Legal Assistant III

State of Vermont•Calais, VT

1d•$22 - $35

About The Position

Administrative and advanced legal assistant work for the Appellate Division of the Office of the Defender General. Acts with authority on appellate and postconviction relief case management and other specifically delegated functions. Work is performed under the general supervision of a Supervising Appellate Defender and is reviewed by the Defender General or his/her designee.

Requirements

attention to detail
excellent command of English grammar and proofreading skills
ability to maintain confidentiality
strong computer skills
comfort interacting by phone with a sometimes-challenging clientele
ability to work in a fast-paced environment
ability to multi-task and prioritize workload
ability to work both independently and as part of a dedicated team
ability to handle difficult case information
a positive attitude
Must be able to lift 25 lbs. and transport boxes and files from and to the Vermont Supreme Court.
Associate degree in business technology, secretarial science or office management; OR high school graduation or equivalent and three years of office clerical experience, which included typing, word processing or other generation of documents.
Completion of a one-year vocational/technical training program in business and office occupations or related area may be substituted for one year of the work experience.
College coursework may be substituted for up to one year of the work experience on a semester for six months basis.

Responsibilities

Acts as a representative of the Office of the Appellate Defender in daily operations, maintaining contact with clients, professional persons, and other governmental officials.
Finalizes Appellate briefs, files briefs and related documents with the Vermont Supreme Court (VSC) and provides copies to clients.
Tracks all due dates and makes sure transcripts are ordered on time.
Keeps records of all transcripts received.
Obtains files from the VSC for appellate cases and makes copies as needed.
Opens new case files, enters information in a central database, and sends letters to new clients and Superior Courts.
Files motions and other court matters with the VSC and Vermont trial courts and processes all entry orders.
Assists with the screening and sorting of mail and telephone calls and routing them to proper persons.
Plans, installs, reviews, refines and maintains office systems and practices.
Assists with public defense trainings.
Performs related work as required.