POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT
LEGAL ASSISTANT – DENVER, COLORADO
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The Colorado office of the Federal Public Defender for the Districts of Colorado and Wyoming seeks a legal assistant to join our Denver office. The Office of the Public Defender operates under authority of the Criminal Justice Act (18 U.S.C. § 3006A) to represent individuals who are unable to afford counsel and are prosecuted in our federal courts. Our office is committed to serving the distinct needs of these individuals with a diverse group of dedicated professionals who collaborate with, listen to, and advocate on behalf of one another. We welcome and value individuals of any race, color, religion, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, disability, age, veteran status, and other status protected by law. Click here for more information about our office.
Job Description: The legal assistant provides secretarial and clerical support to staff attorneys representing indigent persons charged with criminal offenses in the United States District Court and the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. The office environment is collaborative, positive, and client-centered, with many leadership opportunities. Our office will train the selected candidate to perform the job duties assigned to this position.
Primary responsibilities include editing and proofreading initial drafts of motions and briefs; utilizing knowledge of legal terminology; generating table of contents and table of authorities for briefs; preparing correspondence and pleadings for attorneys; constructing electronic pleadings indexes; maintaining court and attorney calendars; arranging meetings or telephone calls between attorneys and clients; organizing case files and handling case management functions as assigned; receiving and routing incoming telephone calls and mail; delivering and collecting documents from the courts; and performing other secretarial functions as assigned.
Requirements and Qualifications: To qualify for this position, a candidate must be a high school graduate, or equivalent, and have a minimum of two years of general office experience and one to three years of specialized legal assistant experience. To qualify for and receive compensation as a Senior Legal Assistant, applicants must have two years of general experience and at least four years of specialized experience. Applicants must be team-oriented. Proficiency in Word and Excel for Microsoft 365 is required. Applicants should have strong proofreading skills, the ability to prioritize and multitask, familiarity with legal terminology, and be adaptable to change. Experience with criminal litigation, marking briefs, generating table of contents and authorities, and CM/ECF and electronic case filing is preferred but not required.
Applicants must be United States citizens or eligible to work in the United States. Employment is subject to a satisfactory background investigation, including an FBI name and fingerprint check.
Salary and Benefits: This is an “Excepted Appointment” full-time position with federal benefits and salary commensurate with experience and qualifications within the range of JSP Grade 6 ($44,385 - $57,701), JSP Grade 7 ($49,322 - $64,114), JSP Grade 8 ($54,623 - $71,006), and JSP 9 ($60,331 - $78,432). Among the many benefits are the Federal Employee Retirement plan (FERS), the Thrift Savings Plan (401K), paid sick and annual leave, health, life, disability, long-term care, dental and vision insurance, and 11 paid federal holidays. Salary is payable only by direct deposit.
How to Apply: Qualified individuals should submit a letter of interest and resume, in .pdf format, to Veronica Knights, Personnel Administrator, at employment@cofpd.org. Subject Reference should be Legal Assistant Position – Denver.
Interviews will be conducted in person or via videoconference. Cost of travel must be incurred by the applicant. No phone calls, please.
The Federal Public Defender is an equal opportunity employer.