Law Office Assistant 1/2 (02-1205)

State of Alaska•Anchorage, AK

7d•Onsite

About The Position

This position provides advanced clerical support for administrative case management functions within our Operations team. The position manages the receipt and distribution of discovery, pleadings, and new appointments and conducts pre-screening for case assignment. The position also provides coverage and back-up support for other legal support functions as needed. Law Office Assistants are an integral part of providing that representation and protecting our clients' rights. Law Office Assistants work closely with attorneys and other Agency staff to make sure evidence and case materials are processed and distributed quickly. They often serve as important points of contact for the Court system, opposing counsel, and the public. This is an entry-level position and many Law Office Assistants use the skills and experience they gain to promote to paralegal, investigative, and administrative management positions within the Agency, the State of Alaska, or the private sector. Your first 6 months in the Agency are probationary and considered a training period, with formal and on-the-job training with your supervisor and your colleagues. This position may be eligible for telework after successfully completing probation. This is a flexibly staffed position which means that it can be filled at either the 1 or 2 level, depending on the applicant's training and experience. If the position is filled at the lower level, the employee will be assigned increasingly complex work to develop their skills and knowledge to perform at the higher level. Once the employee hired at the lower level demonstrates proficiency at the higher level and meets the minimum qualifications, they will be promoted to the higher range.

Requirements

One year of experience that involves some combination of providing significant customer service contact; eliciting or exchanging information as related to requirements or procedures necessary to secure services, authorizations, or goods on behalf of the client; and/or performing standard administrative tasks such as preparing correspondence or reports, filing, entering data, receiving payments, and/or maintaining logs and includes the regular, proficient use of electronic management information systems and word processing and other standard business software applications.
Any combination of post-secondary education from an accredited college or university (2.67 semester hours or 4 quarter hours equal one month) in any area of study and/or applicable experience, as defined above, may substitute for the required experience.
An associate’s degree or specific vocational-technical certification in a legal support career area (e.g., paralegal, legal assistant, legal secretary, or criminal justice) may substitute for the required experience.
Vocational-technical certification in a generalized business support career area (e.g., administrative office technology, business and marketing management, entrepreneurship, or office assistance) may substitute for up to 6 months of the required experience.
One year of specific experience as a Law Office Assistant 1 with the State of Alaska; OR Successful completion of training under a formally established Law Office Assistant 1-2 flexible staffing training plan with the State of Alaska; OR One year of experience in a law office, or other administrative experience that includes the regular, proficient use of electronic management information systems and word processing and other standard business software applications for preparing, reviewing, or processing legal documents such as affidavits, court reports, demand letters, discovery requests or responses, entries of appearances, hearing transcripts, memoranda of advice/instruction, motions, legal opinions, subpoenas, and/or writs.
A bachelor’s degree in a legal field of study may substitute for the required experience.
An associate’s degree or specific vocational-technical certification in a legal support career area (e.g., paralegal, Law Office Assistant, legal secretary, or criminal justice) may substitute for up to 6 months of the required experience.
Post-secondary education from an accredited college or university in a non-legal field of study may substitute for up to 6 months of the required experience (2.67 semester hours or 4 quarter hours equal one month).
Vocational-Technical Certification in a generalized business support (e.g., administrative office technology, business and marketing management, entrepreneurship, or office assistance) career area may substitute for up to 3 months of the required experience.
Most positions require incumbents to be able to obtain a Notary Public upon hire, and to be able to pass a criminal background check to meet security requirements for using criminal record networks such as APSIN and National Crim Enforcement Information Center/National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (NCIC/NLETS).
Full disclosure of ALL past criminal convictions (both misdemeanor and felony including suspended impositions of sentence) at the time of application is required.

Nice To Haves

Ability to obtain a Notary Public upon hire.
Ability to pass a criminal background check.

Responsibilities

Manages the receipt and distribution of discovery, pleadings, and new appointments.
Conducts pre-screening for case assignment.
Provides coverage and back-up support for other legal support functions as needed.
Works closely with attorneys and other Agency staff to make sure evidence and case materials are processed and distributed quickly.
Serves as important points of contact for the Court system, opposing counsel, and the public.

Benefits

Opportunity to learn about the legal system.
Hone administrative and clerical skills for career development in the legal field.
Meaningful contributions to Alaska.
Work as a team to provide meaningful contributions to Alaska.
Work impacts people’s lives and protects the constitutional rights of all Alaskans.
Helps improve case outcomes for individuals charged with crimes.
Helps re-unify families.
Provides the foundation for successful re-entry into communities.
Entry level position.
Skills and experience gained can be used to promote to paralegal, investigative, and administrative management positions within the Agency, the State of Alaska, or the private sector.
Formal and on-the-job training with supervisor and colleagues.
Eligible for telework after successfully completing probation.
Downtown parking provided by the Agency near the office.