LEGAL ASSISTANT - CRIMINAL DIVISION

Kitsap County; Port Orchard (WA); On-site; USD 40,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a dedicated Legal Assistant to join their team. This role involves providing critical support in legal services, assisting victims during the legal process, and ensuring that their rights are recognized. The successful candidate will engage in a variety of tasks, including preparing legal documents, coordinating victim services, and maintaining accurate records. This position offers a unique opportunity to make a significant impact in the community while working in a supportive and collaborative environment. If you are passionate about legal work and helping others, this role is perfect for you.

Qualifications

• Three years of clerical experience, including two years as a legal assistant.
• Proficient in data entry, typing, and Microsoft Office.
• Equivalent combination of experience and education may substitute for qualifications.

Responsibilities

• Provide support to victims during the legal process.
• Prepare and file impact statements and restitution orders.
• Coordinate services for victims and track protective orders.

Skills

Clerical Skills

Data Entry

Typing Skills

Microsoft Office

Legal Knowledge

Education

High School Diploma

Legal Assistant Course

1 Year of College

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

The Kitsap County Prosecutor's Office has a duty to protect the safety of the people we serve by addressing criminal behavior through the criminal justice system. We have a duty to ensure the constitutional rights of defendants are not violated, as well as to ensure rights of victims are recognized. We also have statutory and constitutional duties to provide competent and timely legal services to our elected county officials as well as appointed county department heads.

The Prosecutor's Office has an exciting opportunity for a Legal Assistant to join our team.
Under the direction of the assigned supervisor, the incumbent will perform highly responsible office support and advanced administrative support work in the provision of legal services.
For more information about the Kitsap County Prosecutor's Office visit: https://spf.kitsapgov.com/pros/Pages/default.aspx
Interested candidates must upload a resume and cover letter explaining your interest in the position and qualifications.

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Three years of clerical experience to include two years experience working as a legal secretary/ assistant, paralegal or legal clerical support; AND
• Accurate and proficient data entry and typing skills, and word processing experience using Microsoft Office OR
• Any equivalent combination of experience and education which provides the applicant with the desired skills, knowledge and ability required to perform the work (one year of college, business school or equivalent level course work from a college, university or school accredited by an agency recognized by the US Department of Education in basic legal practices or closely related field may be a substituted for up to one year of experience).

PREFERRED EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, OR QUALIFICATIONS:

• Previous work experience providing clerical support for either the prosecution or defense.
• Previous work experience working for a public (Government) entity.
• Completion of a legal assistant/secretary course.

Criminal Conviction Standards:

• The successful incumbent will or may have access to a secured/confidential facility or computer system(s). As a result, Kitsap County will be conducting an extensive criminal background check by law enforcement agencies, which includes fingerprinting.
• Please review the following list of disqualifying crimes and negative actions to determine if you meet our standard for this position: https://www.dshs.wa.gov/ffa/disqualifying-list-crimes-and-negative-actions

Required Licenses, Certificates, Examinations/Tests and Other Requirements Please note : The incumbent is responsible for obtaining and maintaining all of the following required licenses, certifications and other requirements. Prior to employment, the successful candidate must :

• Submit official transcripts from an accredited college or university or business school, if education is being used to meet the minimum qualifications.
• Pass a criminal history background check through law enforcement agencies. (This position requires a security clearance. A thorough background check through law enforcement agencies and previous employers will be conducted on all applicants based on information supplied on the application and supplemental questionnaire. Kitsap County reserves the right to independently determine the applicant's prior criminal conviction record within the last ten years.)
• Demonstrate ability to be bonded and ability to obtain notary license.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT

(The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by the employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Kitsap County provides reasonable accommodation to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.)

• Requires exertion of force of 20 pounds occasionally and/or 10 pounds frequently to lift/carry/move objects, files, and other case material.
• Walking and short distances
• Reaching above and/or below shoulder
• Handling/grasping documents.
• Sitting and/or standing for extended periods of time,
• Clear speaking and adequate hearing sufficient to communicate effectively and respond appropriately in-person and/or on the telephone;
• Vision sufficient to read source materials and computer screen data.
• Repetitive motions for computer use.
• Requires exertion of force of 20 pounds occasionally, 10 pounds frequently, lift/carry/move objects, files/documents and other case material. May be required to lift/transport file boxes weighing up to 50 pounds, in which case assistance is available.
• Work is performed primarily in an office or courtroom environment.

In this role, you will have the opportunity to:

• Provide support and assistance to victims during the legal process to include: Notifying victims of hearings, court dates and resolutions; Providing information regarding the status of
  cases and explaining the criminal justice process; Attends court with victims; Assistance with completing their impact and restitution statements and contacting victims for their input
  regarding specialized court alternatives for defendants.
• Preparing, filing and issuing completed impact statements and restitution orders for pending court hearings.
• Tracking and obtaining certified copies of pre and post adjudication protective orders and providing to victims.
• Coordinating wraparound services for victims to include: information and assistance with applying for Crime Victim's Compensation; Assistance with registering for Vinelink and/or
  DOC victim services for defendant release notifications; Working with the community-based advocates to connect victims with appropriate services and coordinate victim support
  during their criminal justice participation.
• Provide post-adjudication victim support through appellate remands, Indeterminate Sentence Review Board (ISRB) hearings, Pardon and Clemency issues and Sexually Violent
  predatory hearings.
• Process post-adjudication property disposition notices.
• Grant related reporting activities to include: Running and analyzing reports from the case management system regarding grant-related positions activities and entering appropriate
  data into the InfoNet grant-reporting program for compliance with grant parameters.

• Who May Apply : This position is open to employees of the Prosecutor's Office. Applications will be screened for qualifications and completion of all the required materials and forms. The most competitive applicants may be contacted for further steps in the selection process, which may include testing for office and computer skills.
• This position is classified as eligible for overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
• This position is covered under a collective bargaining agreement with AFSCME Local 1308. Internal applicants should be aware that a change in union status or bargaining unit may impact your benefits and accruals. Please contact Human Resources if you have questions.
• Kitsap County is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please contact our Human Resources Office.
• This recruitment is being used to fill an existing open position, and may be used to fill future openings for up to six (6) months.
• Work hours for this position are Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.