Paralegal - Arlington

Title: Paralegal - Arlington

State Role Title: Paralegal - Arlington

Hiring Range: $26.50 per hour

Agency: Indigent Defense Commission

Location: ARLINGTON 322

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 Arlington Public Defender Office is now accepting applications for the position of Paralegal. This temporary position will not start until July 2024 and will primarily involve supporting the existing mitigation team. The qualified candidate will also provide support for attorneys and investigators as needed. The Paralegal position reports to the Chief Public Defender of the Arlington Office and is employed at-will. Funding for the temporary position is anticipated to end by the end of October 25, 2024; highly-qualified candidates who can work full-time for the summer, but only part-time thereafter, will be considered.

Duties:

• Meet with clients and their families to prepare for reentry and/or sentencing.
• Collect sentencing evidence, such as letters of support, witness testimony, treatment, and school records.
• Conduct treatment program referrals.
• Help formulate and draft reentry plans.
• Review body-worn camera footage.
• Collect and review discovery and Brady material.

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

• Comfort interacting with clients, including clients diagnosed with substance abuse disorders and mental health diagnoses.
• Comfort in a jail environment.
• Ability to prioritize short-term and long-term projects appropriately.
• Strong analytical skills and demonstrated ability to organize and analyze complex information.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to help staff manage a large caseload in various stages of the administrative/legal process.
• Ability to work independently with limited supervision.
• Ability to demonstrate initiative in meeting deadlines and goals.
• Education or experience performing paralegal work.

Additional Considerations

• Experience working with incarcerated individuals.
• Experience working in a jail or prison environment.

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.

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: 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.