Legal Assistant

Overview

Employment Type:

Full-Time, Entry Level

Department:
Legal

As a CGS Legal Assistant, you will work under the direction of a Supervisory Paralegal or Project Supervisor. You will provide 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. To carry out our mission, we are seeking 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 in which our employees feel supported, and we encourage professional growth through various learning opportunities.

• Provide a variety of direct legal support assistance services to include: receive and review incoming material and independently determine the need for assembly and preparation of a variety of legal documents, e.g., charging instruments, motions, orders, pleadings, deposition notices, trial subpoenas and grand jury subpoenas; in preparation of documents, consider the nature and status of the case involved.
• Proofread and edit drafts of legal documents such as motions, orders, correspondence, discovery requests and responses, and other pleadings; complete variable aspects of preparing recurring legal documents that conform to the rules governing their style and format.
• Electronically file documents on behalf of and at the directive of the attorneys with the appropriate state or federal court, applying knowledge of local court rules and practices.
• Provide assistance with trial preparation by performing duties such as independently compiling trial notebooks and witness and exhibit lists.
• Prepare and track grand jury subpoenas and returns; aid in processing and organizing legal data and other supportive material; organize, process and copy documents in accordance with requirements; assemble record materials for court filings.
• Compose original letters that require a good working knowledge of legal procedures and specialized terminology, e.g., transmittal of pleadings, requests for extensions of time in certain cases, advising of actions taken or developments in cases referred by other federal departments and agencies, and notices to attorneys representing defendants.

• Provide a variety of ancillary office support functions requiring some subject-matter knowledge of the United States Attorneys programs and operations. Typical assignments may include the following:
• Perform docketing duties such as opening, updating and closing cases through use of the automated case tracking system; search database for required information as necessary.
• Obligate funds for litigation expenses and monitor for continued necessity.
• Review bills and invoices and submit to budget office for payment.
• Maintain calendar of assigned active cases; track filing, hearing, and trial dates, scheduling conferences and interviews; develop and maintain suspense system for ongoing cases and inform the attorneys of pending dates and deadlines; maintain calendars for the attorney(s), scheduling appointments, interviews, and conferences, and provide reminders of commitments and court appearances.
• Assemble physical files and electronic files for new cases by filing materials in chronological order, prepare conflict of interest sheets for assigned attorneys, and number initial case materials; upon receipt, send additional discovery to outside parties as directed by the assigned attorney.
• Prepare files for closing by putting documents in chronological order, ensuring relevant documents are in the file, and prepare a closing sheet for the assigned attorney’s signature.
• Receive visitors, answer telephone and refer callers to staff members or take messages as appropriate; deliver to and retrieve papers from the federal courthouse; furnish requested information concerning pending and closed matters and cases, functions and general procedures of the office; determine which matters should be referred to the AUSA and the urgency of the matter.
• Attend meetings and trainings as may be required and appropriate.
• Produce a…