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Law Clerk and Judicial Assistants – Job Opportunities

Law clerks work directly with a judge or justice and are exempt from civil service. Each judge or justice personally hires his or her law clerk(s). Generally, law clerk applicants should submit a cover letter along with a resume. However, the judge or justice may have additional application requirements, such as writing samples, law school transcripts or recommendation letters. Therefore, applicants should contact the respective judge or justice’s office directly. 

Exempt (non-civil service) appointments are made outside the civil service process. Civil service recruitment procedures do not apply, however, public employment and Judiciary employment requirements must be met. All positions and persons in the exempt service are excluded from the requirements of selection by merit competition and from civil service status. Exempt (non-civil service) appointments are considered “at-will,” which means that the hiring authority may terminate the employment relationship at any time.

If you are currently a regular (permanent) civil service employee with the Hawaiʻi State Judiciary and accept a temporary exempt (non-civil service) appointment, you may be required to relinquish your civil service status and all employment rights and privileges of a regular civil service employee.  

Intermediate Court of Appeals

• Appellate Law Clerk (for Associate Judge Karen T. Nakasone), Intermediate Court of Appeals, State of Hawaiʻi, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi

$5,940 per month ($6,153 per month effective July 1, 2024)

Start Date:  August 2025

Click here to view job duties and requirements.

How to apply: Submit a cover letter, resume, law school transcript (copy acceptable; original not required), writing sample, and list of references (references who can address your writing, analytical ability and work ethic should be included) to the attention of the Honorable Karen T. Nakasone by email to:  sherry.h.miyashiro@courts.hawaii.gov

Or by mail:

Associate Judge Karen T. Nakasone
Attention: Sherry Miyashiro, Judicial Assistant
Hawai‘i State Judiciary, Intermediate Court of Appeals
426 Queen Street, Room 201
Honolulu, HI 96813-2914

Applications will be considered as received. Recruitment will be conducted until the position is filled.

Should you have any questions, please contact Sherry Miyashiro at (808) 539-4004.

First Circuit

Law Clerk (Lautenberg), First Circuit, 15th Division, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi

Exempt Appointment (Non-Civil Service), $5,713 per month ($5,918 per month effective July 1, 2024)\

Anticipated Start Date:  May 15, 2024 for a 4-month clerkship (ending on  September 11, 2024)

Click here to view job duties and requirements.

How to Apply:  Please email your cover letter, resume, list of references, and writing sample to:  Esther.M.Fukushima@courts.hawaii.gov

Recruitment will be conducted until the position is filled.


• Civil Law Clerk (Lautenberg), First Circuit Court, 14th Division, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi

Exempt Appointment (Non-Civil Service), $5,713 per month (or $68,556 per year) increasing to $5,918 per month (or $71,016 per year) effective July 1, 2024

Anticipated Start Date:  June, July or August 2024 for a one-year clerkship (ending in August or September 2025)

Click here to view job duties and requirements.

How to Apply:  Submit a cover letter, resume, law school transcript(s), and writing sample to the attention of the Honorable James H. Ashford by email to:  10thDivision.1CC@courts.hawaii.gov

Should you have any questions, please call (808) 539-4012.

Recruitment will be conducted until the position is filled.


• Civil Law Clerk (Lautenberg), First Circuit Court, 10th Division, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi

Exempt Appointment (Non-Civil Service), $5,918 per month ($71,016 per year)

Anticipated Start Date:  August 2024 for a two-year clerkship (some flexibility may be possible)

Click here to view job duties and requirements.

How to Apply:  Submit a cover letter, resume, law school transcript(s), and writing sample to the attention of the Honorable James H. Ashford by email to:  10thDivision.1CC@courts.hawaii.gov

Should you have any questions, please call (808) 539-4012.

Recruitment will be conducted until the position is filled.


Law Clerk (Lautenberg), First Circuit Court, 17th Division – Criminal Administration, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi

Exempt Appointment (Non-Civil Service), $5,918 per month (Starting salary effective July 1, 2024)

Anticipated Start Date:  August 2024

Click here to view job duties and requirements.

How to Apply:  Submit a cover letter, resume, transcript(s), and writing samples to the attention of the Honorable Ronald G. Johnson by email to:  Julie.T.Okamoto@courts.hawaii.gov

Or by mail:

Honorable Ronald G. Johnson
Attention:  Julie Okamoto
First Circuit Court, 17th Division
777 Punchbowl Street
Honolulu, HI  96813

Recruitment will be conducted until the position is filled.


• Law Clerk (Lautenberg), First Circuit Court, 12th Division – Criminal Administration, Honolulu

$5,713 per month ($5,918 per month effective July 1, 2024)

Click here to view job duties and requirements.

