Legal Assistant

About the Role

As a CGS Legal Assistant, you will work under the direction of a Supervisory Paralegal or Project Supervisor, providing litigation and administrative support to a group of United States Attorneys. CGS brings motivated, highly skilled, and creative people together to solve the government’s most dynamic problems with cutting-edge technology. We seek candidates who are excited to contribute to government innovation, appreciate collaboration, and can anticipate the needs of others. Here at CGS, we offer an environment that supports professional growth through various learning opportunities.

Responsibilities

• Provide a variety of direct legal support assistance services, including:
  • Receive and review incoming material and independently determine the need for assembly and preparation of legal documents (e.g., charging instruments, motions, orders, pleadings, deposition notices, trial subpoenas, and grand jury subpoenas).
  • Consider the nature and status of the case when preparing documents.
  • Proofread and edit drafts of legal documents such as motions, orders, correspondence, discovery requests and responses, and other pleadings.
  • Prepare recurring legal documents that conform to style and format rules.
  • Electronically file documents on behalf of attorneys with the appropriate state or federal court, applying knowledge of local court rules and practices.
• Assist with trial preparation by:
  • Compiling trial notebooks and witness and exhibit lists.
  • Preparing and tracking grand jury subpoenas and returns.
  • Aiding in processing and organizing legal data and supportive material.
• Organize, process, and copy documents in accordance with requirements, including assembling record materials for court filings.
• Compose original letters requiring a working knowledge of legal procedures and specialized terminology (e.g., transmittal of pleadings, requests for extensions of time, advising of case developments).
• Perform ancillary office support functions requiring subject-matter knowledge of United States Attorneys programs and operations, such as:
  • Docketing duties (opening, updating, and closing cases using an automated case tracking system).
  • Obligating funds for litigation expenses and monitoring necessity.
  • Reviewing bills and invoices and submitting them for payment.
  • Maintaining calendars for assigned active cases, tracking filing, hearing, and trial dates, and scheduling conferences and interviews.
  • Developing and maintaining a suspense system for ongoing cases and informing attorneys of pending deadlines.
  • Scheduling appointments, interviews, and conferences, and providing reminders of commitments and court appearances.
• Assemble physical and electronic files for new cases by:
  • Filing materials in chronological order.
  • Preparing and printing conflict of interest sheets for assigned attorneys.
  • Numbering initial case materials and discovery.
  • Sending additional discovery to outside parties as directed by the assigned attorney.
• Prepare files for closing by:
  • Organizing documents in chronological order.
  • Ensuring relevant documents are included in the file.
  • Preparing a closing sheet for the assigned attorney’s signature.
• Provide front-office support, including:
  • Receiving visitors and answering telephones.
  • Referring callers to staff members or taking messages.
  • Delivering and retrieving papers from the federal courthouse.
  • Furnishing requested information about pending and closed matters, office functions, and general procedures.
  • Determining which matters should be referred to the AUSA and assessing urgency.
• Attend meetings and trainings as required.
• Produce written documents and materials using office software applications (e.g., MS Word, Excel, Outlook, Access, Adobe Acrobat Professional, or other databases), including:
  • Integrating output from different software types (e.g., tables, charts, graphs) into legal documents or courtroom presentations.
  • Ensuring all documents contain proper format, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and grammar.
• Provide automated litigation assistance to attorneys in trial preparation and courtroom presentations, including:
  • Transcribing dictation.
  • Utilizing software applications and graphics hardware (e.g., scanners, plotters).
  • Preparing documents, charts, and visual materials for trials.
  • Providing technical support (e.g., enlarging charts and photographs, duplicating tapes and videos, marking exhibits).
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Requirements

• At least one year of specialized litigation experience (three or more years preferred).
• Specialized experience includes:
  • Reviewing legal documents (e.g., complaints, motions, orders, pleadings, subpoenas) for completeness.
  • Retrieving and assembling information for hearings or trials.
  • Researching legal sources to obtain or verify information.
  • Maintaining file systems.
  • Using automated software to produce legal reports, documents, correspondence, and related materials.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Hands-on familiarity with computer applications such as MS Word, MS Excel, MS Outlook, and Adobe Acrobat.
• Ability to deliver high-quality work under extreme pressure.
• Ability to obtain a Public Trust Security Clearance.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Life insurance.
• 401k retirement plan.
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) for health, dependent care, and commuter expenses.
• Paid Time Off and observance of state/federal holidays.

Employment Type: Full-Time, Entry Level | Department: Legal