2026

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

1d•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 our trial unit for our Los Angeles office. The Federal Public Defender’s office is committed to the pursuit of justice by aggressively advocating in federal court for the constitutional rights and inherent dignity of individuals who are charged with federal crimes and cannot afford their own lawyer.

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
Demonstrate 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
Must be available to work during regular business hours, and when necessary, during evenings, weekends, and occasionally holidays if in the middle of a trial
Must be United States citizens or permanent residents seeking citizenship
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
Ability to speak, read, and write in Spanish