The Law Department consists of three divisions: The City Attorney’s Office, The City Prosecutor’s Office, and Management Services. The Prosecutor's Office is seeking a Legal Assistant to join the Legal Assistant Unit (LAU) team. This office prosecutes misdemeanor crimes that occur within the City of Phoenix such as DUI, domestic violence, shoplifting, indecent exposure, threats, criminal damage, and trespass.

The Legal Assistant collaborates with criminal staff attorneys to prepare a case by conducting legal research and obtaining facts or evidence needed.

Essential duties include:

• Performing case preparation duties, including reviewing case records, assembling necessary information, and updating case progress in case files and electronic computer databases.
• Interacting with other criminal justice agencies to gather evidence/information.
• Analyzing, interpreting, and reporting research findings in detailed written form.
• Locating and interviewing witnesses.
• Drafting letters and motions.
• Responding to written discovery requests.
• Investigating evidentiary problems.
• Completing criminal history checks of defendants, victims, and witnesses.
• Redacting victim identifying information from documents, audio recordings, and video recordings.
• Providing back-up coverage to the Legal Assistants and the Discovery Clerk.

• Knowledge of:
  • Research methods.
  • Municipal Law, Rules of Evidence, Arizona Rules of Criminal Procedure, Arizona Revised Statutes, Arizona Public Records law, Federal Privacy Act; Freedom of Information Act; and the City Charter and Code.
  • Procedures, functions, and inter-relationship for the criminal justice system.
• Ability to:
  • Plan and organize workload to comply with established time constraints.
  • Work cooperatively with other employees, customers, clients, and the public.
  • Comprehend and make inferences from written materials.
  • Effectively communicate orally in the English language with customers, clients, and the public.
• Strong computer and research skills.
• Proficiency using Microsoft Word and Excel.

$20.91 (minimum) - $30.65 (maximum) hourly / $43,492.80 - $63,752.00 annually. Candidates may be hired up to $63,752.00 depending upon qualifications.

The City of Phoenix is currently undergoing a classification and compensation study, moving one step closer to our goal of becoming a market leader and Arizona’s premier public sector employer. Salary range adjustments from the study will take effect, pending final approval from the City Council, on August 7, 2023.

A comprehensive benefits package is offered which includes:

• Traditional pension with employer and employee contributions, click here for more details: Pension Information
• 401(a) and 457 plans with employer contributions
• Choice of generous medical HMO, PPO, or HSA/HDHP plans
• Medical enrollment includes a monthly $150 City contribution to a Post-Employment Health Plan
• Wellness incentive of up to $720 annually
• Dental, vision, and life insurance options
• Employer paid long-term disability
• Free Bus/light rail pass
• Tuition reimbursement program up to $6,500 per year
• Paid time off includes 13.5 paid holidays, 12 vacation days, and 15 sick days and personal leave days
• Paid Parental Leave for eligible employees up to 480 hours (12 weeks) of paid leave for the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child during a 12-month period
• Federal Student Loan Forgiveness offered through Savi

For more details, visit: Unit 003 Benefits

• Associate of arts and sciences degree in a legal assistant program or related field or a combination of experience and training equal to completion of a two year legal assistant educational program;
• Supplemented by courses and/or practical experience in criminal law, the criminal justice system, and legal research and writing.
• Other combinations of experience and education that meet the minimum requirements may be substituted
• The City job description can be found here.
• All finalists for positions are subject to a criminal background check applicable to the department or position.
• Candidates who receive a conditional offer of employment must be fingerprinted and will have their fingerprints used to check the Criminal History Records of the State of Arizona Department of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Any records returned will be reviewed to determine the candidate’s suitability for the job.
• For information regarding pre-screening and driving positions, click here.

The minimum qualifications listed above, plus:

• Experience in/with:
  • Working in a high-volume caseload environment.
  • Working in a legal office for a prosecutor, defense attorney, or a court.
  • Conducting prior conviction research for defendants, victims, and witnesses.
  • Redacting video, audio, and documents.
  • Ordering and obtaining evidence.
  • Rules of Court, Evidence, Discovery, and Victims' Rights.
  • Investigative and interviewing techniques and procedures.
  • Working with minimal supervision is desired.
  • Municipal law.
• Bilingual in Spanish is desirable.

Recruitment closes May 23, 2023. All materials must be received by 11:59 p.m. on this date.

This is a position-based recruitment and generates a one time use only list. Once interviews are conducted and candidates are selected, this job posting will be considered closed and candidates will no longer be in consideration for the position applied for. This posting will not result in any ongoing eligibility list.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to an imminent need to fill this vacancy, interviews for this process are tentatively scheduled to occur the week of May 30th. Please be prepared for a quick turnaround on interview scheduling.

Apply online by completing the required information and attaching, as one document, your cover letter and resume. Please include your experience as it relates to the qualifications stated above. Only the highest qualified may be posted to the eligible to hire list. The results of the resume screening process will be sent to your primary email address.

• Job interviews may be held by video or audio conference.
• If you are in need of computer resources, click here for free options.
• Arizona at Work has frequent classes to help with resume writing, interviewing skills, and general career guidance. Click here for more information.
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• If you need assistance applying for this job, please contact our HR Connection Center at (602) 495-5700.

Legal Assistant, JC:10030, ID# 50516, 05/16/23, USM, initials, Benefits:003

Building the Phoenix of tomorrow.

City of Phoenix is an equal opportunity employer. AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and other national service alumni who meet the required qualifications are encouraged to apply.