Assistant Paralegal - Tucson

The Federal Public Defender for the District of Arizona is accepting applications for the position of full-time assistant paralegal to be stationed in Tucson.  More than one position may be filled from this announcement. The Federal Public Defender operates under authority of Title 18, United States Code, Section 3006A(g)(2)(A), to provide federal criminal defense services by court appointment to individuals unable to afford counsel.  The organization has staffed offices in Phoenix, Tucson, Yuma, and Flagstaff.

Requirements.  To qualify for an assistant paralegal a person must be a high school graduate or equivalent and have at least three years of general experience and two years of specialized experience. Some higher education may be substituted for specialized experience. Bachelor’s degree or paralegal certificate preferred. Personal computer, advanced word-processing skills are required. Law office experience, computer literacy and experience with Word, Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Excel, Box.com is preferred.  Spanish language proficiency is required for this position.  Ability to speak, read and write Spanish for translation of letters and documents is required.  Applicants selected for interview will be tested for Spanish fluency. The applicant must be a U.S. citizen. Employment is subject to a satisfactory background investigation.

Duties.  The assistant paralegal provides support services to several staff attorneys, staff paralegals, and investigators.  Duties of the assistant paralegal include assisting with case file management; gathering, organizing,  summarizing, and indexing of electronic and paper documents and other discovery materials; assisting with client contact; preparing case related forms, assisting the staff paralegals and investigators with out-of-district requests; gathering records; assisting with litigation support services using advanced software programs; calendaring court hearings and jail visits; typing letters/motions; filing motions/pleadings; contact with court personnel and detention facilities; assisting with front desk and  performing all other duties as assigned. Applicant must be able to handle multiple tasks.

Salary and Benefits.  The starting salary for the assistant paralegal commensurate with the experience and qualifications of the applicant is currently fixed at Grade 9, Step 1 yielding $62,893 per annum. This position is in the excepted service and does not carry the tenure rights of the competitive Civil Service. The position does include regular government employee benefits including health and life insurance, retirement, telework opportunities and the Thrift Savings Plan. Salary is payable only by Electronic Funds Transfer (direct deposit).  All positions are at will and are subject to the availability of funds.

Items to include: Please include a letter of interest along with resume. References will be required from candidates selected for an interview.

The Federal Public Defender is an equal-opportunity employer. All applicants, regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or age, are encouraged to apply.

Equal Opportunity Employer. The Federal Public Defender for the District of Arizona is an equal opportunity employer. Individuals from groups underrepresented in national projects within the defender community are encouraged to apply.