Legal Assistant Suffolk

Title: Legal Assistant - Suffolk

State Role Title: Admin and Office Specialist I

Agency: Indigent Defense Commission

Location: SUFFOLK 314

Agency Website:

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties

The Virginia Indigent Defense Commission (VIDC) a Commonwealth of Virginia Independent Agency is dedicated to protecting and defending the rights of our clients through zealous compassionate high-quality legal advocacy. The Suffolk Public Defender Office is committed to providing dedicated compassionate client-based and community-embedded representation for our indigent clients. The Suffolk Public Defender Office is now accepting applications for the administrative position of Legal Assistant. The qualified candidate will provide administrative and clerical support for attorneys investigators and mitigation specialists in the Public Defender office. The Legal Assistant position reports to the Chief Public Defender of the Suffolk Office and is employed at-will.

Duties:

• Greeting persons entering the Public Defender Office and operating a multi-line telephone system.
• Screening and forwarding calls providing information to callers taking messages and scheduling appointments.
• Typing editing and reviewing 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.
  

The IDC is committed to inclusive hiring and dedicated to diversity in our workforce. We encourage and welcome qualified applicants of all identities cultures backgrounds and experiences.

Minimum Qualifications

• The position requires a working knowledge of office practices and procedures including creating and editing letters memos and legal documents.
• The position requires experience using Microsoft applications specifically Word and Excel.
• The position requires familiarity with Google Suite applications including Gmail Google Docs etc.
• The qualified candidate will have experience creating and managing an electronic and manual filing system and skills in keyboarding.
• The qualified candidate will effectively communicate both orally and in writing and work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced team-driven environment.
• The Legal Assistant position also requires the ability to communicate both effectively and compassionately with clients as well as their support networks and other participants in the legal system.
  

Additional Considerations

Prior experience within the criminal justice legal system will be strongly considered. Experience working in a law firm or in the Virginia court system will be strongly considered.

Special Instructions

Applications for this position require a cover letter and resume. Failure to submit both may disqualify you from further consideration.

You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to Your Application in your account to check the status of your application for this position.

While creating an account through the state system will save your basic information (please remember your username and password) applications are NOT saved for future openings. We encourage you to apply to any and all of the positions you may be considering within the IDC.

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a fingerprint-based criminal background check. Being authorized to work in the U.S. is a precondition of employment. IDC uses the E-Verify system and does not provide sponsorship.

Applications for this position must be submitted electronically through this website. Mailed emailed faxed or hand-delivered applications and resumes will not be accepted. IDC does not accept see resume as a response to any question. Information on the application is the primary source used for screening the position. Reasonable accommodations are available to applicants if requested during the application and/or interview process.

This position qualifies for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) depending on your type of loan.

Edits cannot be made to the application once you have received a confirmation number. Phone calls are not accepted regarding an inquiry into the status of an application. Please login to the RMS system for status updates.

Contact Information

Name: Ashley Washington

Phone:

Email:

In support of the Commonwealths commitment to inclusion we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS) or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation if applicable to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at .

Note : Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1 2022- February 29 2024 can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.

Required Experience:

Junior IC