Judge Michelle Dietrich, who is chambered in Lyon County, is seeking motivated, professional, and qualified candidates for a Judicial Law Clerk position. The primary work location will be the Lyon County Government Center located at 607 West Main Street, Marshall, MN.
The successful applicant will have a good academic record, excellent research and writing skills, and the ability to work both individually and as part of a team. Judge Dietrich’s judicial team is collaborative, collegial, and dedicated to offering a positive work environment along with a reasonable work/life balance.
This Greater Minnesota opportunity will provide you with exposure to a multi-faceted caseload—criminal, civil, family, probate, juvenile, child protection, administrative--allowing you to learn about many areas of the law as well as the practical aspects of litigation in a number of areas. Judge Dietrich enjoys working collaboratively with her law clerk, including exchanging views and helping the law clerk understand what is happening in and out of the courtroom. Serving as a Judicial Law Clerk provides invaluable experience in understanding how the legal process works in practice as well as helping individuals explore what area of the law they may want to focus on in their career.
Applications will be accepted from August 3, 2026-August 23, 2026. Applications will be reviewed on a regular basis with interviews scheduled throughout the duration of this posting. The annual salary range for this position is from $31.55 to $39.00. Minnesota Judicial Branch employees may also be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, if certain requirements are met. More information about this program is available from the Minnesota Office of Higher Education and the office of Federal Student Aid.
Example of Duties
(Any one position may not include all the duties listed, nor do the examples cover all the duties which may be performed.) The following are examples of major job duties expected for this position to perform.
• Reviews, studies, researches, and annotates laws, court decisions, documents, opinions, briefs, and related legal authorities.
• Prepares briefs, legal memoranda, and statement of issues involved, including appropriate suggestions or recommendations to the justice or judge.
• Compiles references on laws and decisions necessary for legal determinations.
• Confers with justice, judge or court official concerning legal questions, construction of documents and granting of orders.
• Attends court sessions to hear oral arguments and records necessary case information; maintain records attendant to court proceedings.
• May perform courtroom duties including calling the calendar; swearing in jury panels and witness; taking court minutes; and assisting in various court proceedings such as arraignments, motions, hearings, pre-trial conferences and trials.
Typical Qualifications
Any combination of education, training, and work experience which indicates possession of the knowledge, skills, and abilities listed below will be considered. An example of an acceptable qualification is:
Minimum Qualifications:
• Juris Doctorate (JD) from an accredited law school.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
• Knowledge of general law, state law, established precedent, and sources of legal reference.
• Knowledge of court practices and procedures.
• Knowledge of legal terminology and concepts.
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing, with a diverse group of people.
• Ability to research complex legal problems or questions and apply legal principles.
• Ability to represent the court in a respectful manner.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word/Windows operating system and legal research software
Supplemental Information:
This is a full-time (1.0 FTE) unrepresented position. Work will be performed at the Lyon County Government Center located at 607 West Main, Marshall, MN, 56258.
All applications MUST include a law school transcript, a brief writing sample, cover letter and resume.
All employment offers are contingent upon satisfactory results of a criminal background check.
Please contact Human Resources at 5thDistrictHR@courts.state.mn.us with questions regarding this position.
The Minnesota Judicial Branch is made up of 10 judicial districts with 293 district court judgeships, 19 Court of Appeals judges, and 7 Supreme Court justices. The Judicial Branch is governed by the Judicial Council, which is chaired by Natalie E. Hudson, Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court. The Minnesota Judicial Branch is mandated by the Minnesota Constitution to resolve disputes promptly and without delay.
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