules governing the intake, maintenance, safeguarding, and disposal of exhibits.
• Calendar management and scheduling.
• Computers and the use of computer applications.
• Correct business English, including spelling, grammar, and punctuation, with emphasis on legal terminology.
• Accepted problem solving practices and methods.

Ability to:

• Learn California trial and appellate court practices and procedures.
• Verify the accuracy of complex legal documents and research.
• Understand, interpret, and apply complex legal concepts, terminology, principles, and procedures.
• Operate computers and other standard office equipment, using standard business software and automated case management systems; interpret and apply technical manuals and tutorials.
• Organize, prioritize, and coordinate multiple work activities and meet critical deadlines while maintaining accuracy.
• Use initiative and independent judgment within established procedural guidelines.
• Exhibit effective problem solving and critical thinking skills.
• Maintain confidentiality; use tact, discretion, and courtesy in dealing with sensitive materials and situations.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of the work, including justices, court staff, and representatives of other governmental and private agencies.
• Train others in policies and procedures related to work.
• Communicate effectively in English, verbally and in writing; learn the California Style Manual.

Other Information

Please Note, if you are selected for hire, the Supreme Court will require verification of employment eligibility or authorization to legally work in the United States.

How To Apply

For earliest consideration, please apply by April 4, 2025, however, this position will remain open until filled.  This position requires the submission of our official application and resume.

To complete the online application, please click the Apply for Job button.

The Judicial Council provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities who request such accommodation.  Reasonable accommodation needs should be requested through Human Resources at (415) 865-4260.

Pay and Benefits

Judicial Assistant to a Supreme Court Justice Salary: $7,150 - $8,693 per month

Some highlights of our benefits package include:

• Health/Dental/Vision benefits program
• 14 paid holidays per calendar year
• Choice of Annual Leave or Sick/Vacation Leave
• 1 personal holiday per year
• Up to $130 per month reimbursement for qualifying commuter costs
• Pre-Tax Parking Savings Program
• CalPERS Retirement Plan
• 401(k) and 457 deferred compensation plans
• Employee Assistance Program
• Basic Life and AD&D Insurance
• FlexElect Program
• Long Term Disability Program (employee paid/optional)
• Group Legal Plan (employee paid/optional)

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Supreme Court of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer.