Paralegal

State of Maine•Portland, OR

6d•$22 - $30•Onsite

About The Position

The Maine Commission on Public Defense Services is an independent commission that provides efficient, high-quality representation to indigent people entitled to counsel at state expense. The Paralegal supports multiple attorneys across parental defense, adult and juvenile criminal defense, and appellate practice areas. The position performs case preparation, investigation, and information-gathering tasks to support effective assistance of counsel, and may communicate with court officials, law enforcement, legal and social agencies, jail and prison officials, clients, and clients’ family members. The role requires proficiency in word processing, legal document preparation, document and case-file management, record keeping, data management, calendar management, and communications. The successful candidate is self-directed, highly organized, accurate, and able to work efficiently and independently, while also working well as part of a team and adapting to a fast-paced legal environment with changing priorities. This position is based in Portland, Maine. Applicants must submit a cover letter, current resume, and three professional references. The selected candidate must pass required background checks; fingerprinting may be required.

Requirements

Training, education, or experience in office and administrative support demonstrating a solid knowledge of the principles and practices 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 and process highly confidential and sensitive material.
Ability to communicate effectively with individuals who may be under emotional distress.
Knowledge and skills with 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.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of Titles 17-A and 29-A and the life of a criminal case.
Knowledge of Title 22 and the life 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 maintain an accurate calendar of scheduled court dates.
Process incoming court documents and maintain up-to-date 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 3 or more weeks of vacation leave annually; vacation accrual increases with years of service, and overtime-exempt employees receive personal leave.
The State pays 85%–100% of employee-only health insurance premiums, depending on salary; dependent coverage is also described in the referenced premium chart.
A 5% employee-only health insurance premium credit for eligible participants who meet program requirements.
The State pays 100% of employee-only dental insurance premiums.
The State contributes 14.06% of pay to the Maine Public Employees Retirement System on behalf of the employee.
Gym membership reimbursement of up to $40 per month.
Health and dependent care flexible spending accounts.
Eligibility for Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness.
Living Resources employee assistance program.
42 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.
Additional wellness benefits for State employees.