Child Support Law Clerk Internship

Position Information

The Sonoma County Department of Child Support Services invites students currently enrolled in the second through fourth year of law school to apply for a Child Support Law Clerk Internship.

About the role

Child Support Law Clerk Interns will work directly with staff attorneys, gain experience in family law litigation, and become familiar with child support statutes, regulations, and policies. Interns will prepare various motions and responsive pleadings, negotiate and draft stipulations, provide courtroom support, participate in interviews with case participants, research cases, prepare for court hearings, and gather necessary information regarding the case. They will also verify income, custody, and timeshare, and run guideline support calculations. Interns will prepare court orders and file Notice of Motion, Levies, and Declarations.

Responsibilities

• Prepare various motions and responsive pleadings
• Negotiate and draft stipulations
• Provide courtroom support by meeting with parties to discuss income, and time share
• Make court appearances
• Participate in interviews with case participants
• Research cases and prepare for court hearings, and gather necessary information regarding the case
• Verify income, custody and timeshare, and run guideline support calculations
• Prepare court orders and file Notice of Motion, Levies, and Declarations

Requirements

Ideal candidates will have completed, or be currently enrolled in, Civil Procedure and Evidence coursework.

Qualifications

• Satisfactory completion of an appropriate number of academic years in an accredited law school and currently enrolled, or graduated from an accredited school of law and eligibility to take the California State Bar examination; or awaiting the results of the Bar exam.

Skills

Knowledge of legal principles and practices. Knowledge of legal research methods. Knowledge of trial and hearing procedures and rules of evidence. Ability to research, analyze and apply legal principles, facts, evidence and precedents to legal problems. Ability to present statements of law and fact clearly, accurately, and logically in written and oral form. Ability to evaluate persons and effectively obtain information through interviewing. Ability to develop and maintain effective relationships with staff members, departmental representatives and the public.

Benefits

Unrepresented* These are some of the excellent benefits the County offers:

• Paid Time Off: Competitive vacation accrual and sick leave accruals; additional management leave annually; 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year; and may be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment.
• Health Plan: Choose from nine health plans (three HMOs, three deductible HMOs, and three HSA-qualifying plans) with a generous County contribution to the premium (the contribution amount varies by bargaining unit).
• Retirement: Fully integrated with Social Security.
• IRS 457 Plan: Pre-tax employee contribution up to the IRS annual maximum.
• Retiree Medical: County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits.
• Student Loan Debt Relief: County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education.

Pay

Details about pay and compensation packages can be found in the MOUs located at Labor Agreements & Salary Resolution.

Schedule

Details about the schedule can be found in the MOUs located at Labor Agreements & Salary Resolution.