Legal Assistant - Justice - Family Justice Section

The Office of the Utah Attorney General, Family Justice Section, is seeking a Legal Assistant to support the Criminal Nonsupport Team. Applicants must be strongly motivated and have exceptional organizational skills. This team’s primary focus is the criminal prosecution and enforcement of child support orders. It is an opportunity to help children in Utah by participating in complex legal cases involving cutting edge issues. Successful applicants will attend some court hearings and at times may be required to testify. Additionally, applicants must be able to handle discussions of cases involving child sexual abuse material. 

This position may be filled at any of the following levels:

• Legal Assistant I (0-2 years experience)
• Legal Assistant II (3-4 years experience)
• Legal Assistant III (5+ years experience)

• Maintain master calendar for all court hearings, trials, meetings, etc.
• Review and evaluate debt computations for accuracy.
• Enter cases into case management database.
• Track motion/response deadlines.
• Write or draft correspondence, reports, documents and/or other written materials.
• Coordinate meetings, documents, obtain discovery evidence with and from case agents and other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
• Assist in responding to GRAMA requests.
• Respond to discovery requests, prepare responsive pleadings and ensure discovery provided to defense.  Ensure supplemental discovery is provided.
• Schedule witnesses for appearance at hearings or trials.
• Coordinate meetings with expert witnesses and ensure their attendance at court.
• Prepare trial or hearing materials including designing questionnaires, organizing evidence, preparing trial displays and exhibits, locating, obtaining, tracking and disseminating information/evidence.
• Ensure copies of exhibits are provided to defense in advance, prepare courtesy copies for judge, jury, and witnesses.
• Trial case manager.  Assist with jury selection, take notes during testimony, ensure exhibits have been offered and received, and all witnesses are in attendance.
• Track statistical information for case reporting.
• Respond to telephone calls from victims, victim attorneys/advocates, and attorneys.
• Prepare files for archiving, inventory boxes, and submit to Archives Record Center.

(includes knowledge, skills, and abilities required upon entry into position and trainable after entry into position):

• Familiarity with Excel and Word 
• Familiarity with e-filing, basic legal terminology, criminal and civil court rules procedures and protocol.
• Familiarity with statutes governing access to public and private records (Government Records Access and Management Act (GRAMA)).
• Ability to perform legal research using case law and appropriate techniques.
• Proficiency in automated software applications and database management software. Familiarity with Filevine preferred. 
• Review and/or edit documents for accuracy and completeness.
• Ability to problem solve, identify key facts, explore alternatives, and propose quality solutions.

• Associates Degree in Paralegal Studies (program completion at accredited institution consisting of 60 semester hours or equivalent quarter hours, with 15 hours of substantive legal courses); Bachelors Degree in a related field; or NALA, NFPA or NALS certifications.
• Risks found in the typical office setting, which is adequately lighted, heated and ventilated, e.g., safe use of office equipment, avoiding trips and falls, observing fire regulations, etc.
• Typically, the employee may sit comfortably to perform the work; however, there may be some walking; standing; bending; carrying light items; driving an automobile, etc. Special physical demands are not required to perform the work.
• Requires compliance with the ABA Legal Assistant code of ethics.