Appellate Court Attorney

Overview

The California Court of Appeal, Fifth Appellate District, located in the city of Fresno, is looking for an attorney with exceptional research, analytical, and writing skills to do meaningful legal work and contribute to our system of justice. The attorney’s duties include drafting motions, research memoranda, and proposed opinions in criminal and civil appeals, as well as original proceedings. To carry out these duties, the attorney will review appellate briefs, records, and other filings, and research and analyze the applicable law.

The level of appointment and starting salary will be commensurate with experience. This job opportunity will remain open until the position is filled, but applicants are encouraged to apply by March 17, 2025 for earliest consideration. The potential start date for Court employment of the selected applicant will be June or July of 2025

The Fifth District Court of Appeal is known as a very collegial and supportive workplace. The Fresno area is rich in culture and diversity, with a reasonable cost of living, easy commute, and proximity to the coast, the Sierra Nevada mountains, and three national parks.

The Court is willing to consider the option of remote work for qualified applicants.

Qualifications

Knowledge of:

• Substantive and procedural legal principles and applications.
• Scope and character of California and federal statutory and case law and provisions of the United States and California Constitutions; California Rules of Court; the legislative process; statutes and constitutional provisions governing the organization, duties, powers, procedures, management, and conduct of the work of the trial and appellate courts.
• Legal research methods.
• Principles of administrative and constitutional law.
• Rules of evidence and procedure in California trial and appellate courts.
• The operation of personal computers and the use of specified computer applications, such as word processing.
• Principles and techniques of preparing effective oral presentations.
• Principles and techniques of preparing a variety of effective written materials.

Ability to:

• Perform complex legal research, including computerized legal research; apply legal principles and precedents to particular sets of facts.
• Analyze legal issues; present statements of fact, law, policy, and argument clearly, concisely, and logically in both written and oral form.
• Draft legal opinions, memoranda, and other legal documents and correspondence.
• Interact successfully with Justices and the Court.
• Exercise sound judgment and integrity consistent with representing the judicial branch; maintain confidentiality of work product.
• Organize own work, set priorities, and meet critical deadlines.
• Communicate effectively in English, both orally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of the work.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS (This position is open to applicants at all levels with Senior being the highest level)

Senior Appellate Court Attorney: Active membership in the State Bar of California and the equivalent of six years of post-bar legal experience, including substantial appellate experience, in a legal setting such as a private law practice, corporation, government agency, law school, court, or legal publishing company OR two years of experience as an appellate attorney, Level D, with the judicial branch.

• Work experience as a law clerk to a federal judge after passing a state bar but prior to formal state bar admission will be considered equivalent to post-bar legal experience.
• For external candidates for the Senior Appellate Court Attorney class, the Administrative Presiding Justice must certify that the candidate possesses “substantial appellate experience.”

Level D: Active membership in the State Bar of California and the equivalent of four years of post-bar legal experience in a legal setting such as a private law practice, corporation, government agency, law school, court, or legal publishing company OR one year of experience as an appellate attorney, Level C, with the judicial branch.

Level C: Active membership in the State Bar of California and the equivalent of three years of post-bar legal experience in a legal setting such as a private law practice, corporation, government agency, law school, court, or legal publishing company OR one year of experience as an appellate attorney, Level B, with the judicial branch.

Level B:  Active membership in the State Bar of California and the equivalent of two years of post-bar legal experience in a legal setting such as a private law practice, corporation, government agency, law school, court, or legal publishing company OR the equivalent of two years of post-bar legal experience in a legal setting described above, including one year of experience as an appellate attorney, Level A, with the judicial branch.

Level A: Active membership in the State Bar of California.
 

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal candidate:

• Will be able to work well, both independently and cooperatively, with Justices, appellate attorneys, and court staff.
• Has exceptional writing and reading skills and exposure to or experience with the appellate court.
• Possesses a strong work ethic. 
   

Other Information

If you are selected for hire, verification of employment eligibility or authorization to work in the United States will be required.

How To Apply

The position requires the submission of an official job application, a resume, and a writing sample. The writing sample should not exceed 15 pages and must be exclusively your own writing, without editing by any other person. To ensure consideration of your application for the earliest round of interviews, please apply by March 17, 2025 ; however, this position will remain open until filled.

To complete an online application, please click the Apply for Job button.

OR

To obtain a printed application, please download a copy from the Careers page at www.courts.ca.gov/careers under the Tips for Applicants section, and mail, along with your resume and writing sample, to the following address: 

Fifth District Court of Appeal 
Re: Job Opening 6372
2424 Cesar Chavez Boulevard  
Fresno, CA 93721

Pay and Benefits

Salary Ranges (Starting salary level and salary commensurate with experience):
Senior Appellate Court Attorney - $11,307 to $15,091 per month
Appellate Court Attorney D - $9,987 to $13,332 per month
Appellate Court Attorney C - $8,680 to $11,029 per month
Appellate Court Attorney B - $7,895 to $10,028 per month
Appellate Court Attorney A - $6,521 per month

Benefits package highlights:

• Health/Dental/Vision benefits programs
• Fourteen paid holidays per calendar year
• Choice of Annual Leave or Sick/Vacation leave
• One personal holiday per year
• Free parking
• Up to $130 per month reimbursement for qualifying commuting costs
• CalPERS Retirement Plan
• 401(k) and 457 deferred compensation plans (employee-paid option)
• Employee Assistance Program
• Basic Life
• FlexElect Program
• Long Term Disability Program (employee-paid option)
• Group Legal Plan (employee-paid option)
   

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Court of Appeal of the Fifth Appellate District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.