Federal Court Jobs in Raleigh, NC (NOW HIRING)

Salary: $74,678.00 - $163,514.00 Annually
Location : New Bern, NC
Job Type: Term Appointment
Job Number: 26-17
Agency: District Court
Opening Date: 08/13/2026
Position Overview
Louise W. Flanagan, United States District Judge for the Eastern District of North Carolina, is recruiting for a term law clerk position commencing on or about October 5, 2026, and ending on or about October 5, 2027. The term law clerk provides legal research and writing assistance, prepares bench memos, assists with orders and opinions, assists during trials, hearings, conferences and other court proceedings, in a variety of cases assigned to Judge Flanagan, with a focus on pro se, prisoner, and post-conviction cases.
This position is being advertised at JSP 11 - 14, depending on experience.
Applications that are received by the initial cut-off date of August 31, 2026, will be given first consideration.
Qualifications
To qualify for the position, the candidate must possess the following minimum requirements:

• Be a graduate of a law school with recognized standing, with a strong law school record.
• Possess superior analytical and organizational abilities, legal research and writing skills, and computer and word processing proficiency.

Judge Flanagan prefers applicants who rank in the top 15% of their class and serve on law review, although applicants not ranked or with other journal experience will be considered. Three letters of recommendation are required. If called for an interview, one writing sample will be requested at that time. Your cover letter should include discussion of reason(s) for your interest in working in Judge Flanagan's chambers in New Bern, North Carolina.
Conditions of Employment
Applicants must be United States citizens or lawful permanent residents actively seeking citizenship. Judicial Branch employees are considered "at will" employees and are not subject to the employment regulations of competitive service. Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) for payroll deposit is required. Salary will be based on experience and qualifications.
To qualify for appointment at the JSP 12 level, an applicant must have one year of legal work experience and hold bar membership. Appointment at the JSP 13 level will require two years of legal work experience and bar membership. Appointment at the JSP 14 level, will require bar membership and three years of legal work experience with at least two of the three required years of legal work experience served in the federal judiciary.
Applicants will be required to submit to a background investigation (including references and criminal history) prior to an offer of employment being made. The person selected for this position will also be required to submit fingerprints for an FBI background check or other security clearance.
Application Procedures:
Application packages can be submitted either through OSCAR or by visiting
Application packages should include a cover letter, resume, copy of law school transcript (or law grade sheet, if using OSCAR), and three letters of recommendation.
Travel and relocation expenses will not be reimbursed. More than one position may be filled by this vacancy announcement. The court provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. All employees are required to adhere to the "Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees" which is available for review upon request. The court reserves the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement, to withdraw the job announcement, or to fill the position at any time before the closing date, any of which actions may occur without any prior written or other notice. Due to the volume of applications received, only candidates in consideration for this position will be contacted. All questions regarding this vacancy should be directed to Human Resources; please do not call chambers directly.
General questions may be sent via email to
The Federal Judiciary offers a wide range of benefits and choices so employees can create a package that best suits their individual needs.
Health Insurance
The Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHB) offers employees more than ten (10) health plan options to choose from that provide comprehensive medical benefits including preventative care, doctor's office visits, hospitalization, surgery, and prescription drugs with no pre-existing condition limitations. FEHB has a few plan types with several health carriers in each plan: Fee-for-Service (FSS- equivalent to a PPO), Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs), Consumer Driven Plans and High-Deductible Plans. On average, the federal government pays 70% of health plan premiums while employees pay the remaining premium through payroll deductions.
Supplemental Dental & Vision Insurance
Employees are eligible to participate in dental and vision coverage through the Federal Employee Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP). The supplemental dental and vision program provides a selection of dental and/or vision plans for federal employees and their families at a group rate. Employees are responsible for the full group rate premium which is paid through pre-tax payroll deductions.
Life Insurance
Life Insurance can provide peace of mind and financial protection for employees and their loved ones. By way of the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) Program, employees are offered Basic Life Insurance with options to increase coverage and elect coverage for eligible dependents. The federal government pays approximately 1/3 of the Basic Life premium and employees are responsible for paying the remaining 2/3, which is paid via post-tax payroll deductions.
Long Term Care Insurance
Long-term care insurance (LTC) can protect an employee's financial future by helping to pay the high cost of long-term care. Long-term care insurance programs include coverage for nursing home care (all levels received in a licensed facility), community-based care (assisted living facilities, adult daycare and home health services), hospice center, caregiver support and alternative plans of care.
Flexible Benefits Program
The Flexible Benefits Program allows employees to increase their take home pay by using the Judiciary's pre-tax options for health care, dependent care, and health insurance premiums. The program has three key components: the Healthcare Reimbursement Account, the Dependent Care Reimbursement Account and the Premium Payment Plan.
Wellness Program
The Judiciary recognizes that a positive sense of well-being amongst its employees is a key component of a healthy and productive employee. Wellness activities may include on-site fitness facility, wellness challenges and incentives, annual health fair, stress reduction and health eating programs.
Worker's Compensation
Employees are covered by the provisions of the Federal Employees' Compensation Act, 5 U.S.C. § 8101 et seq., which allows compensation for injuries sustained while in the performance of duty or to employment-related disease.
Employee Assistance Program
The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a free, confidential benefit that offers professional counseling and referral services that can help employees and their families successfully deal with life's challenges. The program offers assessments, short-term counseling, referral and follow-up for employees confronted with family and marital problems, financial challenges, legal obstacles, or symptoms of stress and other emotional conditions.
01
Are you currently or have you previously been employed by the federal Judiciary?

• Yes
• No

02
How many years of legal work experience do you have involving progressively responsible experience in the practice of law, in legal research, legal administration, or equivalent experience received after graduation from law school?

• Less than a Year
• 1 Year to Less than 2 Years
• 2 Years to Less than 3 Years
• 3 or More Years

Required Question