Short-Term Staff Attorney-State Court Administrator-Bismarck

General Summary or Purpose We understand that compensation isn’t a one-time discussion.
Please see Compensation for more details on our compensation strategy.
Interested applicants must submit a cover letter, resume and writing sample.
This is a short-term position with the State Court Administrator's Office that is available through June 30, 2025.
It is a full-time position with benefits.
The North Dakota Court System offers employment opportunities that provide a rewarding career in public service working together to deliver justice.
The Court System offers an excellent benefits package including employer-paid family health insurance premiums, retirement contributions and generous vacation and sick leave accruals.
The primary responsibility of this position will be to serve as staff to the Guardianship Task Force including researching federal and state laws and administrative rules related to guardianship and conservatorship and drafting proposed court rules and legislative amendments as directed by the court.
The Ideal Candidate: Easily engages and communicates with others orally and in writing.
Enjoys researching, analyzing and writing.
Obsesses with detail ensuring accuracy of work.
Deliberately and thoroughly organizes and analyzes information.
Demonstrates an ability to provide sound judgment including the ability to think critically, identify, break down, evaluate and write information in a concise and logical manner.
Thrives on having a constant workload and organizing, planning and prioritizing work.
Finds it rewarding to be highly dependable.
The Ideal Candidate Minimum Qualifications: Juris doctor degree from an accredited law school; License to practice law in the State of ND; and 2 years of related experience conducting legal research, serving in a legislative research capacity or related area; or an equivalent combination of education, training or experience necessary to successfully perform the essential functions of the work.
Major Responsibilities & Essential Functions Title of Immediate Supervisor: State Court Administrator Accountable For (Job Titles): None FLSA Status: Exempt The Staff Attorney researches, supports and advises various Supreme Court advisory committees and Judicial Conference committees that are responsible for studying court issues, operational concerns or court processes and concerns.
Assists committees to formulate and draft briefs and/or proposed legislation.
Provides legal services and support to staff in the Office of the State Court Administrator.
Provides legal research, support and staff services to various judicial committees investigating and studying court-related processes, problems or issues.
Assists the committees in conducting background history and research pertaining to the work of the committee(s).
Prepares briefs, assists committees, drafts procedures, rules and/or proposed legislation.
Provides legal research services for members and staff in the Office of the State Court Administrator.
Serves as a legislative analyst or liaison monitoring and tracking legislation introduced, pending or acted upon in the legislature that are relevant or may impact the operations of the Supreme Court.
Communicates, informs, and provides information and/or research to members of the public, media, judges, or court personnel regarding judicial services, policies, legislative initiatives, or other matters pertaining to the court.
Testifies before legislative committees to persuade, present and explain the research, facts, conclusions and perspectives of the court regarding the issues before the committee(s).
Assists the State Court Administrator in drafting or preparing various manuals or documents for the Court.
Performs other duties of a comparable level or type.
Minimum Qualifications & Certification or Licensing Requirements Requires a juris doctor degree from an accredited law school and a minimum of two years related experience conducting legal research, serving in a legislative research capacity or related area; or an equivalent combination of education, training and/or experience necessary to successfully perform the essential functions of the work.
Licensed to practice law in the State of North Dakota.
Knowledge, Skill, & Physical Requirements Knowledge Requirements: Extensive knowledge of general laws, state laws, established precedents, and sources of legal research.
General knowledge of court administration and office management policies and procedures.
Extensive knowledge of court system operations, court procedures and rules.
Knowledge of state and federal rules of procedure and law.
Skill Requirements: Skilled in conducting legal research and the application and interpretation of legal concepts, principles and evidence, facts and legal precedent.
Skilled in organizing, planning and prioritizing own work priorities, needs and projects.
Skilled in the use of legal research resources and software (i.
e.
Westlaw, LawDesk, Miche, Premise, etc.
) and general office support applications (i.
e.
word processing and other desktop software/applications).
Skilled in formulating, writing and drafting legislation, proposals, or briefs.
Skilled in applying sound legal judgment based upon the legal principles, rules, concepts, precedents and issues that are being addressed by committees of the court and the Office of the State Court Administrator.
Skilled in presenting and communicating controversial or complex topics in an effective and persuasive manner in public presentations and speeches before judiciary committees, legislative committees, members of the public, other attorneys, or staff of the court.
Physical Requirements: The essential functions of the job typically require: grasping, walking, sitting, talking, hearing, seeing, feeling, fingering and some repetitive motions or other reasonable methods that accommodate an individual in completing the essential functions of the job.
Work is performed in a comfortable office environment.
Physical requirements can typically be characterized as Light Work: Exerting up to 20 lbs.
of force occasionally and/or up to 10 lbs.
of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force frequently constantly to move objects.
The North Dakota Court System offers an excellent benefits package including employer paid family health insurance premiums, retirement contributions and generous vacation and sick leave accruals, visit: Benefits