Staff Attorney

Posting number: STCMANCE 2026 SA

Department: State Trial Courts

Job classification: Attorney 2

Posting type: Open

Categories: Court Administration

Summary

The Third Circuit Court of the 20th Judicial District of Tennessee is seeking a part-time, permanent staff attorney with a start date of September 1, 2026. The position is 37.5 hours per week. The Staff Attorney will be responsible for researching issues of law as requested, collaborating with Judge Corletra Mance in drafting proposed orders and memoranda, attending court proceedings, and making recommendations based on law. 

Examples of duties

• Performs substantive legal research and analysis and communicates results to the Judge orally and in writing.
• Reviews trial briefs, and records and prepares draft orders, reports, memoranda, and opinions.
• Assists the Judge in preparing for hearings, trials, and other proceedings. 
• Provides legal counsel and support to the Judge
• Interacts with chambers staff and other Court Personnel
• Other duties as assigned. 

Qualifications

To qualify for the Position, one must be a law school graduate and must possess the following traits and skills: 

• Proficiency in Westlaw and/or Lexis Nexis
• Familiarity with the Tennessee Rules of Civil and Criminal Procedure, Title 36 of the Tennessee Code Annotated, and Court Procedures.
• Superior research and writing skills
• Strong Organizational skills
• Self-motivated with the ability to manage time effectively, independently establish priorities, juggle competing demands, meet tight deadlines, and perform well under pressure, while working independently under limited guidance and/or direction. 
• Exceptional ability to communicate, articulate, and relate to co workers and others with professionalism and integrity.
• Proficient typing and personal computer skills.

Supplemental information

BENEFITS:

The Selected Employee is entitled to the same benefits provided by the Metropolitan Nashville Government to full-time judicial staff including, but not limited to: 

• Approximately 13 paid State and Local holidays per year
• Health Benefits
• Supplemental dental and vision benefits
• Life Insurance benefits
• Retirement benefits

Additionally, the Staff Attorney will be entitled to paid time off, as set by Judge Mance along with the ability to Work from home on occasions. 

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• Must be an U.S. citizen or eligible to work in the United States
• Ability to, as required, to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees, a copy which is available upon request. 
• Must comply with confidentiality requirements, including handling confidential information in a variety of contexts.
• Understand and accept that all Employees of the Third Circuit Court are “at will” employees and can be terminated at any time with or without cause. 
• Subject to background checks and subsequent favorable suitability determination.

APPLICATION PROCESS:

• A letter of interest
• Most recent resume
• A writing sample that has not been edited or drafted by anyone other than the applicant. The writing sample should be limited to a pre-trial brief, proposed findings of facts and conclusions of law, or appellate brief that applicant has submitted to a Court within the last two (2) years.  If the applicant has been engaged in the practice of law for less than 2 years or is a recent law school graduate, they should submit a grated writing sample analogous to a pre-trial brief, proposed findings of facts and conclusions of law or appellate brief in response to a law school call assignment. 

The best qualified applicants will be invited for a personal interview.

THE THIRD CIRCUIT COURT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER