How to hire a docket clerk

How to hire a docket clerk, step by step

Here's a step-by-step docket clerk hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a docket clerk job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new docket clerk
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a docket clerk do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the docket clerk you need to hire. Certain docket clerk roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a docket clerk to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a docket clerk that fits the bill.

   This list presents docket clerk salaries for various positions.

   Type of Docket Clerk	Description	Hourly rate
   Docket Clerk	Information clerks perform routine clerical duties such as maintaining records, collecting data, and providing information to customers.	$12-32
   Clerk Typist	A clerk typist is responsible for data entry procedures and document transcriptions, alongside other clerical and administrative duties as required by the employer. Clerk typists create reports and presentation materials, transcribe audio meetings, write business drafts, and send documents to appropriate office personnel or clients... Show more	$12-18
   Office Services Clerk	An office services clerk is a professional employee who performs a multitude of administrative tasks as well as office maintenance duties of an organization. Office services clerks are required to maintain an inventory of office supplies as well as purchase and distribute office supplies to all employees when needed... Show more	$11-16

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Data Entry
   • Litigation
   • Due Dates
   • IP
   • PTO
   • CPI
   • Court Dates
   • District Court
   • Subpoenas
   • Court Procedures
   • Docket Reports
   • Pacer
   • Foreign Patent
   • Federal Courts

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Verify all primary insurance including Medicare, Medicaid, and third party and manage care policies.
   • Programme court entries on electronic databases and expedite subpoenas to deputy sheriffs.
   • Maintain patient medications in a secure environment inventory and record all incoming medications to maintain patient confidentiality per HIPPA requirements.
   • Skip trace, collection porcedures then refer to investigator.NCIC prepare cases for court.

   More docket clerk duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your docket clerk job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A docket clerk can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, docket clerks' average salary in alaska is 45% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level docket clerks 63% less than senior-level docket clerks.
   • Certifications. A docket clerk with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a docket clerk's salary.

   Average docket clerk salary

   $41,942yearly

   $20.16 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level docket clerk salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 13, 2025

   Average docket clerk salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$59,867	$29
   2	New York	$56,102	$27
   3	Illinois	$50,561	$24
   4	New Jersey	$49,907	$24
   5	Delaware	$45,478	$22
   6	District of Columbia	$43,347	$21
   7	Massachusetts	$43,206	$21
   8	Nevada	$40,335	$19
   9	North Carolina	$38,752	$19
   10	Colorado	$38,453	$18
   11	Florida	$35,595	$17
   12	Texas	$35,118	$17
   13	Alabama	$31,798	$15

   Average docket clerk salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Mayer Brown	$85,206	$40.96
   2	Fenwick & West	$76,187	$36.63	3
   3	Kent Daniels & Associates	$75,388	$36.24	1
   4	Fisher & Phillips Llp	$53,359	$25.65
   5	United States Courts	$44,492	$21.39	42
   6	Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton	$43,627	$20.97
   7	Robert Half	$38,604	$18.56	522
   8	Randstad North America, Inc.	$38,269	$18.40	23

4. Writing a docket clerk job description

   A docket clerk job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a docket clerk job description:

   Docket clerk job description example

   Founded in 1856, Harris Beach and its subsidiaries provide a full range of legal and professional services for clients across New York state, as well as nationally and internationally. Harris Beach is among the country's top law firms as ranked by The National Law Journal. Clients include Fortune 100 corporations, privately-held companies, emerging businesses, public sector entities, not-for-profit organizations and individuals. Principal industries Harris Beach represents include education, energy, financial, food and beverage, health care, insurance, manufacturing, medical and life sciences, real estate developers, and state and local governments and authorities. The firm's more than 200 lawyers practice among offices throughout New York state in Albany, Buffalo, Ithaca, New York City, Rochester, Saratoga Springs, Syracuse, Uniondale and White Plains, as well as in New Haven, Connecticut and Newark, New Jersey.
   Description: The docketing clerk (part-time) works under the supervision of both the firm'sManaging Clerk and Ethics and Risk Counsel in supporting litigation attorneys invarious practice groups by calendaring court appearances and filing deadlinesand supplying research regarding docketing, court rules, and Federal and State courtcivil procedure. The Docketing Clerkreviews court filings and litigation documents, calculates associated deadlines,and dockets dates as appropriate using CourtAlert, the firm-wide docketing and calendaringsystem. This position requires a high level of motivation,flexibility and initiative. The successful candidate must be a self-starter andexhibit a positive attitude and a willingness to help.
   
   Responsibilities:
   •Review court notifications and communications from case teams for relevant dates to becalculated, updated, and entered into CourtAlert, which distributes dates toattorney and staff calendars
   •Answer and/or research questions from attorneys and staff regarding court calendaring, civilprocedure, and individual judge's rules in State and Federal cases
   •Occasional travel to court(s) to file documents and attend hearings when necessary
   •Monitor, analyze, and document changes in court rules
   •Consult with attorneys and staff to ensure compliance with court rules and procedures,including Appellate and Bankruptcy proceedings
   •Prepare and provide various calendar and case reports, as well as daily reminders ofupcoming deadlines to attorneys and staff
   •Review pleadings and court filings for compliance with court rules and protocols, includingapplicable fees, and work with case teams to correct any issues.
   •Record all litigation documents in CourtAlert and calculate procedural due dates
   •Monitor case progress in assigned courts, obtain decisions, orders and other relevantdocuments; communicate case status to responsible attorney
   •Interact with all levels of court personnel
   •Update and maintain database of attorney e-filing credentials
   
   Qualifications:
   •Bachelor's degree preferred
   •1-3+ years of experience within a law firm required; prior experience as a Docketing,Calendar, EBT Clerk or as a legal administrative assistant in litigation-focusedpractice area is preferred
   •Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications
   •Experience utilizing MA3000, CourtAlert, eLaw or similar docketing and calendaring tools
   •Must exhibit well-developed interpersonal and client relation skills
   •Exceptional verbal and written communication skills
   •Excellent organizational, analytical, and planning skills
   •Must exhibit initiative and problem-solving skills
   •Extreme attention to detail and accuracy
   •Must be able to effectively multi-task, meet deadlines and excel in a teamatmosphere
   •Available to work at least 20 hours/week during normal business hours
   •Experience computing deadlines for state, federal and appellate courts and in governmentagencies across the country; familiarity with New York Civil Practice Law &Rules (CPLR) and Federal Rules of Civil Procedure
   •Knowledge of various court websites, docket searching and document retrieval databasesrequired (i.e., PACER, E-Track/E-Courts, S.C.R.O.L.L., NYCAL, Courtlink and Lexis/Nexis, etc.)
   •Willingness to work with company-wide team of experienced docketing staff to providequality services
   •Working knowledge in best practices regarding docketing, calendaring, andrecord-keeping, as they relate to mitigating risk in the legal environment
   •Excellent client service and listening skills.
   •Strong analytical skills and the ability to multi-task.
   •Ability to work with diverse personalities within various levels of the organization.
   •Exercises sound independent judgment under minimal direct supervision.
   •Ability to manage time efficiently and work independently as well as coordinate with ateam.
   •Military experience welcome
   
   Harris Beach is committed to aninclusive environment and we welcome applications from diverse candidates.Harris Beach PLLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
   
   The firm's policy prohibiting unlawful discrimination applies to all aspects of employment, including hiring, placement, assignment of duties, training, promotion, compensation & benefits and termination. It is the policy of Harris Beach PLLC that all applicants and employees enjoy a positive, respectful and productive work environment, free from behavior, actions or language constituting unlawful harassment. Accordingly, harassment or discrimination of any kind based on an individual's race or color, sex, age, religion, national origin, marital status, disability, military status, genetic predisposition, carrier status, sexual orientation, citizenship status, creed, domestic violence victim status or any other legally protected status is strictly prohibited. Harris Beach complies with the provisions of the Human Rights Law, all other State and Federal statutory and constitutional non-discrimination provisions including non-discrimination on the basis of prior criminal conviction and prior arrest.
   
   Other details
   Pay Type Hourly
   Apply Now

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find docket clerks for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your docket clerk job on Zippia to find and recruit docket clerk candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit docket clerks, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new docket clerk

   Once you have selected a candidate for the docket clerk position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new docket clerk. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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