Job Description

The Alaska Department of Administration, Division of Office and Public Advocacy is recruiting for Paralegal 1 position located in Juneau!

What you will be doing:


The Paralegal will receive on-the-job training to assist attorneys in drafting and filing legal documents, to act as a liaison for attorneys and clients, and to assist preparing for hearings and trials. You\xe2\x80\x99ll learn to manage discovery and court calendars, maintain ongoing communication with clients, parties, and the courts, and meet the administrative needs of the office. You\xe2\x80\x99ll be familiar with the details of cases and be invited to offer your perspective, making this a great opportunity to work as a part of a collaborative legal team.


Our organization, mission, and culture:


The Office of Public Advocacy has offices throughout the State, each serving the needs of the public in different ways. The Juneau Criminal and Parental Representation Section (JCR) primarily represents defendants in criminal cases, parents and children involved with OCS, kids in juvenile delinquency matters, and respondents in guardianship proceedings. JCR handles a wide variety of challenging cases, and the office is committed to protecting its clients\xe2\x80\x99 constitutional rights and well-being every instance. With JCR you\xe2\x80\x99ll work closely with a team of two attorneys and one investigator to provide top-notch legal representation to clients throughout Southeast.
Benefits of joining our team: At JCR, you\xe2\x80\x99ll make a difference in people\xe2\x80\x99s lives just by coming to work each day. You will gain experience across multiple legal specialties, covering a large geographic area. Our office works regularly with private attorneys, attorneys general, guardians ad litem, court visitors, court staff, and more. You\xe2\x80\x99ll become intimately familiar with many facets of the legal system and develop a skillset that is broadly applicable in the legal field.

The working conditions you can expect: JCR is located in the State Office Building in downtown Juneau. Our office hours are 8:00 to 4:30 Monday through Friday, although the demands of this work occasionally necessitate odd hours. On an average day, plenty of time is spent on the phone, on a computer, and bouncing between courtrooms. Who we are looking for:

• Ability to develop and maintain friendly, effective relationships with other professionals, as well as individuals who are in distress, establishing clear communication with patience and understanding.
• Adept with technology\xe2\x80\x94savvy with computers, online applications and the ability to navigate unfamiliar systems and software applications.
• Time management skills, including the ability to work under pressure with numerous interruptions, and the ability to prioritize and expedite tasks.
• Organizational skills\xe2\x80\x94ability to organize and maintain large volumes of documentation and digital files.
• A commitment to teamwork, cooperation, pride, and trust.

To view the general de scription and example of duties for the position please go to the following link: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/Alaska/classspecs
Special Notes:

• Valid Driver`s License preferred.
  
  Ability to obtain State of Alaska Notary Public certification -Alaska Notary Law - Title 44, chapter 44.50
• This position may use the Alaska Public Safety Information Network (APSIN); the incumbent must be able to pass a criminal background check per 13 AAC 68.215

Minimum Qualifications

Any combination of education and/or experience that provides the applicant with competencies in:

• 
  Attention to Detail: Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail.
• Interpersonal Skills: Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences.
• Reading: Understands and interprets written material, including technical material, rules, regulations, instructions, reports, charts, graphs, or tables; applies what is learned from written material to specific situations.
• Written Communication: Writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience.

Equivalent to those typically gained by:
Post-secondary and/or vocational education in a legal or legal support area and/or experience preparing, reviewing, or processing legal documents such as affidavits, court reports, demand letters, discovery requests or responses, hearing transcripts, memoranda of advice/instruction/understanding, letters of agreement, motions, legal opinions, subpoenas, and/or writs.

Special Note:
Positions may require incumbents to be able to obtain a Notary Public upon hire, and to be able to pass a criminal background check to meet security requirements for using criminal record networks such as Alaska Public Safety Information Network (APSIN) and National Crime Enforcement Information Center/National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (NCIC/NLETS). If this requirement is present, it will be stated in the vacancy announcement.

Additional Required Information

At time of application, applicants are requested to submit:

• Cover letter - see instructions below.

At time of interview, applicants are requested to submit:

• Three (3) professional references with current daytime phone numbers

Please read the below information carefully. This applies to your application submission.

COVER LETTER
A cover letter is required for this position . The cover letter should be in a standard business format. The cover letter should be a short letter (a paragraph or two) describing how your knowledge, skills, and abilities and/or education meets the minimum qualifications.

EDUCATION
If post-secondary education is required to meet the minimum qualifications, you must fill in the Education section of the application. If you have not obtained a degree, please indicate the number of units completed. Copies of transcripts are required to verify educational credentials if used to meet the minimum qualifications for a position. Transcripts can be attached at the time of application or within 48 hours of the close of this recruitment to the contact person listed below.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR FOREIGN EDUCATION
Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above requirements, if applicable. If utilizing this education you must show that the education credentials have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and that such education has been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs; or an accredited U.S. state university reports the other institution as one whose transcript is given full value, or full value is given in subject areas applicable to the curricula at the state university. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying.

