Paralegal
Location: Arlington, VA
Job Number: 5041713
Salary: $56,815
Closing Date: February 11, 2025
The Virginia Indigent Defense Commission (VIDC), a Commonwealth of Virginia Independent Agency, is dedicated to protecting and defending the rights of our clients through zealous, compassionate, high-quality legal advocacy. The Arlington Public Defender Office is now accepting applications for the position of Paralegal. The qualified candidate will provide support for attorneys, investigators, and mitigation specialists in the Public Defender’s office. The Paralegal position reports to the Public Defender of the Arlington Office and is employed at-will.
Duties:
The Office of the Public Defender for Arlington County and the City of Falls Church maintains a zealous, client-centered practice with a caseload that consists of many clients with mental health and substance use disorder diagnoses. In addition, it resides in a County where
sentencing trends are evolving, requiring substantial input from an informed, prepared group of advocates. Our paralegal plays a critical role in serving our clientele and producing information and data in support of our mission, both pretrial and at sentencing. For these reasons, in addition to traditional paralegal tasks, this position may participate in fact investigation of alleged criminal conduct, investigation of mitigation witnesses and evidence, and sentencing advocacy. Specific tasks may include:
● Assist attorneys with review of Body Worn Camera and other video and audio evidence.
● Assist attorneys in retrieving and reviewing discovery and submitting discovery responses.
● Communicate with clients and witnesses.
● Interview potential witnesses for bond and sentencing hearings.
● Collection and review of clients’ records.
● Coordinate clients’ release and/or bond plans and entry into homeless services.
● Create and maintain database of re-entry and social-behavioral resources for clients.
● Develop relationships with service providers and county stakeholders (e.g., treatment programs, Continuum of Care participants, homeless services, vocational programs, etc.).
● Monitor progress of competency clients and status in hospitalization and restoration.
● Assist with overflow sentencing advocacy and mitigation cases as needed by interviewing, requesting records, and writing memorandums.
● Coordinate expert evaluations by requesting records and communicating with clinicians.
● Communicate with clients about completion of course obligations for deferral cases and review hearings.
● Legal drafting.
● Assist attorneys in preparing cases for trial.
● Other duties as assigned.
