Paralegal 1/2 - Nome, United States - State of Alaska

Description

Job Description

This position is open to Alaska Residents only.
Please check our residency definition to determine if you qualify.

This position will be filled at either the 1 or 2 level, depending on the applicant's qualifications and job experience.

It is recommended, and you are encouraged to apply at any/all levels for which you qualify.

What you will be doing:

This position works in the Agency's Nome office and is responsible for providing paralegal support to attorneys in the Nome and Kotzebue offices.

This position is responsible for assisting attorneys in organizing and managing cases, providing direct client assistance, and utilizing the internal case management system to draft letters and pleadings among other duties.

Additionally, this position coordinates the Agency's Holisitc Defense activities for the region, working directly with clients to help them access services to improve case outcomes.

Our organization, mission, and culture:

The Sixth Amendment guarantees the right to counsel in many types of cases and the Public Defender Agency is appointed by the Court to represent people who are unable to afford counsel on their own.

Paralegals are an integral part of providing that representation and protecting our clients' rights.

Paralegals work closely with attorneys and other Agency staff to provide high-level assistance on litigation preparation, and work closely with clients to improve case outcomes.

This position is essential to the success of the division by providing advanced administrative and legal support.

The benefits of joining our team:

Support staff at the Public Defender Agency have the opportunity to learn about the legal system and hone their administrative skills to further their career development in the legal field.

Most importantly, they get to do this while working as a team to provide meaningful contributions to Alaska, as the work we do impacts people's lives and protects the constitutional rights of all Alaskans.

This important work helps improve case outcomes for individuals charged with crimes, helps re-unify families, and provides the foundation for successful re-entry into communities.

Many paralegals use the skills and experience they gain to transition to investigative and administrative management positions within the Agency, the State of Alaska, or the private sector.

Your first 12 months in the Agency are probationary and considered a training period, with formal and on-the-job training with your supervisor and your colleagues.

The working environment you can expect:
The office is located in Nome, Alaska. The hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM with an hour lunch at noon.

The position is works closely with up to five trial attorney, an investigators, and two law office assistants in the Northwest region.

and communicates daily with attorneys and staff on a statewide basis.


Who we are looking for:

Technological Competency:

Competency with standard office equipment is expected and computer literacy and fluency with Microsoft Office is essential to handling the large volume of digital documents and evidence in cases and utilizing the digital case management system.

Effective Communicator:
Clear and professional oral and written communication is essential to anyone working in the legal field.

Prioritization:
The ability to handle shifting priorities in high-pressure situations will enable success in the position.

Ability to Maintain Confidentiality:
Strict confidentiality is required due to the nature of the work performed.

Independent Worker:
Taking initiative, exercising sound judgment, and following directions is critical in our offices.
If this sounds like your skill set, or one you would like to develop, please submit an application through Workplace Alaska


Special Note:
Valid Alaska Driver`s License desired.
The Public Defender Agency's user authorization with the Department of Public Safety for allowing some employees' access to the Alaska Public Safety Information Network (APSIN) requires that this position is able to pass a criminal background investigation per 13 AAC

Minimum Qualifications

Paralegal 1 Minimum Qualifications (Range: 14)
Any combination of education and/or experience that provides the applicant with competencies in:

Attention to Detail:
Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail.

Interpersonal Skills:

Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences.

Reading:

Understands and interprets written material, including technical material, rules, regulations, instructions, reports, charts, graphs, or tables; applies what is learned from written material to specific situations.

Written Communication:
Writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience.

Equivalent to those typically gained by:

Post-secondary and/or vocational education in a legal or legal support area and/or experience preparing, reviewing, or processing legal documents such as affidavits, court reports, demand letters, discovery requests or responses, hearing transcripts, memoranda of advice/instruction/understanding, letters of agreement, motions, legal opinions, subpoenas, and/or writs.

Paralegal 2 Minimum Qualifications (Range: 16)Successful completion of training under a formally established Paralegal 1-2 flexible staffing training plan with the State of Alaska;

OR
Any combination of education and/or experience that provides the applicant with competencies in:

Adaptability:

adjusts planned work by gathering relevant information and applying critical thinking to address multiple demands and competing priorities in a changing environment.

Administrative Law:

Knowledge of State and federal administrative laws, including procedures, regulations, guidelines, and precedents related to case preparation and settlements.

Attention to Detail:
Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail.

Interpersonal Skills:

Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences.

Stress Tolerance:
Deals calmly and effectively with high stress situations (for example, tight deadlines, hostile individuals, emergency situations, dangerous situations).

Equivalent to those typically gained by:

Post-secondary and/or vocational education in a legal, paralegal, criminal justice, or similar legal support area and/or experience performing paraprofessional legal investigation, discovery, and providing support in the preparation of legal cases, reports, documents, and exhibits.

Special Note (All Levels):

Positions may require incumbents to be able to obtain a Notary Public upon hire, and to be able to pass a criminal background check to meet security requirements for using criminal record networks such as Alaska Public Safety Information Network (APSIN) and National Crime Enforcement Information Center/National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (NCIC/NLETS).

If this requirement is present, it will be stated in the vacancy announcement.

Some positions are required to work regular overtime during the standard workweek, on weekends, and/or holidays to provide support to the assigned duty attorney.

If this requirement is present, it will be stated in the vacancy announcement.

"Competencies" means a combination of interrelated knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors that enable a person to act effectively in a job or situation.

"Paraprofessional" work is typically associated with and supportive of a professional field. It involves extensive practical knowledge gained through experience and/or specific formal or on-the-job training. Work in these occupations may involve substantial elements of the work of the professional or administrative field, but requires less than full knowledge of the field involved.

