Staff Attorney - Office of Chief Legal Counsel (Commonwealth Court)

Established in 1968, the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania is an intermediate appellate court, with nine commissioned judges and an additional two senior judges, responsible for matters involving state and local governments and appeals from state agencies and the Courts of Common Pleas.

You will be joining a distinguished and well-respected organization that provides employees with appropriate compensation, excellent benefits, and opportunities to learn and grow.

The Commonwealth Court is seeking an enthusiastic individual to work as a Staff Attorney in its Office of Chief Legal Counsel (OCLC). OCLC houses the non-chambers legal staff for the Court and is tasked with providing legal support and counsel to Commonwealth Court Judges, the Prothonotary, and the Court’s Executive Administrator.

Unlike traditional judicial clerkships, Staff Attorneys work with multiple judges and gain experience across a broad spectrum of appellate and original jurisdiction matters.

Primary Responsibilities

Judicial Support

• Analyze pleadings, motions, and applications filed with the Court
• Conduct legal research involving complex procedural, statutory, constitutional, and administrative law issues.
• Attend oral arguments, evidentiary hearings and other proceedings as assigned.
• Draft orders, memoranda, opinions, and other legal documents for consideration by the Court.
• Prepare legal recommendations addressing emergency applications, preliminary injunctions, contempt proceedings, agency enforcement actions, and other original jurisdiction matters.

Appellate Review

• Review appellate briefs and certified/original records.
• Prepare bench memoranda summarizing issues presented for judicial review.
• Identify jurisdictional and procedural issues affecting disposition of appeals.
• Make recommendations to the Court on whether a particular case should be submitted on briefs or scheduled for oral argument before a panel of judges.

Legal Review

• Review and edit draft opinions, memoranda, and orders prepared by fellow staff attorneys.
• Review circulating opinions from judicial chambers for consistency, clarity, and legal accuracy prior to filing.

Other Responsibilities

• Perform additional legal assignments as directed by the Chief Legal Counsel or the President Judge.

Minimum Qualifications

• Graduation from an accredited law school.
• Member of the Bar of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.
• Minimum of 2 years progressively responsible legal experience.
• Satisfactory criminal background check.
• With your application, please submit a resume, letter of interest and legal writing sample of no more than 5 pages.

Please note: These required documents must be added prior to finalizing your application.

Additional Preferences / Requirements

• Excellent legal research, writing, and analytical abilities
• Familiarity with Pennsylvania appellate practice, court rules, and procedures.
• Sound legal judgment and attention to detail
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple assignments.
• Strong interpersonal skills to establish and maintain effective working relationships with judges, court staff, OCLC colleagues, the bar, and the public.
• Experience in appellate litigation, judicial clerkships, government practice, or civil litigation is desirable but not required.

Job Highlights

• Excellent benefits program, including comprehensive, low-cost medical, dental, vision, and prescription plans for employees and eligible family members beginning on the first day of employment.
• 13 paid holidays, 12 paid sick days, and 12+ paid vacation days per year.
• Provided Parking, salary increases, employee assistance programs, and State retirement plans.
• Eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness program
• Flexible weekday work schedule, with varying start and end times (7 hours, 1-hour lunch) available with operational needs.
• Hybrid work schedule of up to two telework days per week following successful completion of training.

Salary information

Salary: $70,000 - $100,000

Starting salary will vary depending upon the qualifications and employment history of the selected candidate.

• • With your application, please submit a resume, letter of interest and legal writing sample of no more than 5 pages.

Please note: These required documents must be added prior to finalizing your application.

Salary information

Applicants requiring accommodation, for any part of the application and/or interview process, should contact Human Resources at (717) 231-3309 or human.resources@pacourts.us.