The Federal Public Defender for the Western District of Washington (FPD) is hiring a full-time criminal defense paralegal to specialize in case management, including proofreading, formatting, and filing documents, while supporting attorneys and clients at all stages of a case. The paralegal should have document-production and editing experience, initiative, resourcefulness, creativity, compassion, and a desire to stand up for accused persons even when the evidence against them is strong. The FPD provides zealous and holistic legal representation to people charged with federal crimes who cannot afford an attorney.

Responsibilities: The paralegal will contribute to an inclusive office culture and collaborate with attorneys, investigators, social workers, and other staff to provide litigation support in federal district court and various appeals courts. The paralegal duties include the following:

• Format, proofread, and file pleadings in federal and state courts in compliance with office style guides and jurisdiction-specific rules and procedures

• Check citations and generate tables of contents and authorities in legal briefs

• Draft, format, proofread, and submit client letters and other correspondence

• Perform PACER and other online data searches

• Maintain case calendars in accordance with courtroom procedures and communicate with case team members about scheduling and deadlines

• Organize and help maintain electronic client files

• Assist with collecting client records

• Schedule legal calls

• Assist with electronic discovery management and organization

• Prepare materials for court hearings and trials

• Participate in team, department, and organization meetings and trainings

• Suggest and implement solutions to streamline workflow across the department, including back-up coverage for the operations unit at the discretion of the chief paralegal

Selection Criteria: The selected candidate will have a demonstrated commitment to high-quality document preparation, case management, client support, and teamwork. The paralegal must be able to manage a full caseload, prioritize tasks accordingly, and work flexible hours. The position demands excellent communication and organizational skills, proficiency with Microsoft Word and other document-preparation software, and a high degree of personal responsibility and integrity.

Requirements: The successful candidate must have a college degree (or the equivalent of three years of general experience) and a minimum of three years of specialized experience in the primary duties of this position. The duty station is in our Seattle office, and partial telework is available; full-time telework is not. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, or meet the requirements of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, and must be available to start no later than December 31, 2024. As a condition of employment, candidates must be fingerprinted and complete a background check. A prior criminal conviction is not necessarily disqualifying.

Salary and Benefits: This position has a starting salary range of $81,242 to $136,832 (Grade 11, Step 1 to Grade 14, Step 1) and a full performance salary range of $105,612 to $177,885 (Grade 11, Step 10 to Grade 14, Step 10) based on the Judicial Salary Plan effective January 1, 2024. Salary will be based on professional experience. Benefits include health, long-term care, and life insurance, plus 11 paid federal holidays, 13 days of paid sick leave, and 13 days of paid vacation leave annually. (The rate of vacation accrual increases with years of service.) The position is eligible for the Federal Employees Retirement System and the Thrift Savings Plan, which matches up to 5% of employee contributions. Salary is paid biweekly by direct deposit.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Our office values diversity, is committed to equity and inclusion, and aspires to create a culture of mutual respect, collaboration, openness, and humility that honors the people we represent. We believe representation is better when members of the defense team have diverse backgrounds and experiences. We seek a candidate who shares this belief and commitment. The FPD embraces the unique contributions our employees can bring to the office because of their backgrounds, social identities, and lived experiences.

How to Apply: Qualified persons may apply by emailing a letter of interest, résumé, and two professional references (including names, email addresses, and telephone numbers) to:

Colin Fieman

Federal Public Defender

Attn. Human Resources

Please submit application materials as PDFs via email to wawpersonnel@fd.org. Preference will be given to applications received by September 6, 2024. Only applicants granted interviews will be contacted. Initial interviews may be conducted in person or via video conference.

NO TELEPHONE INQUIRIES.