WORK EXPERIENCE
If using work experience not already documented in your application, also provide the employer\xe2\x80\x99s name, your job title, dates of employment, and whether full-or part-time. Applications will be reviewed to determine if the responses are supported and minimum qualifications are clearly met. If they are not, the applicant may not advance to the interview and selection phase of the recruitment.
NOTE: Attaching a resume or curriculum vitae is not an alternative to filling out the application in its entirety. Noting "see resume or CV" or any similar response on any portion of your application may lead to a determination your application is incomplete and removal from consideration for this job posting.


APPLICATION NOTICE
You can ONLY apply for this position through the Workplace Alaska website or via hardcopy application. If you accessed this recruitment bulletin through a job search portal such as AlaskaJobs or any other database, you MUST use a Workplace Alaska online or hardcopy application to successfully apply. Instructions on how to apply with Workplace Alaska may be found on the Workplace Alaska "How to Apply" webpage, found here: http://doa.alaska.gov/dop/workplace/help/


EEO STATEMENT
The State of Alaska complies with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Individuals with disabilities, who require accommodation, auxiliary aides or services, or alternative communication formats, please call 1-800-587-0430 or (907) 465-4095 in Juneau or TTY: Alaska Relay 711 or 1-800-770-8973 or correspond with the Division of Personnel & Labor Relations at: P.O. Box 110201, Juneau, AK 99811-0201. The State of Alaska is an equal opportunity employer.

NOTICE
If you choose to be contacted by email, please ensure your email address is correct on your application and that the spam filter will permit email from the \xe2\x80\x98govermentjobs.com\xe2\x80\x99 domains. For information on allowing emails from the \xe2\x80\x98governmentjobs.com\xe2\x80\x99 domains, visit the Lost Password Help page located at https://www.governmentjobs.com/OnlineApplication/User/ResetPassword.


WORKPLACE ALASKA APPLICATION QUESTIONS & ASSISTANCE
Questions regarding application submission or system operation errors should be directed to the Workplace Alaska hotline at 1-800-587-0430 (toll free) or (907) 465-4095 if you are located in the Juneau area. Requests for information may also be emailed to recruitment.services@alaska.gov.
For applicant password assistance please visit: https://www.governmentjobs.com/OnlineApplication/User/ResetPassword
Contact Information

For specific information in reference to the position please contact the hiring manager:


Amy Hoagland
amy.hoagland@alaska.gov




Careers with the State of Alaska offer MANY benefits
The following information describes typical benefits available to employees of the State of Alaska. Actual benefits received may differ by bargaining unit or branch of government, position type, or be prorated for other than full time work.

For a quick breakdown of the insurance, health, and retirement benefits available for State Employees you can view an orientation video from Division of Retirement and Benefits. (Please note this video is specifically designed for new State Employees.)

Insurance Benefits

• Health insurance, which includes employer contributions toward medical/vision/dental
  • The following employee groups are under AlaskaCare Benefits administered by the State: See http://doa.alaska.gov/drb/programs/index.html for additional information.
    • AVTEC
    • Confidential
    • Correctional Officers
    • Marine Engineers
    • Mt. Edgecumbe Teachers
    • Supervisory
    • Unlicensed Vessel Personnel/Inland Boatman\'s Union
    • Exempt employees (not covered by collective bargaining)
  • The following employee groups are covered by Union health trusts. Contact the appropriate Union for additional information.
    • General Government
    • Labor, Trades and Crafts
    • Public Safety Employees Association
    • Masters, Mates & Pilots
• Employer paid Basic Life insurance with additional coverage available (amount depends on Bargaining Unit)

Optional Insurance Benefits

• Group-based insurance premiums for
  • Term life (employee, spouse or qualified same sex partner, and dependents)
  • Long-term and short-term disability
  • Accidental Death and Dismemberment
  • Long-term care (self and eligible family members)
  • Supplemental Survivor Benefits
• Employee-funded flexible spending accounts for tax savings on eligible health care or dependent care expenses

Retirement Benefits

• Membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)/Teachers\' Retirement System (TRS)
• Matching employer contribution into a defined contribution program (new employees)
• Employer contribution into a defined benefit or defined contribution program (current employees)
• Contributions to the Alaska Supplemental Annuity Plan in lieu of contributions to Social Security
• Option to enroll in the Alaska Deferred Compensation Program
• Note: The Defined Contribution Plan, Supplemental Annuity Plan and Deferred Compensation Program offer a variety of investment options

See http://doa.alaska.gov/drb/retirement/index.html for additional information
Paid Leave & Other Benefits

• Personal leave with an accrual rate increase based on time served
• Eleven paid holidays a year
• Gym discounts at participating fitness providers in multiple locations throughout the state.

See http://doa.alaska.gov/drb/ghlb/employee/health/gymListing.html for additional information