How to apply: Submit a cover letter, resume, transcript(s), and writing sample to the “Attention of the Criminal Administration Division” at ExemptJobs.1C@courts.hawaii.gov.

Resumes are being accepted to fill future exempt Law Clerk vacancies for the August 2024 – August 2025 term with the 12th Division – Criminal Administration, First Circuit Court, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi.


• Law Clerk (Lautenberg), First Circuit Court, Honolulu

$5,713 per month ($5,918 per month effective July 1, 2024)

Click here to view job duties and requirements.

How to apply: Submit your resume and writing sample by email to: ExemptJobs.1C@courts.hawaii.gov.

Resumes are being accepted for possible referral to current and future exempt Law Clerk positions located in the First Circuit Court, Honolulu.

Second Circuit

• Law Clerk (Lautenberg), Second Circuit Court, 4th Division, Wailuku, Hawaiʻi

$5,713 per month ($5,918 per month effective July 1, 2024), Second Circuit Court    

Anticipated Start Date:  ASAP

Click here to view job duties and requirements.

How to apply: Please email your resume, list of references, and writing sample to Cristina.Solomon@courts.hawaii.gov or mail to:

Second Circuit Court
2145 Main Street
Wailuku, Hawaiʻi  96793
Attention: Cristina Solomon

Recruitment will be conducted until the position is filled.


• Law Clerk (Lautenberg), Second Circuit Court, 3rd Division, Wailuku, Hawaiʻi

$5,918 per month effective July 1, 2024

Anticipated Start Date: September 3, 2024

Click here to view job duties and requirements.

How to apply: Please email your resume, list of references, and a writing sample to:
joella.n.jones-saito@courts.hawaii.gov or

By mail to:

Second Circuit Court
2145 Main Street
Wailuku, Hawaiʻi 96793
Attention: Judge of the 3rd Division

First consideration will be given to resumes received by Friday, March 1, 2024.

Should you have any questions, please contact the Judicial Assistant at 808-244-2862.

Recruitment will be conducted until the position is filled.


• Law Clerk (Lautenberg), Second Circuit Court, 1st Division, Wailuku, Hawaiʻi

$5,713 per month ($5,918 per month effective July 1, 2024)

Anticipated Start Date:  As soon as possible.

Click here to view job duties and requirements.

How to apply: Please email your resume, list of references, and a writing sample to: Sidnei.L.Camacho@courts.hawaii.gov or by mail to:

Second Circuit Court
2145 Main Street
Wailuku, Hawaiʻi 96793
Attention: Judge of the 1st Division – Kristin M. Hamman

Should you have any questions, please contact the Judicial Assistant at 808-244-2861.

Recruitment will be conducted until the position is filled.

Third Circuit

• Law Clerk (Lautenberg), Third Circuit Court, 2nd Division, Hilo, Hawaiʻi

Exempt Appointment (Non-Civil Service), $5,713 per month ($5,918 per month effective July 1, 2024)

Click here to view job duties and requirements.

How to Apply:  Please email your resume, list of references, and writing sample to:  Recruitment.3JC@courts.hawaii.gov or

By mail to:

Third Circuit Court
Hale Kaulike
777 Kilauea Avenue
Hilo, HI 96720
Attention:  Judge Henry Nakamoto

Recruitment will be conducted until the position is filled.


• Judicial Assistant I (Lautenberg), Third Circuit Court, 3rd Division, Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi

Exempt Appointment (Non-Civil Service), $5,308 per month ($5,573 per month effective July 1, 2024)

Click here to view job duties and requirements

How to Apply:

Submit resume and references to the attention of the Honorable Robert D.S. Kim by email: Recruitment.3JC@courts.hawaii.gov

Or by mail:

Third Circuit Court
Keahuolū Courthouse
74-5451 Kamakaʻeha Avenue
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
Attn: Honorable Robert D.S. Kim

Recruitment will be conducted until the position is filled.

Fifth Circuit

Law Clerk (Lautenberg), Fifth Circuit Court, 1st Division, Lihuʻe, Hawaiʻi

Exempt Appointment (Non-Civil Service), $5,713 per month ($5,918 per month effective July 1, 2024)

Click here to view job duties and requirements

How to Apply:  Please email a cover letter, resume, list of references, and writing samples to:

Recruitment.5jc@courts.hawaii.gov or by mail to

Fifth Circuit Court
3970 Kaʻana Street, Suite 306
Lihuʻe, HI  96766
Attn:  Chief Judge of the 1st Division

Recruitment will be conducted until the position is filled.