PARALEGAL - Public Defender's Office

The Tucson Public Defender's Office is seeking a qualified and dedicated individual to provide paralegal support.    Applicants must be comfortable working in a fast-paced environment and providing support for multiple attorneys.

This position assists with case planning, development, and management; conducts legal research, drafts and analyzes legal documents; and collects, compiles, and utilizes technical knowledge to assist attorneys. Duties for this position also include, but are not limited to the following: downloading videos from Body Worn Cameras; conducting jail visits; filing documents in other jurisdictions; requesting documents from law enforcement agencies; working in case management system to include generating documents/pleadings; communicating with clients/witnesses and downloading disclosure

Performs paralegal work by following direction of supervisor.

Conducts legal research at behest of writing supervisors, drafts original legal pleadings, motions, and statements.

Performs necessary investigatory work using available resources to locate a current address and contact information for potential witnesses for trials.

Assists with trial preparations by coordinating witnesses and experts, scheduling court appearances, preparing subpoenas, organizing exhibits, drafting jury instructions, arranging equipment needed for visual aids, composing correspondence, and tracking deadlines and calendars.

Performs clerical duties by creating, indexing, maintaining, closing, and archiving case files as required, as well as keeping attorneys apprised of deadlines, assembling trial and appellate notebooks, and transcribing dictation and audio recordings.

An Associate's degree in paralegal or legal assistant studies from an accredited college, or a Bachelor’s or higher degree in a related field such as law, business, legal secretary, criminal justice, or political science, from an accredited college or university AND two (2) years of relevant experience working in a legal setting, under the direction of an attorney, performing functions consistent with paralegal or legal assistant duties.

OR

A certificate of completion in paralegal or legal assistant studies from an American Bar Association-approved program at an accredited college or university AND two (2) years of relevant experience working in a legal setting, under the direction of an attorney, performing functions consistent with paralegal or legal assistant duties..

An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the essential functions of this position may be considered.

This position requires excellent communication, organizational, and prioritization skills, as well as comprehensive knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite and the ability to type 35+ wpm. This position is the first level of the Paralegal series.

In addition to meeting the Minimum Qualifications, the ideal candidate will also have work experience supporting criminal defense attorneys, experience with filing documents in City and State Court, be able to type NET 35 wpm or greater, and be bilingual in Spanish and/or other languages.

Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be evaluated on the education and work experience in their employment profile and the responses to their supplemental questions. The highest scoring applicants will then be invited to participate in virtual Oral Board interviews.

*It is important to note that the City of Tucson uses Microsoft Teams for its virtual interviews. Please ensure that you have access to this software application.

Oral boards will be held the week of February 14, 2022.

Upon completion of all examination processes, the highest scoring applicants will be placed on the Civil Service Employment List.  An applicant's ranking on the Civil Service list will be based on their final score which will be calculated as:    

• 10% of your rating for training & experience 
• 90% of your rating for oral board interview score

This recruitment will establish a civil service list that will be utilized to fill vacancies occurring within the next 6 months.

Veterans, Native American, or Disability preference points will be added to the final score for those that are placed on the Civil Service Employment List.  If you qualify for preference points as outlined in the Employment Profile, you must present your documentation at the time of your interview.  The DD 214 must be a copy that indicates characterization of service.   If you are in need of Americans with Disabilities Act-related accommodation during the testing process, please email Pilar Jauregui at Pilar.Jauregui@tucsonaz.gov at least 48 hours prior to the evaluation.  

You are encouraged to print this bulletin because it contains important dates and information that will not be available online once this position closes. Communications throughout this process will be sent via email exclusively so please ensure your browser accepts emails from jobs@tucsonaz.gov and check your email account regularly; this may include your junk box/spam filter. Failure to respond or follow instructions will result in disqualification.

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**The City of Tucson values the safety of our employees, our residents, our community, and our visitors. In support of these values, if you are selected for this job, you must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, except when vaccination is not medically advised or violates your sincerely held religious beliefs. If you are invited to join our team, you must submit proof that you are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to your initial HR representative, or you must request an exemption from your representative. New employees must either provide proof of vaccination or be granted a medical or religious exemption before working with the City of Tucson.**

To ensure accurate payroll information for tax purposes, the successful candidate will need to provide their original Social Security Card or original letter from the Social Security Administration with their social security number prior to beginning work with the City of Tucson.

The City of Tucson hires lawful workers only - US citizens or nationals and non-citizens with valid work authorization - without discrimination. Federal immigration laws require all employers to verify both the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States. In its efforts to meet the law's requirements, the City of Tucson participates in the E-Verify program established by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) to aid employers in verifying the eligibility of workers.

Retired City of Tucson employees receiving benefits from the Tucson Supplemental Retirement System who are considering reemployment with the City should be aware that pursuant to Section 22-37(g) of the Tucson City Code, retirement benefits shall be suspended during the period of reemployment with the City of Tucson unless you have been separated at least twelve consecutive months before returning to work AND you return to a non-permanent employment classification. Creditable service does not accrue during any reemployment period.