The Minnesota Judicial Branch (MJB) is committed to providing fair and equal access to justice. If you share this same commitment, desire a meaningful career serving the public, and want the opportunity to make a difference for your community, consider a career with us.

Expand your court experience or begin your legal career as a District Court Law Clerk! The Tenth Judicial District is accepting applications for a Law Clerk I / District Law Clerk for the Honorable John Klossner, who is chambered at the Isanti County Courthouse located in Cambridge, MN. A District Court Law Clerk position offers the opportunity to work within the Minnesota Judicial Branch at the Trial Court Level, and gain insight into judicial and court processes, with a court perspective on the administration of justice.

Law Clerks work directly with a District Court Judge performing professional legal research, preparation of memoranda, opinions, and orders and related clerical/administrative work. This position supports the functions of a District Court Judge to uphold the court’s mission of providing justice through a system that assures equal access for the fair and timely resolution of cases and controversies.

The Minnesota Judicial Branch cares about and invests in our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes health and wellness benefits, ten paid holidays, paid vacation leave, paid sick leave, professional development opportunities, and tuition reimbursement. The employee-paid premium for a full-time employee with single coverage is only $38.50/month for the Minnesota Advantage Health Plan (Download PDF reader) and $13.50/month for the Dental Plan. To learn more about the benefits we offer, go here and click on the Employee Benefits tab.

Minnesota Judicial Branch employees consistently express pride in their public service and in the quality of programs and services provided to customers, as well as appreciation for the teamwork and collaboration that is promoted within the MJB. To learn more about working for the Minnesota Judicial Branch, watch this video.

Any one position may not include all of the duties listed, nor do the examples cover all the duties which may be performed.

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  Reviews, studies, researches, and annotates laws, court decisions, documents, opinions, briefs, and related legal authorities.
• Prepares briefs, legal memoranda, and statement of issues involved, including appropriate suggestions or recommendations to the justice or judge.
• Compiles references on laws and decisions necessary for legal determinations.
• Confers with justice, judge, or court official concerning legal questions, construction of documents and granting of orders.
• Attends court sessions to hear oral arguments and records necessary case information; maintain records attendant to court proceedings.
• May perform courtroom duties including calling the calendar; swearing in jury panels and witness; taking court minutes; and assisting in various court proceedings such as arraignments, motions, hearings, pre-trial conferences and trials.
• Administrative duties as assigned.

Minimum Education Requirements

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  Law Clerk I (Starting salary is $21.64/hour)
  • A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and current enrollment in and completion of at least one year of law school training at a law school accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA).
• Law Clerk (Starting salary is $27.64/hour)
  • Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school.
  • An attorney who has taken and passed the Minnesota Bar Exam is preferred.

• Knowledge of general law, state law, established precedent, and sources of legal reference.
• Knowledge of court practices and procedures.
• Knowledge of legal terminology and concepts.
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing, with a diverse group of people.
• Ability to research complex legal problems or questions and apply legal principles.
• Ability to represent the court in a respectful manner.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
• Skill in the operation of a personal computer with work processing and legal research software.

Local Information:
The Tenth Judicial District is a part of the Minnesota Judicial Branch and covers the 8 Counties in the Northern Suburbs of the Twin Cities Metro Area.

Instructions to Apply:
Please apply for this position online by clicking the Apply link near the top of this page. (For instructions on creating and submitting your online application, click on the How to Apply link in the left-hand menu at the top of this page).

In addition to completing the online application, all applicants must upload and attach a resume, brief writing samples (5-7 pages), and law school transcripts.

All employment offers may be rescinded if the required criminal background check identifies job related convictions.

To ensure the health and safety of all judicial officials and employees, the Minnesota Judicial Branch follows recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) to prevent COVID-19 exposure and infection in the workplace. For the most recent guidelines, please visit the CDC website at Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) | CDC.

Contact Information:
Please contact the Tenth District Human Resources Department with questions regarding this posting via email at 10thDistrictHumanResources@courts.state.mn.us.

It is the policy of the Minnesota Judicial Branch that all decisions regarding employment are made without discrimination on the basis of disability. Please let us know if you need a reasonable accommodation for a disability to participate in the employee selection process by contacting Human Resources at 10thDistrictHumanResources@courts.state.mn.us.

The Minnesota Judicial Branch is an Equal Opportunity Employee. It is the policy of the Branch that all decisions regarding recruitment, hiring, promotions, and other terms and conditions of employment be made without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, membership or activity in a local human rights commission, disability, sexual orientation, or age. We value and encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds.