Job Announcement: Judicial Term Law Clerk to U.S. District Judge Daniel M. Traynor

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT: No. 26-02

Position: Term Law Clerk to United States District Judge Daniel M. Traynor
Location: Bismarck, North Dakota
Salary Range: $74,678-$106,437 (current JSP 11-13 range)
Closing Date: Open until filled

Position Summary
The position of Term Law Clerk to Judge Daniel M. Traynor is for a two-year term beginning in
August 2027. The position is located in the Chambers of Judge Traynor in Bismarck, North
Dakota. Principal duties of the position include:

• Research substantive issues of federal and state law;
• Draft legal memoranda, opinions, and orders;
• Prepare the Judge for hearings, trials, or mediations;
• Assist the Judge with case management;
• Provide legal counsel and support to the Judge; and
• Exhibit the highest standards of excellence and integrity.

Qualifications
The successful applicant will have excellent academic credentials from an ABA-accredited
law school, strong research and exceptional writing skills, and adherence to the Rules of
Professional Conduct, the Judicial canons, and rules regarding confidentiality as applied to
judicial law clerks. Applicants must be a United States citizen or a lawful permanent resident
seeking citizenship. The successful applicant will exhibit, at all times and to all persons, a
courteous, professional, and cooperative attitude and a self-imposed standard of integrity and
excellence.

In addition to these qualifications, a successful applicant should demonstrate one or more of
the following:

• Standing within the upper third of the applicant’s law school class;
• Experience on the editorial board of a law review or moot court board;
• Graduation from an accredited school with a LLM degree;
• Other proficiency in legal studies, including:
  
  • Publication of a noteworthy article in a law school student publication or other
    scholarly publication;
  • Special high-level honors for academic excellence in law school, such as election
    to the Order of the Coif or the Order of Barristers;
  • Winning of a moot court or trial advocacy competition or membership on a moot
    court or trial advocacy team that represented the law school in competition with
    other law schools;
• Prior judicial clerkship experience; or
• One or more years of experience as a practicing attorney.

This list is not all-inclusive. Applicants should include relevant experience that demonstrate legal
proficiency.

Salary and Benefits
The actual pay level will be established on the basis of the successful applicant’s
qualifications and experience. The position does not carry the tenure rights of positions in the
competitive Civil Service. Other federal government benefits (e.g., holidays, life and health
insurance, and Health Savings Accounts) are applicable. The position is subject to mandatory
Electronic Funds Transfer (direct deposit) of net pay.

Background Investigation Requirements
The selectee considered for this position is required to undergo an FBI Background Check and/or
Investigation and social media inquiry as a condition of employment. The selectee may be
appointed provisionally, and retention will depend upon favorable suitability determination of the
background investigation.

Miscellaneous
The United States District Court is an equal Opportunity Employer (EEO) and has adopted an
Employment Dispute resolution Plan. Additional EEO information is available from the Office of
the Clerk of Court. All applications will be maintained in strict confidence. Only the hiring
authority will have knowledge of the applicant’s identity. Only candidates selected for an interview
will be contacted.

Application Procedure
Qualified persons are invited to submit:

• Cover letter
• Résumé
• Completed application for judicial branch employment, form AO-78 (available at
  http://www.uscourts.gov/forms/AO078.pdf)
• Writing sample
• Undergraduate and law school academic transcripts
• Three professional or academic references
• A maximum of three letters of recommendation may be submitted but are not required
  Submit application materials to ndd_jobs@ndd.uscourts.gov  in PDF format only.