Legal Assistant - Juvenile and Appellate Public Defender

Position: Legal Assistant - Juvenile and Appellate Public Defender - 1

Description General Summary

The Administrative Clerk position provides support to the Public Defender Office, the public and other county departments to ensure effective, efficient and productive workflow. This work is often confidential in nature and requires the use of problem-solving skills and independent decision-making. This individual will also participate in planning of programs, policies or objectives for the PDO.

Essential Duties

• Document Preparation:
  Administrative clerks assist in the preparation, organization, and filing of legal documents such as motions, briefs, pleadings, and discovery requests. They ensure that all necessary documentation is complete, accurate, and filed in a timely manner.
• Case Management:
  They help manage the administrative aspects of cases, including maintaining case files, tracking court dates, and ensuring deadlines are met. They may also assist with scheduling and coordinating appointments and meetings related to the cases.
• Research and Investigation:
  Administrative clerk may conduct research on legal issues, case law, and relevant statutes to support the defense team's strategies. They may also assist with investigations by gathering and organizing evidence, interviewing witnesses, and documenting relevant information.
• Client Communication:
  They serve as a point of contact for clients, providing information, answering questions, and ensuring that clients are kept informed about their case status and court proceedings. They may also assist in scheduling client meetings and maintaining regular communication with clients.
• Courtroom Support:
  Administrative clerks may provide support during court proceedings, including attending hearings and trials, preparing exhibits, and assisting with courtroom logistics. They may also assist with the preparation of witnesses and coordinate with other members of the defense team.
• Legal Database and Records Management:
  They help maintain and update legal databases, case management systems, and other records related to the cases. This includes organizing and indexing documents, ensuring data accuracy, and generating reports as needed.
• Administrative Support:
  Administrative clerks may assist with general administrative tasks, such as managing correspondence, coordinating meetings, maintaining calendars, and handling office logistics. They provide overall support to the public defender's office to ensure smooth operations.

These duties are crucial in supporting the work of public defenders and ensuring effective and efficient representation of clients. It's important to note that the specific responsibilities of an administrative clerk may vary depending on the current caseload needs of the public defender's office.

Other Duties as assigned.

Supervision Received:
Will be supervised by the Chief Public Defender and the Office Manager.

Given:
None.

Education

Required:

Graduation from a standard high school or equivalent.

Preferred:
Bachelor’s degree from accredited college or university.

Experience

Required:

3 years of job-related experience

Preferred:
Prior experience working in a law office or county office is preferred.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

Required:

Valid driver’s license required.

Physical Demands

Typical:
Typical activities common to an office environment such as walking, sitting, use of computer equipment, creating and moving paper files, operating a copy machine, walking to and from court as needed. Some driving may be necessary.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

Typical:
Knowledge of legal practices and terminology, and understanding of basic legal concepts such as jurisdiction, notice, and due process; knowledge of basic investigative methods, rules of evidence, and agency policies and procedures relevant to investigations and enforcement; working knowledge of administrative law proceedings and the associated legal documents; proficiency in drafting legal documents and basic business correspondence using proper spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, and grammar;

knowledge and experience with using computers and other office equipment, and software such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Internet, and Outlook; ability to use a computer to conduct Internet research and produce legal documents and correspondence; general understanding of the use of electronic databases; effective communication skills in the contexts of telephone contacts, in-person contacts, and testifying in court; excellent writing skills;

ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships; ability to demonstrate independent thinking and decision-making; and ability to plan and manage multiple tasks or courses of action simultaneously, and respond effectively to rapidly changing priorities.

Work Environment

Typical:
The physical and environmental demands of this job are those typical to a general office environment.

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