Research Attorney - Appellate Division in Santa Ana, California at Superior Court of Orange County
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Job Description
RESEARCH ATTORNEY - APPELLATE DIVISION
DEADLINE TO APPLY
This recruitment will be open on a continuous basis; however, the deadline for first round of consideration is Sunday, September 13, 2026. Please note that this recruitment will remain open until the needs of the Court have been met and may close at any time.
This recruitment is open to external candidates, internal OCSC employees, and internal OCSC promotions. This recruitment will be used to fill current vacancies, and an eligible list may be established to fill future vacancies.
SALARY INFORMATION
Research Attorney Annual Range: $129,313.60 - $164,777.60
Anticipated Starting Rate: $129,313.60
BENEFITS HIGHLIGHTS
Choice of five medical plans
Defined Benefit Retirement Plan (2.50% at 67 formula)
$3,500 Optional Benefit Plan (OBP) annually
Optional deferred compensation program (457 plan)
Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA)
Dental and Vision Plans
Vacation and sick leave packages
14 paid holidays per year
Tuition reimbursement
TELEWORK/ON-SITE OPPORTUNITY
This position is eligible for a combination of telework and on-site work assignments. Telework must be completed from a pre-designated home-based location within the State of California, and employees may be required to report on-site to address business needs. Telework is at the sole discretion of the Court and may be rescinded with 48 hours' notice, based on the needs of the Orange County Superior Court.
ABOUT ORANGE COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT
The Orange County Superior Court was established in 1893 and maintains jurisdiction over a wide range of matters, with our flagship location being the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana, with additional courthouses located in Orange (Lamoreaux), Newport Beach (Harbor), Fullerton (North), and Westminster (West), as the fifth-largest trial court in the United States and the third-largest court of general jurisdiction in California. We have more than 140 judicial officers and over 1,500 staff with an operating budget of nearly $280 million.
Our court is recognized for innovation, resource advancements, and community focus while managing over half a million case filings annually and serving a population exceeding three million. The Court's Judges, Commissioners, and employees are recognized for their high standards of achievement, integrity, modernization, and diversity. The Court is committed to ensuring equal access to court services and enhancing public confidence in the court system.
To learn more about the Superior Court of California, County of Orange, visit our homepage at www.occourts.org.
ABOUT THE POSITION
Appellate Division Research Attorneys work under the direction of the Appellate Panel Judges and the General Counsel and report to the Supervising Research Attorney. They are responsible for researching legal issues in both civil and criminal law; carefully reviewing and analyzing writs, appellate briefs, trial records, and other case documents; drafting clear, concise, accurate, and well-organized memoranda and proposed opinions; attending judicial case conferences and Appellate Division oral argument hearings; and making timely recommendations regarding the resolution of legal issues before the court. Additional responsibilities include the ability to discuss issues thoroughly with judicial officers, receive and implement constructive feedback, and work collaboratively to edit and revise one’s work. Excellent analytical, writing, and research skills are required. These positions are responsible for a high-volume of work, often with short deadlines for the completion of assignments and require exceptional self-direction and time management skills, as well as excellent judgment and the performance of duties with the highest degree of integrity in order to uphold the public’s trust and confidence in the administration of justice.
Note: Although most Research Attorney positions are assigned to our Civil Division, our current need is in the Appellate Division, and this recruitment has specifically been opened to fill that need. Attorneys may be reassigned at any time to General Civil, Complex Civil, Criminal, Family Law, Juvenile, or Probate Departments, depending on the needs of the Court.
To view the full job description, please click on the following link:
BAR MEMBERSHIP
Active membership in good standing with the California State Bar.
EXPERIENCE
At least three (3) years of post-California Bar appellate law experience or experience as an appellate judicial staff attorney, or comparable position is required.
WRITING SAMPLE
Applicants must submit a self-edited writing sample with their application. A preferable writing sample consists of an appellate specific brief directed to an appellate division or appellate panel.
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS
- At least five (5) years of experience practicing in one or more of the following areas:
- Appellate practitioner, an appellate judicial staff attorney, or comparable position emphasizing legal writing and analysis
- Familiarity with appellate practice and writ practice and procedures
- Proficiency in online and windows-based legal research applications, as well as in using MS Word and Adobe Acrobat.
- Excellent research and writing skills are essential, along with the ability to work independently on a wide variety of legal issues of varied complexity, to effectively manage one's time in order to meet stringent time constraints, and to interact professionally with Judicial Officers, colleagues, and court staff.
APPLICATION PROCESS
All applicants are required to submit a completed online application, writing sample, and supplemental questionnaire. To learn more about how to create an application, click HERE. Résumés will not be accepted in lieu of the required application and supplemental questionnaire. For tips on completing/updating your application, refer to our "Helpful Application Tips" guide by clicking HERE.
SELECTION PROCESS
STEP 1: Applications will be reviewed by Human Resources to identify candidates who meet the minimum qualifications and/or desirables. It is to your benefit to include all current and previous related work experience. When listing Court experience, please include dates and classification of each position held, if more than one. Only those who meet the minimum qualifications and desirables (if applicable) will proceed to the next step in the recruitment process.
STEP 2: Candidates' supplemental question responses may be evaluated and ranked. Depending on the number of applications, assessments and/or screening interviews may be conducted. If any part of the assessment process consists of proctored, in-person tests, candidates will be required to appear in person regardless of where they reside. Note: Though candidates may live outside of the State of California while participating in a recruitment process, individuals must reside within the State to be eligible for Court employment.
STEP 3: Candidates who are successful in step 2 will be placed on the eligible list. Placement on the eligible list does not guarantee an interview or employment. All candidates will be notified via email of their status at each step of the process. Additional steps in the selection process will include a local background check and a reference check.
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS
Orange County Superior Court provides reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities, upon request. Please contact the Human Resources Department at HRStaffing@occourts.org if you feel that you will need a reasonable accommodation for any aspect of the selection process.
ELIGIBLE LIST
This recruitment may be used to establish an eligible list for current and future vacancies. The eligible list will remain active until the list is exhausted, or a new recruitment opens.
STATUS NOTIFICATIONS
You will be notified by email during the process of this recruitment through GovernmentJobs.com. Please check your email spam/junk folders and accept emails ending with GovernmentJobs.com and occourts.org. If your information changes, please update your profile at http://www.governmentjobs.com/.
E-VERIFY
The Superior Court of California, County of Orange participates in the E-Verify program which confirms employment eligibility of new hires.
QUESTIONS?
For questions regarding this recruitment, please contact Monica Budd at mbudd@occourts.org. For general employment information, please click HERE.
Orange County Superior Court is an Equal Opportunity Employer
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