"Progressively responsible" means indicating growth and/or advancement in complexity, difficulty, or level of responsibility.

"Technical" means performing tasks, methods, procedures, and computations that are covered by established precedents or guidelines and often require a high degree of skill, care, and precision.

"Training" and "education" in this guidance are synonyms for the process of acquiring knowledge and skills through instruction. It includes instruction through formal and informal methods (such as classroom, on-line, self-study, and on-the-job), from accredited and unaccredited sources, and long-duration (such as a post-secondary degree) and short-duration (such as a seminar) programs.
"Typically gained by" means the prevalent, usual method of gaining the competencies expected for entry into the job.

Additional Required Information


At time of interview, please provide the following:

A copy of academic transcripts (unofficial are okay, please ensure that the institution name/URL is listed on the transcripts) to verify that you meet the minimum qualifications.

if not provided, transcripts will be required prior to appointment.

APSIN ClearanceDue to the nature of the work of the Public Defender Agency and access to the Alaska Public Safety Information Network (APSIN) at the workplace, the individual who is selected for this position will be required to pass a background investigation and may be re-fingerprinted.

Full disclosure of ALL past criminal convictions (both misdemeanor and felony including suspended impositions of sentence) at the time of application is required.

Convictions will lead to disqualification due to the requirements necessary to access these systems.


Please note:
Per 2 AAC 07.061, you will only be considered for the position(s) you apply for.

If you would like to be considered for all levels of this position, please ensure you apply for all levels by checking all of the levels in the required supplemental question section of this recruitment.

Please note you must meet the minimum qualifications for the level(s) you apply for.
Please read the below information carefully. This applies to your application submission.
COVER LETTERA cover letter is required for this position.

The cover letter should be in a standard business format and should highlight your work experience as it pertains to the demonstrated competencies listed in the job description above.

Your complete applicant package, including cover letter, will be used to determine which applicants will advance to the interview phase of the recruitment and selection process.

If you do not provide a cover letter as required, your application package may be determined to be incomplete and will not advance to the next phase of the recruitment and selection process.

FLEXIBLY STAFFEDThis position is flexibly staffed. This vacancy may be filled at either the 1 or 2 level, depending on the applicant's training and/or experience. The position's level will determine the starting salary.

If filled at a lower level, promotion to the higher level will only occur upon successful completion of the probationary period and required training, and the applicant meets the minimum qualifications of the higher job class and final approval by the supervisor.

It is recommended and encouraged that you apply for any/all levels for which you qualify. SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONSFor your application to be evaluated you must answer the Supplemental Questions. Be specific in your answers and tell us how you acquired the relevant experience. Please use complete sentences and proof-read your submissions when answering the supplemental questions.

Your responses will be considered a writing sample and will be used to determine which applicants will advance to the interview phase of the recruitment process.

EDUCATION To verify education is being used to meet and/or support the required minimum qualifications/competencies, you must fill in the Education section of the application.

If you have not obtained a degree, please indicate the number of units completed.

Copies of transcripts are required to verify educational credentials used to meet or support the minimum qualifications/competencies for a position and are required with each application.

(Unofficial is okay; please ensure the institution/URL name is listed on the transcripts).

Transcripts can be attached at the time of application or provided at the time of interview; if not, transcripts will be required before employment.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS F
ORFOREIGN EDUCATIONEducation completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above requirements, if applicable.

If utilizing this education you must show that the education credentials have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and that such education has been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S.

education programs; or an accredited U.S.

state university reports the other institution as one whose transcript is given full value, or full value is given in subject areas applicable to the curricula at the state university.

It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. THIS RECRUITMENT IS F
ORALASKA RESIDENTS ONLYThis recruitment is open to Alaska Residents only. Applicants must meet Alaska Residency Requirements in order to be considered for employment at this time.
WORK EXPERIENCEApplications will be reviewed to determine if minimum qualifications are met.

Therefore, all work experiences the applicant is using to meet minimum qualifications for this position must be documented in the application package.

Please include the employer's name, your job title, dates of employment, and whether the employment was full or part-time.

Applicants who submit packages that do not provide sufficient information to demonstrate minimum qualifications are met may not advance in the selection process.

NOTE:
Attaching a resume or curriculum vitae is not an alternative to filling out the application in its entirety.

Noting "see resume or CV" or any similar response on any portion of your application may lead to a determination your application is incomplete and removal from consideration for this job posting.

MULTIPLE VACANCIES This recruitment may be used for more than one (1) vacancy.

The applicant pool acquired during this recruitment may be used for future vacancies for up to ninety (90) days after this recruitment closes.

Interested applicants are encouraged to apply to each recruitment notice to ensure consideration for all vacancies. EEO STATEMENTThe State of Alaska complies with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Individuals with disabilities, who require accommodation, auxiliary aides or services, or alternative communication formats, please call or in Juneau or TTY:
Alaska Relay 711 or or correspond with the Division of Personnel & Labor Relations at: P.O. Box 110201, Juneau, AK The State of Alaska is an equal opportunity employer.

NOTICEIf you choose to be contacted by email, please ensure your email address is correct on your application and that the spam filter will permit email from the '' domains.

For information on allowing emails from the '' domains, visit the Lost Password Help page located at WORKPLACE ALASKA APPLICATION QUESTIONS & ASSISTANCEQuestions regarding application submission or system operation errors should be directed to the Workplace Alaska hotline at toll free) or if you are located in the Juneau area.

Requests for information may also be emailed to For applicant password assistance, please visit:


Contact Information

For specific information in reference to the position, please contact the hiring manager:
Rhonda Thayer
Administrative Officer 1