Experienced Criminal Defense Paralegal - Phoenix, AZ

Socket.dev; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

Grand Canyon Law Group is seeking an experienced criminal defense paralegal familiar with Arizona criminal cases and Central Arizona courts. The role requires independent discovery review, timely handling of disclosures, and strong organizational skills to support attorneys through hearings, trials, and sentencing.

Ideal candidates have felony and misdemeanor case exposure, can manage deadlines, and communicate compassionately with clients under stress while maintaining accuracy and

Qualifications

• Certificate of completion from an accredited paralegal program.
• Minimum of two years of direct Arizona criminal law paralegal experience.
• Experience supporting felony and misdemeanor cases.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Review, organize, and summarize criminal discovery including police reports, body cam footage, dash cam footage, interviews, photos, audio, lab/forensic reports, and medical records.
• Identify missing or incomplete disclosures and escalate appropriately.
• Prepare discovery summaries, case timelines, witness lists, and outlines for attorney review.
• Draft and prepare criminal pleadings and documents under attorney supervision.
• Maintain accurate electronic case files and calendar court appearances and deadlines.
• Communicate with clients, courts, prosecutors, and the legal team.
• Assist with hearing, sentencing, evidentiary, and trial preparation.

Skills

Criminal law paralegal

Communication skills

Organization

Education

Paralegal certificate or completion

Tools

Clio

Microsoft Office 365

Job description

Description

Grand Canyon Law Group is seeking an experienced Criminal Defense Paralegal who knows Arizona criminal cases, understands the courts throughout Central Arizona, and can help move a case forward without waiting to be told what comes next.

This is not an entry-level paralegal position.

We are looking for someone who has worked directly on felony and misdemeanor cases, can independently review discovery, recognizes when disclosure is missing, and understands the urgency behind court deadlines. You should be comfortable communicating with clients who are facing one of the most stressful experiences of their lives while also maintaining the organization, accuracy, and accountability required in a high-performing criminal defense firm.

The right person is sharp, steady, proactive, and exceptionally organized. You know the difference between completing a task and taking ownership of a case. You follow up, close loops, anticipate what the attorney will need, and speak up when something does not look right.

If you are an experienced criminal defense paralegal who takes pride in excellent work, strong systems, and helping attorneys deliver exceptional representation, we want to meet you.

About the Firm

Grand Canyon Law Group is an Arizona criminal defense firm dedicated to helping good people accused of a crime take control of their case and save their future.

Our work is grounded in three core values:

• Compassion
• Honesty
• Results

We believe exceptional criminal defense requires more than courtroom skill. It requires clear communication, organized case management, consistent follow-through, and a team that genuinely cares about the people it represents.

Our paralegals are not treated as administrative afterthoughts. They are essential members of the legal team and play a direct role in case preparation, client confidence, attorney effectiveness, and the overall success of the firm

Requirements

What You Will Do

• Support attorneys handling felony and misdemeanor criminal matters throughout Central Arizona
• Review, organize, and summarize complex criminal discovery, including:
  • Police reports
  • Body camera footage
  • Dash camera footage
  • Recorded interviews
  • Photographs
  • Audio recordings
  • Laboratory and forensic reports
  • Medical records
  • Supplemental disclosure
  • Digital and electronic evidence
• Identify missing, incomplete, inconsistent, or outstanding disclosure
• Prepare clear discovery summaries, case timelines, witness lists, and issue outlines for attorney review
• Track disclosure requests and follow up until outstanding materials are received or appropriately escalated
• Draft and prepare legal documents under attorney supervision, including:
  • Notices of Appearance
  • Requests for Discovery
  • Motions to Compel
  • Motions to Modify Release Conditions
  • Settlement memoranda
  • Sentencing memoranda
  • Subpoenas
  • Records requests
  • Client and court correspondence
  • Other criminal pleadings and case documents
• Assist attorneys with hearing, sentencing, evidentiary, and trial preparation
• Maintain accurate, organized, and current electronic case files
• Calendar court appearances, filing deadlines, internal deadlines, and follow-up tasks with exceptional accuracy
• Monitor court dockets and case activity
• Coordinate with attorneys, courts, prosecutors, law enforcement agencies, experts, treatment providers, clients, and internal team members
• Communicate consistently and compassionately with clients by phone, email, and text
• Help clients understand case updates, upcoming obligations, and what to expect next
• Maintain professional boundaries while building trust with clients and their families
• Prioritize competing assignments and respond effectively when case needs change
• Follow through on outstanding matters without constant reminders
• Document work and substantive client communications in Clio
• Track productive time accurately and consistently
• Collaborate with attorneys and other paralegals to ensure cases continue progressing

Central Arizona Court Experience

This position will primarily support matters in:

• Maricopa County
• Pinal County
• Gila County
• Other Central Arizona jurisdictions as assigned

Experience in Yavapai County is a plus because the firm’s regional coverage may include matters in that area.

We are particularly interested in candidates with experience in:

• Maricopa County Superior Court
• Pinal County Superior Court
• Arizona municipal and city courts
• Arizona justice courts
• Felony and misdemeanor filing procedures
• Cases involving multiple courts or jurisdictions

You do not need to have worked in every individual court. However, you must have meaningful Arizona criminal law experience and be comfortable learning and navigating different local procedures.

What Success Looks Like

Successful paralegals at Grand Canyon Law Group do more than maintain files. They create forward movement.

In this role, success means:

• Attorneys receive organized, useful discovery summaries rather than a folder of unsorted documents
• Missing disclosure is identified and addressed before it creates a problem
• Clients receive timely, compassionate, and accurate communication
• Court dates and deadlines are entered correctly and never allowed to disappear into the noise
• Case files tell the complete story of what has happened, what is pending, and what needs to happen next
• Attorneys can prepare for hearings and trials knowing the details have been handled
• Tasks are completed fully, accurately, and on time
• Concerns are raised early rather than after a deadline or client issue develops
• You take ownership of your responsibilities without needing constant oversight

Performance Expectations

• Track a minimum of six productive hours per workday
• Meet an annual productivity goal of at least 1,440 hours
• Maintain 100% accuracy and compliance with court deadlines and calendaring requirements
• Complete at least 95% of assigned case-management tasks on time
• Maintain complete and current case notes in Clio
• Respond to clients and internal team members promptly
• Complete work with urgency, accuracy, and attention to detail
• Proactively identify missing information, upcoming deadlines, and potential case issues
• Maintain ownership of assigned work through completion

Required Qualifications

• Certificate of completion from an accredited paralegal program
• Minimum of two years of direct criminal law paralegal experience in Arizona
• Meaningful experience supporting felony criminal cases
• Experience supporting misdemeanor criminal cases
• Strong experience reviewing and summarizing criminal discovery
• Ability to identify missing or incomplete disclosure and elevate concerns appropriately
• Experience drafting criminal defense pleadings and related case documents
• Working knowledge of Arizona criminal court procedures and filing practices
• Experience working in Maricopa County or other Central Arizona courts
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Exceptional organization and attention to detail
• Sound judgment and the confidence to raise potential issues
• Ability to prioritize effectively in a fast-moving environment
• Ability to manage frequent client communication with professionalism, patience, and empathy
• Ability to work independently while remaining accountable to attorneys and the broader legal team
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365
• Experience using legal case-management software

Preferred Qualifications

• Three or more years of direct Arizona criminal defense experience
• Experience in Maricopa, Pinal, and Gila counties
• Experience in Yavapai County
• Experience working on serious or complex felony matters
• Experience preparing cases for evidentiary hearings and jury trials
• Clio experience
• Bilingual English/Spanish