Legal Assistant

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT 26-23

LEGAL ASSISTANT

Office of the Federal Public Defender

Western District of Texas (Del Rio)

THE FEDERAL PUBLIC DEFENDER for the Western District of Texas is accepting applications for the position of legal assistant, to be stationed in the Del Rio office. The Federal Public Defender operates under authority of the Criminal Justice Act, 18 U.S.C. 3006A, to provide defense services in federal criminal cases and related matters by appointment from the court to individuals unable to afford counsel.

Requirements. To qualify for the position of legal assistant, a person must be a high school graduate or equivalent and have at least two years of general experience and one year of specialized experience. Some higher education may be substituted for experience. Must be able to analyze and apply relevant policies and procedures to office operations; exercise good judgment; analyze and recommend practical solutions; be proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and Adobe Acrobat. Must be able to work independently, take initiative, and work in harmony with other team members while performing different roles. Candidates must possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills and be self-motivated and capable of working in a high-volume, fast-paced law office. Spanish-language fluency is preferred. Law office experience is also preferred. Employment is subject to a satisfactory background investigation, including but not limited to an FBI name and fingerprint check.

Duties. The legal assistant provides secretarial and clerical support to three or more attorneys; maintains attorneys' calendars of court settings and filing deadlines; answers general telephone inquiries regarding attorneys' activities; maintains attorneys' case files; prepares legal documents, briefs, and general correspondence using Word; reviews outgoing documents for accuracy; performs conflict checks. Primary duties of the legal assistant include heavy word-processing, record keeping, filing, photocopying, routing mail, answering and routing telephone calls, running documents to the courthouse, and other duties as assigned. The full position qualification's statement with position description is available upon request.

Salary and Benefits. The starting salary will be commensurate with the experience and qualifications of the applicant within a range of $45,409 (JSP-6, Step 1) to $55,882 (JSP-8, Step 1) per annum. The position is in the excepted service and does not carry the tenure rights of the competitive Civil Service. The position does offer federal government employment benefits, including health and life insurance programs, retirement, and the Thrift Savings Plan. Salary is payable only by Electronic Funds Transfer (direct deposit).

How to Apply. Qualified persons may apply by sending a letter of interest addressed to Federal Public Defender Maureen Scott Franco (mentioning announcement 26-23), résumé, and three professional references. Send completed application in a single PDF document named with applicant's “last name, first name-Announcement 26-23 DR LA” by email. Submissions sent directly to the Defender will not be considered. For applicants with disabilities, this organization provides reasonable accommodations, which are decided on a case-by-case basis. To request a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or interview process, contact personnel administrator Victoria B. Longoria at (210) 981-2081. More than one position may be filled from this announcement. Position announced March 2, 2026, subject to the availability of funds; open until filled.

The Federal Public Defender is an equal-opportunity employer.