Court Clerk Jobs

State Bar Court

Annual Salary Range: $77,928 - $103,827

FLSA Exempt / Union Represented

About the Office

California is the only state with an independent professional Court dedicated to ruling on attorney discipline cases. The State Bar Court (SBC) adjudicates disciplinary and regulatory cases involving attorneys and recommends attorney discipline to the California Supreme Court. The SBC is structured as a Hearing Department (trial court) and a Review Department (appeals court).

Ideal Candidate

The State Bar Court Hearing Department is seeking a Court Clerk to support Hearing Department Judges that hear and decide attorney disciplinary and regulatory cases. The ideal candidate will have experience with calendaring court events, maintaining electronic records of cases, and applying rules, policies, procedures, and practices to case processing.

Strong attention to detail and effective communication and writing skills are essential. Intermediate-level usage of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Skype, Zoom, Adobe Pro, Teams, OneDrive, and Outlook is essential. Court experience preferred.

Distinguishing Characteristics

The Court Clerk is the journey-level administrative class assigned to the Courts. Duties require knowledge of State Bar rules and regulations; and the ability to apply applicable policies and codes and review and understand standard legal documents and common technical/legal terminology.

Examples of Essential Duties

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Responds to inquiries from licensing agencies, law enforcement, the general public, and attorneys regarding pending and completed cases, interpret procedural rules, general orders, and policies regarding compliance, and provide information, documents, correspondence and/or referrals.
• Determines the appropriate handling of case-related documents; generates and executes notices and orders.
• Advises judge(s) on pending matters' processing status and assists with case flow management involving jurisdictional and procedural issues.
• Serves as bailiff in court proceedings, administering oaths or affirmations, making audio recordings and written records, and taking custody of exhibits.
• May perform several other similar or related duties that may not be specifically included within this position description but are consistent with the general level of the job and the responsibilities described.
• Provides technical, procedural, and administrative advice and assistance to judges, managers, and litigants and assists with developing and implementing new procedures or programs to improve court operations.
• Assigns cases to judges, calendars court events, ensures that cases are disposed of within proscribed time standards, and inputs data into the case management system.
• Monitors the progress and completion of cases to ensure compliance with specified or mandated time frames.
• Opens cases in the CMS; processes filed documents.
• Prepares and issues periodic communications to attorneys and others regarding case status and other issues.
• Applies case processing rules, policies, procedures, practices, and guidelines.

Employment Standards

Knowledge of:

• Legal research methods and trial principles and techniques.
• Principles of planning, organizing, developing, and implementing procedures, program, projects, and policies.
• Computer information systems, including personal computer applications.
• General court procedures.
• Rules of evidence and conduct of proceedings in State Bar Court.
• Principles of problem identification, analysis, and evaluation.
• Principles of effective writing and verbal presentation.

Ability to:

• Access, input, and retrieve information using a computer terminal and other office machines.
• Communicate clearly and effectively in person and writing.
• Appropriately and professionally respond to requests and inquiries from the public, State Bar members, or other departments.
• Establish and maintain effective interpersonal relationships at all organizational levels and with the public.
• Review and analyze complex written documents.
• Effectively proofread and edit written and electronic documents.
• Obtain and present material in oral and written form.
• Maintain the confidentiality of information.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

• Associate degree or equivalent work experience in a field that develops the skills required for the functions and responsibilities of the position.

Experience:

• Minimum two (2) years of progressively responsible administrative experience in a similar environment.

Applicants who meet the Minimum Qualifications will be required to successfully complete the State Bar’s selection process for this classification.

License, Certificate, and Registration Requirements:

• None required.