Paralegal - Public Defender (Prescott)

The Public Defender’s Office has a rewarding opportunity for a paralegal assisting our attorneys in case preparation. The ideal candidate will be experienced in a legal environment with attorney-delegated paralegal duties.  All candidates will demonstrate strong legal research, legal writing, and proofreading skills.  All candidates will be required to have or become a Certified Paralegal with NALA within one year of employment. 

Here in Yavapai County Government, we live each day by our core values of Compassion, Integrity, Collaboration, and Innovation. We do what we do because we care for our community and because people matter. The County Public Defender’s Office has also developed their own department mission and values. We at the PDO strive to ensure access to justice for all people. 

OUR WHY

We ensure access to justice for all people.

OUR POV

We live our why by being diligent, fearless, and principled in our pursuit of justice.

OUR NON-NEGOTIABLE VALUES

Dedication

We show up well prepared and are committed to our why.

Courageousness

We are bold, creative, and accessible every day.

Honorable

We are honest, authentic, and trustworthy in our actions.

We are a collegial paperless office where all employees have the option to work remotely from their homes in a hybrid arrangement or in the office full-time. We stress work-life balance and manage our caseloads to ensure it. We would love to talk to you about our office and your interests.

• Reviews relevant facts of case, researches case law, confers with attorneys, and drafts legal documents.
• Provides legal assistance and case management functions for attorneys in the department, prioritizes assignments, and performs duties within scope of authority and training, and in compliance with policies and procedures.
• Drafts motions, arguments, briefs, petitions, changes of plea, and other legal pleadings as directed.
• Formats, types, proofreads, and checks legal citations of letters, memoranda, and various legal pleadings. 
• Calendars deadlines and hearing dates.
• Confers with attorneys, defense team, experts, lay witnesses monitors cases, and prepares trial notebooks.
• Prepares and assists attorneys at court hearings and trials. 
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Education: 
Associate’s degree in paralegal studies.

Experience:  
A minimum of two (2) years of progressively responsible experience in a legal environment charged with attorney-delegated legal assistant duties.

Additional Requirements:
Must possess a valid Arizona driver’s license.
Possess or obtain Certified Paralegal (CP) status with National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) within one year of employment.