Legal Assistant - Fairfax

Virginia Information Technologies Agency•Fairfax, VA

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The Virginia Indigent Defense Commission (VIDC) is seeking a Legal Assistant for the Fairfax Public Defender Office. This role provides essential administrative and clerical support to attorneys, investigators, and mitigation specialists. The office is dedicated to protecting and defending the rights of clients through zealous, compassionate, high-quality legal advocacy, and is committed to client-based and community-embedded representation. The Legal Assistant will be the first point of contact for individuals entering the office, manage a multi-line phone system, screen and forward calls, provide information, take messages, and schedule appointments. The position also involves typing various documents, maintaining filing and record-keeping systems, handling mail, and interacting with colleagues, clients, and judicial system personnel. Effective and compassionate communication with clients, their support networks, and the public is crucial. The IDC is committed to inclusive hiring and encourages applicants of all identities, cultures, backgrounds, and experiences.

Requirements

Working knowledge of office practices and procedures
Ability to create and edit letters, memos, and legal documents
Experience in use of computer software to include word processing, spreadsheet and database applications
Specifically experience using Microsoft applications to include, Word and Excel
Familiarity with Google Suite applications, to include Gmail, Google Docs, etc.
Experience creating and managing an electronic and manual filing system
Skills in keyboarding
Ability to effectively communicate both orally and in writing
Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, team-driven environment
Ability to communicate both effectively and compassionately with clients as well as their support networks and other participants in the legal system
Direct communication with members of the public and the ability to respond to their immediate needs
Being authorized to work in the U.S.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience providing administrative and clerical support in a criminal justice and/or legal environment
Bi-lingual in Spanish and English

Responsibilities

Greeting persons entering the Public Defender Office
Operating a multi-line telephone system, screening and forwarding calls, providing information to callers, taking messages, and scheduling appointments
Typing a variety of documents to include but not limited to memos, letters, and various types of legal documents
Maintaining a filing and record-keeping system
Collecting, sorting, distributing, and preparing mail
Communicating and interacting with public defender office colleagues, clients and judicial system personnel
Communicating effectively and compassionately with clients, client support networks, and with members of the public or other members of the legal community
Providing Spanish language services to include interpretation and translation of court-related materials
Assisting with translations during attorney-client meetings and/or phone calls