CDOC - Legal Assistant I (Canon City)

State of Colorado•Denver, CO

8d•Onsite

About The Position

The Legal Assistant I supports adult offenders at various security levels, including offenders with disabilities, with access to legal materials and preparation of legal documents. The position helps maintain secure facility law libraries, provides alternative legal access to offenders without physical library access, and serves as a liaison between offenders and Department of Corrections staff. Duties may cover more than one facility law library and include providing legal research assistance, photocopies, loans of legal materials, computer access, and notary services. The role also supervises offender clerks and provides services to offenders on behavioral management plans. Occasional travel to other CDOC facilities is required. The position is based in a correctional setting with continuous security controls and may involve stressful or potentially violent situations. Employees must complete six weeks of CDOC Basic Training and meet its competency and physical requirements.

Requirements

Paralegal certificate from an American Bar Association-approved paralegal studies program or an accredited institution, or two years of paralegal work experience involving legal research, drafting legal documents, and gathering and compiling information from legal references and resources as a substitution.
A paralegal certificate from an ABA-approved program or accredited institution must be obtained within nine months of hire; an accredited law school Juris Doctorate may substitute for the certificate.
High school diploma or GED.
Proficient legal research skills.
Exceptional interpersonal and customer-service skills.
Excellent written and oral communication skills, including fluency in English and the ability to read and comprehend English.
Ability to analyze data and information efficiently and accurately; multitask and adapt; organize, plan, and prioritize; and pay close attention to detail.
Initiative, self-motivation, critical-thinking, and decision-making skills.
Proficiency with position-related office technologies, especially Microsoft Office Suite.
Ability to maintain self-control and remain alert, emotionally stable, mentally resilient, and observant under pressure in stressful and potentially violent situations.
Tolerance for stress, confinement, and high-stakes interactions.
Ability to create accessible documents and technical content that follows plain-language guidelines.
Colorado residency at the time of application.
At least 21 years of age.
Transportation to and from the facility is mandatory; a valid driver’s license is not required for this position.
Valid U.S. work authorization at the time of application; H-1B sponsorship is not available.
No felony convictions and must meet the stated restrictions concerning sexual-abuse-related conduct for positions involving offender contact.
Successfully complete all modules of the six-week Colorado Department of Corrections Basic Training, including English reading comprehension, competency assessments, and written and practical Defensive Tactics exams.
Physical ability to complete Defensive Tactics requirements, including lifting arms overhead, kicking to waist height, controlling another person in a takedown, delivering blows, withstanding impact, using a baton, rotating the body for defensive tactics, and repeatedly getting down on and rising from one or both knees.
Ability to see and hear to observe and respond to safety and security issues; seize, hold, control, or subdue violent or assaultive persons; defend oneself or others; demonstrate agility and limb strength; and walk and climb stairs consistently.
Ability to work in restraint situations and with people of diverse backgrounds and with a range of moods and behaviors, including mentally ill and emotionally disturbed offenders.
Ability to communicate by speaking, listening, or signaling and work in fluctuating noise and temperatures, potentially outdoors in inclement weather or in concrete-floor and concrete-wall settings.
Willingness and ability to travel and work various shifts, including days, afternoons, and nights, on a rotating schedule.
Pass pre-employment medical screening and drug testing; submit to tuberculosis screening and background investigation; and comply with random drug screening during employment.

Nice To Haves

Experience interpreting complex rules, regulations, policies, procedures, and guidelines.
Advanced knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, and agency rules.

Responsibilities

Assist offenders and staff with legal research and locating appropriate legal authority.
Analyze legal problems raised by DOC staff and offenders to help resolve them and identify frivolous issues.
Monitor and manage offender legal-access computers, including legal research and word-processing programs.
Identify, categorize, log, and deliver materials submitted for photocopying; provide legal materials and photocopies to offenders to support access to the courts.
Receive, log, and deliver photocopied loan materials; prepare loan sheets and record related statistics.
Collect, compile, and enter data for monthly statistical reports on offender access, photocopy usage, legal-material loans, and hours of operation.
Maintain and log supply and equipment use and keep accurate inventories in accordance with program policies.
Monitor daily law-library operations and maintain a secure working environment within the facility.
Search law libraries for contraband in accordance with state statute and facility regulations.
Provide alternative legal access for offenders without physical access to a law library.
Provide notary services.
Supervise, hire, and terminate offender clerks.
Provide appropriate services to offenders on behavioral management plans and interview and assist offenders according to program policies and procedures.
Act as a liaison between offenders and DOC staff.
Travel occasionally to provide coverage at other CDOC facilities.
Perform other duties and projects as assigned by the supervisor.

Benefits

PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan, plus 401(k) and 457 plans.
Medical and dental health plans.
Short- and long-term disability coverage.
Paid life insurance.
11 paid holidays per year, plus vacation and sick leave.
Wellness program.
Tuition reimbursement.
Training opportunities.
Career advancement opportunities throughout the state system.
Bi-weekly pay cycle.