Are you looking for satisfying work with a mission? Join the Office of the Federal Public Defender in advocating for indigent defendants facing criminal charges in federal court. The Federal Public Defender for the District of Oregon is seeking a full-time Legal Assistant for our Eugene office.
Duties:
• Receive, screen, and refer telephone and in-person callers. Assist attorneys with client contact and answer general inquiries according to office policy.
• Retrieve and deliver documents to the court.
• Perform legal assistant functions for two or more trial attorneys.
• Utilize advanced knowledge of legal terminology, word- and information-processing software.
• Understand federal rules and protocols for CMF/ECF efiling in federal criminal cases.
• Edit and proofread initial drafts, perform cite checking, and prepare correspondence to clients.
• Review incoming mail and distribute appropriately.
• Assemble attachments and prepare documents for efiling.
• Order transcripts as instructed by trial attorneys.
• Assist with closing out cases.
• Accurately and timely maintain Outlook calendar for assigned trial attorneys by posting/updating court deadlines and hearings.
• Perform a variety of other office, case, and attorney support duties as they arise.
• Collaborate with Eugene’s senior legal and administrative assistant (office manager).
This is a paper-light office with case files kept on the common drive for legal assistant to update and organize with efiled documents, docket sheets, and scanned correspondence.
This position is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with a one hour lunch break.
This is a full-time position with federal judiciary salary and benefits based on qualifications and experience. Current federal employees are subject to Grade and Step matching rules per Judiciary policy.
Compensation also includes 10 paid federal holidays, 13 paid sick days annually, and 13 paid vacation days annually (to start), health insurance, life insurance, retirement contribution, and the Thrift Savings Plan. The position is “at-will” and dependent on ongoing budgetary support.
Required Qualifications:
• A demonstrated commitment to and comfort working with diverse communities and with clients from a range of backgrounds.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office (especially MS Word, Excel, Outlook, and OneNote).
• A willingness and ability to learn new skills or software applications.
• Dependability and punctuality.
• The ability to set priorities, meet critical deadlines, and multi-task.
• Demonstrated, excellent organization and technology skills.
• Strong interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills.
• High-school graduate or equivalent.
• At least 3 years of full-time work experience, or the equivalent.
o At least one year of which must be specialized experience relevant to this position.
o Completion of a Bachelor’s degree, subject to certain requirements, may be substituted for one year of specialized experience.
• The successful candidate must be fully vaccinated as of the date of hire.
Preferred Qualifications:
• Bilingual (English-Spanish) language skills;
• A demonstrated interest in and/or commitment to indigent criminal defense.
• Familiarity and skill with other relevant applications such as CaseMap, PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat Professional, Lexis/Nexis, Westlaw, etc.
• Legal secretarial experience preferred, ideally in the federal court system.
The ideal candidate must believe in this office’s mission for protecting the constitutional interests of our indigent clients and communicate with them in a professional and respectful manner.
Interested applicants should e-mail a letter of interest that includes a description of relevant knowledge, skills, and abilities; a resume; and three references in .pdf format to the attention of:
Travis Southworth-Neumeyer, Personnel Administrator
[email protected]
Subject: Legal Assistant — Eugene
Open until filled. Applications will be reviewed as they are received. All responses will remain confidential. Only candidates in consideration for this position will be contacted.