Paralegal - Lewiston

State of Maine•Lewiston, ME

3d•$22 - $30

About The Position

The Maine Commission on Public Defense Services (PDS) is an independent commission that provides efficient, high-quality representation to indigent people entitled to counsel at state expense. The Lewiston paralegal supports multiple attorneys working in parental defense, adult and juvenile criminal defense, and appellate practice. The paralegal performs case preparation, investigative, and information-gathering work needed to support effective assistance of counsel. The role involves communication with court officials, law enforcement, legal and social service agencies, jail and prison officials, clients, and clients’ family members. It requires proficiency in word processing, legal document preparation, document, record, data, and file management, calendar management, and communications. The successful candidate is self-directed, organized, accurate, efficient, able to work independently and collaboratively, and adaptable in a fast-paced legal environment.

Requirements

Training, education, or experience in office and administrative support work demonstrating a solid knowledge of law firm, court, or legal services processes and the ability to research complex legal issues and analyze legal problems; or graduation from an approved, accredited paralegal program.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.
Strong interpersonal skills.
Ability to manage highly confidential and sensitive material.
Ability to communicate effectively with individuals who may be under emotional distress.
Knowledge and skills in Microsoft Office Suite and Adobe Pro.
Ability to navigate an electronic court filing system and adapt to evolving technology.
Ability to write clearly and effectively.
Ability to work as part of a team and foster a positive working environment.
Ability to learn and effectively use case management software.
Self-directed, highly organized, highly accurate, and able to work efficiently and independently.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of Titles 17-A and 29-A and the progression of a criminal case.
Knowledge of Title 22 and the progression of a child protection case.

Responsibilities

Support busy attorneys and track large caseloads.
Use Microsoft Office Suite for day-to-day tasks.
Manage heavy email traffic across multiple shared inboxes.
Communicate with clients about court dates, case status, and other matters as directed by Assistant Defenders.
Communicate with courts, jails and prisons, legal and social agencies, and clients’ family members.
Draft routine documents, including discovery requests, motions, and client correspondence.
Track and accurately maintain calendars of scheduled court dates.
Process incoming court documents and maintain current case files.
Process incoming and outgoing mail for Assistant Defenders.
Collect, manage, and organize discovery.
Use Adobe Pro to compile documents and electronic discovery binders.
Perform other responsibilities as assigned by the Legal Administrator.

Benefits

13 paid holidays, 12 days of sick leave, and more than three weeks of annual vacation leave, with vacation accrual increasing with years of service.
Overtime-exempt employees receive personal leave.
The State pays 85%–100% of employee-only health insurance premiums, depending on salary; dependent coverage varies.
A 5% employee-only health insurance premium credit is available for qualifying participation.
The State pays 100% of employee-only dental insurance premiums.
The State contributes 14.06% of pay to MainePERS on the employee’s behalf.
Gym membership reimbursement of up to $40 per month.
Health and dependent care flexible spending accounts.
Eligibility for Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness.
Employee assistance through the Living Resources Program.
Forty-two consecutive calendar days of fully paid parental leave for employees welcoming a child; additional unpaid leave may be available under the Family and Medical Leave Act.
Voluntary deferred compensation through a MaineSaves 457(b) account.