Legal Assistance/Paralegal

Federal Defender Services of Idaho, Inc Legal Assistant Boise, ID·Full time Company website About Federal Defender Services of Idaho, Inc Federal Defender Services of Idaho was originally established in 1994 as a branch office of the Federal Defenders of Eastern Washington and Idaho. Federal Defender organizations are established under the authority of the Criminal Justice Act, 18 U.The organization is a non-profit corporation managed by a Board of Directors. It is funded by a yearly grant from the Congress of the United States administered by the Administrative Office of the United States courts in Washington, D.As a Community Defender program it is mandated by the Sixth Amendment of United States Constitution - the right to effective assistance of counsel. The caseload ranges from petty offenses, to multi-defendant drug conspiracies, sophisticated white-collar fraud offenses, computer crimes, and serious crimes. To that end, we hold the government to account — fighting to make sure the rights and interests of the indigent receive the same respect as those of the rich. We pursue compassion and humanity in our courts — arguing for truly parsimonious sentencing in the face of brutal federal prison conditions and harsh and irrational federal sentencing guidelines. And we help others who share our commitments — working to grow and maintain a federal criminal defense bar that is dedicated to the art of zealous indigent criminal defense. It is our honor to stand up in court for those who have been left behind. and Always serving our clients’ best interests By fulfilling its mission, this organization helps maintain public confidence in the nation's commitment to equal justice under law and ensure the successful operation of the constitutionally-based adversary system of justice by which federally guaranteed rights are enforced. Description Federal Defender Services of Idaho (FDSI) is accepting applications for the full-time position of Legal Assistant in our Boise trial unit. FDSI operates under the authority of the Criminal Justice Act, 18 U.We have trial units in Boise and Pocatello and a capital habeas unit in Boise. We are a not-for-profit Community Defender Organization. The legal assistant works directly with paralegals and trial attorneys to provide essential litigation and case support, assisting with document management, maintaining the office-wide calendar, new case intake and coordination of court-related activities.

Receive, screen, and refer telephone and in-person callers. General inquiries according to office policy.

Retrieve and deliver documents to the court.

Perform legal assistant functions for multiple trial attorneys.

Utilize advanced knowledge of legal terminology, word and information-processing software.

Edit and proofread initial drafts, perform cite checking, and prepare correspondence to clients.

Assemble attachments and prepare documents for e-filing.

Perform a variety of other office, case, and attorney support duties as they arise.

A demonstrated commitment to and comfort working with diverse communities and with clients from a range of backgrounds.

Excellent computer and communication skills are required; familiarity with Microsoft Office (MS Word, Excel and Outlook).

Demonstrated, excellent organization and technology skills with a willingness and ability to learn new skills or software applications.

High-school graduate or equivalent.

At least 3 years of full-time work experience, or the equivalent.

Completion of a Bachelor’s degree, subject to certain requirements, may be substituted for one year of specialized experience.

The Legal Assistant must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds

College graduate; ideal for recent graduates from an accredited paralegal or criminal justice program.

Bilingual (English-Spanish) language skills.

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.

Employees may not engage in other full-time employment without written consent from the Executive Director

Work hours for this position will be Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm.

Judicial Pay Scale (JSP) 6-8, $45,409-$72,644, health coverage, and retirement plan.

Application Deadline

Position open until filled, but priority will be given to applications received by August 31, 2026.

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