Job Details for Legal Assistant
| Court Name/Organization: | Alaska Federal Public Defender |
| Overview of the Position: | The Federal Public Defender for the District of Alaska is accepting applications for a full-time Legal Assistant to be stationed in Anchorage, Alaska. The Federal Public Defender, a branch of the U.S. Courts, operates under the authority of the Criminal Justice Act, 18 U.S.C. §3006A to provide defense services to indigent persons in federal criminal matters in the federal courts. The desired start date for this position is Oct. 1, 2024; a later start date is negotiable. The Legal Assistant provides secretarial and clerical support to three or more attorneys. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, maintaining attorneys’ calendars of court proceedings and filing deadlines; managing Electronic Court Filings; answering general telephone inquiries regarding attorneys’ activities from clients, attorneys, judges, and court personnel; handling and distributing incoming mail and processing outgoing mail. Legal Assistants maintain attorneys’ case files; finalize and file briefs; prepare and file routine court filings and forms; prepare and review outgoing documents for accuracy; and compose general correspondence. The ideal candidate will have the ability to analyze and apply relevant policies and procedures to office operations, and effectively communicate with attorneys and other staff, as well as clients, court personnel and the public. Knowledge of the criminal legal system and adherence to confidentiality is required. The successful applicant must be a high school graduate or the equivalent and must have at least two years of general office experience and two years of specialized, legal assistant experience. Applicants with experience in a criminal defense law office will be given preference. Advanced computer skills, including experience with Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Word, and Adobe Acrobat, as well as excellent written and oral communication skills are necessary. Our ideal candidate will be highly motivated, have exceptional organizational skills and be detail oriented. This position requires the ability to prioritize, organize and handle multiple tasks simultaneously. |
| Location: | Anchorage, AK |
| Opening and Closing Dates: | 09/06/2024 - Open Until Filled |
| Appointment Type: | Permanent |
| Classification Level/Grade: | JSP 9 |
| Salary: | $67,738 - $88,058 |
| Announcement Number: | 2024-05 |
Qualification
The successful applicant must be a high school graduate or the equivalent and must have at least two years of general office experience and two years of specialized, legal assistant experience. Applicants with experience in a criminal defense law office will be given preference. Advanced computer skills, including experience with Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Word, and Adobe Acrobat, as well as excellent written and oral communication skills are necessary. Our ideal candidate will be highly motivated, have exceptional organizational skills and be detail oriented. This position requires the ability to prioritize, organize and handle multiple tasks simultaneously. Employment is subject to a satisfactory background investigation.
Benefits
This is an “Excepted Appointment” full-time position with federal benefits and salary commensurate with experience and qualifications within the general rate ranges of JSP Grade 9 ($67,738 - $88,058). Among the many benefits are the Federal Employees Retirement System, the Thrift Savings Plan (401k), 11 paid federal holidays, 13 paid sick days annually, 13 paid vacation days annually (to start), and health, life, disability, long-term, care, dental, and vision insurance. Salary is only payable by Electronic Funds Transfer (direct deposit).
How To Apply
Interested applicants should email a letter of interest that includes a description of relevant knowledge, skills, and abilities; a resume; and three professional references in .pdf format to Loisi Vailea, Administrative Officer, at Loisi_Vailea@fd.org with the subject line: SENIOR LEGAL ASSISTANT APPLICATION. We will accept applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled. No telephone inquiries.
The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.