Capital Habeas Legal Assistant

Federal Public Defender, Central District of California•Los Angeles, CA

9d•Onsite

About The Position

The Federal Public Defender’s Office for the Central District of California is accepting applications for a full-time legal assistant position in its Capital Habeas Unit (CHU) stationed in Los Angeles, California. The CHU advocates for the constitutional rights and inherent dignity of indigent persons sentenced to death. We provide the highest quality representation in post-conviction proceedings through diversity of experience, collaborative and thorough case development, focused litigation strategies, and skilled courtroom advocacy.

Requirements

Graduated from an accredited school with a bachelor’s degree or at least one-year specialized experience performing progressively responsible duties as a legal assistant.
Extensive relevant experience may substitute a bachelor’s degree.
High level of computer literacy, including expertise with Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat programs.
Must be available to work during regular business hours, and when necessary, during evenings, weekends, and holidays.
Must be United States citizens or permanent residents seeking citizenship.
Demonstrate an interest in social justice, civil rights, or indigent defense.
Excellent oral and written communication and interpersonal skills.
Strong organizational, analytical, and technical skills.
Ability to organize work and set priorities to meet critical deadlines.
Capable of learning new technological tools, when needed.
Able to work independently and take initiative.
Work well in teams.

Nice To Haves

Experience with legal practice-related programs such as evidence review platforms, document management systems, and document indexing tools.
Comprehensive knowledge of legal secretarial principles, practices, methods, and techniques.
Understanding of state, district and circuit court rules, protocols, policies, and precedents.
Knowledge of legal terminology and Blue Book citation format.
Ability to speak, read, and write in Spanish.

Responsibilities

Provide a full range of executive-level secretarial and clerical support services to attorneys on trial, appellate, and habeas cases.
Filing of court documents electronically and manually.
Preparing and editing draft pleadings, reports, and correspondence.
Maintaining attorneys’ calendars.
Accurately maintaining up-to-date case files and facility clearances.
Composing correspondence.
Screening public and client telephone calls.
Processing mail, as needed.
Assisting with overflow coverage when needed.