Salary: $76,095.00 - $108,455.00 Annually
Location : Tucson, AZ
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 26-37
Department: Chambers Staff
Division: Tucson Division
Opening Date: 07/03/2026
Closing Date: 8/4/2026 5:00 PM Arizona

Introduction and Representative Duties
Term Law Clerk to the Honorable Jennifer G. Zipps
(Two-Year Term, beginning August 2027)

Applications will be reviewed when received; a hiring selection may be made prior to the listed closing date.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The judicial law clerk to a U.S. District Judge performs substantive review, research and writing and is responsible for calendar management and preparing bench memos and orders on matters pending before the judge. The caseload in the jurisdiction is heavy, and the types of cases presented are varied, sometimes involving novel issues of law. There is daily interaction with the Judge and the other law clerks concerning legal and court-related issues.

Occupational Information
QUALIFICATIONS
To qualify for the position of law clerk at salary level JSP 11, a person must be a law school graduate and have one or more of the following attributes:
• Standing within the upper third of the law school class from a law school on the approved list of either the American Bar Association or the Association of American Law Schools.
• Experience on the editorial board of a law review of such school.
• Graduation from such a school with an LLM degree; or
• Demonstrated proficiency in legal studies, which, in the opinion of the judge, is the equivalent of one of the above. Some examples of criteria which are considered to be acceptable as equivalent include:

• 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;
• Winning of a moot court competition or membership on a moot court team that represents the law school in competition with other law schools;
• Participation in the legal aid or other law school clinical program sanctioned by the law school;* or
• Summer experience as a law clerk to a state or local judge or law clerk experience on a continuing basis in a private firm while attending school (i.e., working one's way through college).*

*In order to receive credit, participation and experience could not have been for academic credit.

This list is not all-inclusive; the determination of an acceptable equivalence rests with the appointing judge.

To qualify for the position of law clerk at salary level JSP 12, a person must be a law school graduate, have one year of legal work experience performed after graduation from law school, be a member of the bar of a state, territorial, or federal court of general jurisdiction and have one or more of the attributes listed in the first paragraph under Minimum Qualifications.

To qualify for the position of law clerk at salary level JSP 13, a person must be a law school graduate, have two years of legal work experience performed after graduation from law school, and be a member of the bar of a state, territorial, or federal court of general jurisdiction and have one or more of the attributes listed in the first paragraph under Minimum Qualifications.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONSPreference will be given to those applicants who possess law review/journal experience, are in the top 15% of class, and who have post-law-school legal work experience. Demonstrated legal writing of the highest quality and experience with Westlaw are required.
How to Apply
Please visit our web site at
Applications will only be accepted on this website for consideration by the judge.

Applicants must submit the following with their online application:

• Cover letter setting forth the candidate's interest in Clerking for Chief Judge Zipps.
• Resume.
• Unofficial or official law school transcripts.
• A writing sample of up to ten pages in length.
• Three (3) references

Attachments should be submitted as Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat (PDF) documents. Other formats are not acceptable.
Applications will be considered complete when the on-line application and all required attachments in the proper format are received in the Human Resources Division. Applications and/or attachments received after the closing date may not be considered.

Applicant Information

All promotions are subject to approval of the Judge and by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.

The Court reserves the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement, or to withdraw the announcement, any of which may occur without prior written or other notice. In the event that a position becomes vacant in a similar classification, within a reasonable time of the original announcement, the Court may elect to select a candidate from the applicants who responded to the original announcement without posting the position.

Only qualified applicants will be considered for this position. Employees of the U.S. District Court serve under "Excepted Appointments" and are considered "at will" employees (except for probation officers who may be removed for cause). Federal Civil Service classifications or regulations do not apply; however, court employees are entitled to substantially the same benefits as other Federal Government employees.

The initial appointment to this position is provisional pending the successful completion of the required background checks and/or investigations. The U.S. District Court is a drug-free work place and the applicant selected will be required to participate in a drug screening test prior to employment.

All information provided by applicants is subject to verification and background investigation. Applicants are advised that false statements or omission of information on any application materials or the inability to meet the following conditions may be grounds for non-selection, withdrawal of an offer of employment or dismissal after being employed.

Participation in the interview process will be at the applicants own expense and relocation expenses will not be provided.

The position is subject to the mandatory electronic fund transfer (EFT) participation for payment of net pay (i.e. Direct Deposit).

Non-citizens may be interviewed and considered for employment, but employment offers will only be made to individuals who qualify under one of the exceptions in 8 U.S.C. a71324b(a)(3)(B). In most cases, this means that an offer of employment cannot be made unless the candidate is a lawful permanent resident who is seeking U.S. citizenship as explained below. Under 8 U.S.C. a71324b(a)(3)(B), a lawful permanent resident seeking citizenship may not apply for citizenship until he or she has been a permanent resident for at least five years (three years if seeking naturalization as a spouse of a citizen), at which point he or she must apply for citizenship within six months of becoming eligible, and must complete the process within two years of applying (unless there is a delay caused by the processors of the application). Non-citizens who have not been permanent residents for five years will be required to execute an affidavit that they intend to apply for citizenship when they become eligible to do so.

Term law clerks are entitled to standard federal benefits such as medical insurance, life insurance, and long-term care insurance. They are also eligible to participate in a Flexible Benefits Program which includes pre-tax deductions for health benefits premiums, health care expenses, dependent care, and commuter benefits. In addition, term law clerks may be eligible for paid annual and sick leave.

This position is subject to mandatory electronic fund transfer (direct deposit) participation for net pay.
01

I understand that I must attach a copy of my unofficial or official law school transcripts to the application at the time of submission in order to be considered.

• Yes
• No

02

I understand a writing sample is required to be considered for this position. I have attached my writing sample to my application.

• Yes
• No

03

I understand that three professional references are required for consideration for this position. I have attached the three professional references to my application.

• Yes
• No

04

I have attached all the required information, including a resume and cover letter, with an understanding that my application may not be reviewed should any issue arise with documentation, format, or missing information.

• Yes
• No

Required Question