Title: Legal Assistant - Fairfax

State Role Title: Admin and Office Specialist I

Hiring Range: $45,008.00 + State Benefits + Local Salary Supplement

Agency: Indigent Defense Commission

Location: FAIRFAX 308

Agency Website: www.vadefenders.org

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 Fairfax Public Defender Office is committed to providing dedicated, compassionate, client-based, and community-embedded representation for the indigent clients that we represent. The Fairfax Public Defender Office is now accepting applications for the position of Legal Assistant. The qualified candidate will provide administrative and clerical support for attorneys, investigators, and mitigation specialists in the Public Defenders’ office. The Legal Assistant position reports to the Chief Public Defender of the Fairfax Office and is employed at-will. This position also includes a local city salary supplement.

Duties:
Duties for the position include greeting persons entering the Public Defender Office as well as operating a multi-line telephone system, screening and forwarding calls, providing information to callers, taking messages, and scheduling appointments. Additional qualifications include typing a variety of documents to include but not limited to memos, letters, and various types of legal documents; maintaining a filing and record-keeping system; collecting, sorting, distributing, and preparing mail and communicating and interacting with public defender office colleagues, clients and judicial system personnel. The Legal Assistant candidate will communicate effectively and compassionately with clients, client support networks, and with members of the public or other members of the legal community.

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 to include creating and editing letters, memos, and legal documents. The position requires experience in use of computer software to include word processing, spreadsheet and database applications and specifically experience using Microsoft applications to include, Word and Excel. The position requires familiarity with Google Suite applications, to include 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. Direct communication with members of the public and the ability to respond to their immediate needs is required. This position also provides Spanish language services to include interpretation and translation of court-related materials, and assist with translations during attorney-client meetings and/or phone calls

Additional Considerations

Candidates with prior experience providing administrative and clerical support in a criminal justice and/or legal environment will be considered. Being bi-lingual in Spanish and English 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.

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.

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

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. 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.

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

Contact Information

Name: Ashley Washington

Phone: 804-662-7249

Email: recruiting@vadefenders.org

In support of the Commonwealth’s 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 800-552-5019.

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.