Career Opportunities

The contracts listed below provide information regarding our collective bargaining units, which are represented by union or governed by policy. 
 

• AFSCME Clerical, Administrative, Technical Contract for Judicial Districts 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, and 10
• Teamsters Clerical, Administrative, Technical Contract for Judicial Districts 1 and 7
• Teamsters Court Reporter Contract for all Judicial Districts
• Human Resources Rules Policy 300a clerical, administrative, technical employees in Judicial District 8, and all other employees

Find your Judicial District »
 

Medical Insurance

• The employee-paid premium for the Minnesota Advantage Health Plan is only $39.66/month for a full-time employee with single coverage, or $270.54 for family coverage
• Employees can choose from two different carriers: Blue Cross/Blue Shield Minnesota or Health Partners
• The rate summaries and the schedule of benefits for the Advantage Health Plan are on the State Employee Group Insurance Program (SEGIP) site
• Omada helps employees manage weight loss and reduce risk factors for type 2 diabetes, and Advantage Value for Diabetes, a benefit that reduces out-of-pocket costs for diabetes-related medical treatment
• Employees may also choose a high-deductible consumer driven health plan
• Pharmacy benefits provided by CVS Caremark

Dental Insurance

• The employee-paid premium for this plan is only $13.48/month for a full-time employee with single coverage, or $57.48 for family coverage
• Employees can choose from two carriers: Health Partners or the State Dental Plan (Delta)
• The rate summaries and schedule of benefits are on the State Employee Group Insurance Program (SEGIP) site

Vision Insurance 

• The employee-paid premium for this plan is only $4.90/month for a full-time employee with single coverage, or $14.06 for family coverage
• Additional information on vision insurance can be found on the State Employee Group Insurance Program (SEGIP) site

Pre-Tax Spending Accounts 

Contributions to pre-tax accounts are taken from your paycheck before taxes are deducted, and since you pay less in taxes, your net income may be increased.
 

• Use pre-tax benefits to pay eligible medical and dental expenses, eligible dependent day care expenses, and transit expenses including parking and bus passes.  Other benefits may vary by location.

Basic and Supplemental Life Insurance
 

• Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D)
• Short Term Disability
• Long Term Disability

Paid Sick Leave

• Eligible full-time employees accrue sick leave at four hours per two-week pay period
• Sick leave may be used for purposes such as medical and dental appointments, maternity leave, illness or injury for certain family members

Retirement Benefits

Pension

• The Judicial Branch contributes 6.25% of an employee's annual salary to their Retirement Plan, of which employees are fully vested after three years of employment.
• Upon retirement, you'll receive a monthly benefit for life, with potential post-retirement increases
• Your monthly benefit will be calculated based on factors such as length of service, high-five average salary, age at retirement, and survivor benefit selected

Voluntary Deferred Compensation Plan

• Retirement saving plan in addition to your pension plan

Health Care Saving Plan

• Post-employment health care saving plan that can be used to pay for medical expenses

Paid holidays

• New Year's Day
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• Presidents Day
• Memorial Day
• Juneteenth
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Veterans Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Day after Thanksgiving
• Christmas Day
• Floating holidays may also be offered

Paid vacation leave

In addition to paid sick leave, employees accrue generous paid time off that increases with years of service.
 

Employee Assistance Program

Our no-cost employee assistance program provides health coaching, worksite wellness initiatives, financial planning assistance, and several free counseling sessions for personal or professional use for employees and their families.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness 

• This federal program allows qualified individuals to have their loans forgiven after meeting certain requirements working in public service
• You can learn more about this program from the Minnesota Office of Higher Education and the office of Federal Student Aid

At the Minnesota Judicial Branch, your total compensation is more than just a paycheck. Total compensation includes employer contributions to your healthcare insurance, retirement accounts, and more.
 

Professional Development

• Participation in conferences, cohort developmental programs, and other educational offerings
• Tuition reimbursement program

 

The Minnesota Judicial Branch offers three types of clerkships: District Court, Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court each offer unique clerkships.
 

• District Court: The almost 1.3 million cases that are processed by the state court system begin at the District Court. The District Courts are located in courthouses in each of the state’s 87 counties, where 295 judges serve. The district courts are organized into 10 judicial districts.
• Court of Appeals: The Court of Appeals reviews District Court decisions if one of the parties feels the case was decided improperly and files an appeal. The 19 Court of Appeals judges sit in three-judge panels to hear oral arguments in St. Paul and in cities across the state.
• Supreme Court: The state’s highest court has seven justices who hear appeals as a group from cases decided by the Court of Appeals, the Workers’ Compensation Court of Appeals, and the Tax Court. The Supreme Court also automatically reviews all first-degree murder convictions and legislative election disputes.

When participating in a judicial clerkship, you will:
 

• develop your skills in legal research, reasoning, strategy, and writing. Putting into practice what you’ve learned in law school!
• engage in challenging and intellectually stimulating work. You will be working in a dynamic environment that is ever evolving and makes an impact on the lives of people.
• receive valuable training and mentoring from judges; connecting with judges and court employees on a day-to-day basis allows for great networking, training, and mentoring opportunities.
• gain exposure to many substantive areas of the law.

Hear previous law clerks talk about the benefits of a clerkship below:

“I have learned so much in the two and a half years I've been employed by the Judicial Branch and my experience has far exceeded expectations. I think I have become a much better writer, legal analyst, and researcher as a result of my time here. I have also become much more organized and learned the best dos and don'ts for practicing law.”
 
“I learned an immense amount about civil litigation in Minnesota State Courts and was given ample opportunities to improve my writing and research skills.”

For detailed information on health and wellness benefits provided to employees with the Minnesota Judicial Branch, visit the section “Employee Benefits”.

We offer two different types of clerkships for students: those that are entering or currently enrolled in law school (posted as Law Clerk I) and those that have or are in the process of completing law school (posted as Law Clerk). Please view the minimum requirements for each below.
 

 Law Clerk I (students entering/currently attending law school)

• A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and current enrollment in and completion of at least one year of law school training at an accredited law school.

Law Clerk (students who are completing/completed law school)

• ​Graduation from an accredited law school or equivalent. 

Some of our clerkships are posted months in advance of their start date. In those instances, apply based on your eligibility on the anticipated start date. For example, if a Court of Appeals Law Clerk with a start date of June is posted in February, and you graduate in May, you are an eligible candidate because you will have graduated law school by the anticipated start date.

Interested in applying? When applying for a clerkship at the Minnesota Judicial Branch, you will be required to provide the following with your application:
 

• law school transcripts
• a brief writing sample
• cover letter
• resume