Career Law Clerk

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia seeks a Career Law Clerk for Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen beginning June 1, 2026. Duties include legal research, reviewing filings, drafting memos and orders, and managing chambers operations. Strong writing skills are required; prior federal clerkship experience is preferred.

ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES: Closely monitor dockets of all pending cases and draft orders, as appropriate, for scheduling and discovery-related issues, default proceedings, service deficiencies, and other miscellaneous matters. Serve as chambers liaison for all outside personnel, including other District and Magistrate Judges, the Clerk of Court, the Clerk's Office staff, the Probation and Pretrial Services Office, and the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. Train, assist and supervise the two bi-annual term law clerks extensively. Receive, screen, and refer telephone and in-person callers. Prepare in final form the judge's written correspondence, memoranda, annual reports, and other items. Assemble and attach supplemental material as required. Monitor all incoming mail and email communication; screen incoming mail daily, routing the mail to appropriate recipients; review all outgoing mail for accuracy. Maintain the judge's calendar; schedule, change, and cancel meetings, appointments, and hearings as directed; relieve the judge of routine details and oversee chambers supply stock and general chambers' management. Arrange all business travel itineraries for the judge, including plane tickets, hotel reservations, lodging plans, car rentals, and other arrangements. Perform other miscellaneous administrative duties as assigned by the judge and as necessary for the efficient operation of chambers. LAW CLERK DUTIES: Research and analyze novel and complex legal issues in diverse areas of federal criminal law and civil litigation. Draft orders and memorandum opinions in civil and criminal cases for the judge's review. Prepare bench memoranda and other written materials for motions hearings and trial proceedings, as directed. Provide information and guidance to the judge on individual cases, as directed. Perform extensive computer legal research via Westlaw and/or Lexis. Monitor significant changes in federal statutes, sentencing guidelines, and Supreme Court and Fourth Circuit precedent. Review and edit orders, opinions and memoranda drafted by term law clerks and staff attorneys.

Employees must be United States citizens or eligible to work in the United States. Employees are required to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees, which is available to applicants to review upon request. Employees will be hired provisionally pending the results of a background investigation. Employees are required to use the Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) for payroll deposit.