Paralegal (Office-Wide)
Job Description:
The Kings County District Attorney’s Office (KCDA) is one of the largest prosecutors’ offices in the country and is committed to developing and implementing innovative prosecutorial strategies that will fulfill our vision of keeping Brooklyn safe while at the same time ensuring fairness and justice for all. KCDA has an exciting opportunity to work as a Paralegal.
Under general supervision, with latitude for independent initiative and judgment, the prospective candidate will perform the following duties
- Prepare cases (felonies & misdemeanors) for trial and grand jury presentations by performing research, document retrieval, and other data collections as well as keeping files updated.
- Prepare legal documents such as subpoenas, orders to produce, unsealing orders, material witness orders, and other documents.
- Obtain all the necessary legal documents, NYPD paperwork, grand jury minutes, medical records, and all other paperwork ordered and retrieved from the appropriate agencies via mail, faxes, messengers, or site visits.
- When necessary, retrieve information and /or documents by visiting courts, government agencies, and other organizations.
- Contact witnesses and notify police officer(s) for the purpose of a grand jury presentation, trial prep, and/or trial appearance.
- Review daily court calendars to ensure defendants are produced in a timely manner.
- Cover the supreme court calendars.
- For child abuse cases, receive Oral Report Transmittals (ORTS) from ACS; Conduct an initial conference with an assigned case worker from ACS.
- Serve and files legal documents to the supreme and criminal court.
- Act as a liaison with court staff.
- Assist in trial and grand jury preparation, including preparing and tracking evidence; transcribing conversations; and the organization and management of a large volume of subpoenaed materials from telephone records, social media networks, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, the NYPD, FDNY, Corrections, hospitals and other criminal justice and governmental agencies.
- Locate and communicate with witnesses.
- Perform other related duties as needed.
** As of August 2, 2021, all new hires must be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus, unless they have been granted a reasonable accommodation for religion or disability. If you are offered city employment, this requirement must be met by your date of hire, unless a reasonable accommodation for exemption is received and approved by the hiring agency. **
Minimum Qualification Requirements:
- A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or;
- An associate degree and two to four years of full-time satisfactory work experience in the performance of paralegal (legal assistant) services; or
- A Paralegal Certification from a program approved by the American Bar Association.
Preferred Skills:
- Able to work independently, be assertive, highly organized, detail-oriented, and have excellent written and oral communication skills.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.)
- Ability to multi-task and exercise sound judgment.
- Strong attention to detail is essential.
- Applicants must possess excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
- Organizational, time-management, and multi-tasking skills, including the ability to take initiative, prioritize duties, and work both independently and within a team environment is a plus.
Residency Requirement:
New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.
Hours/Shift: Monday - Friday; 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Loan Forgiveness Benefit:
Employees of the City of New York may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. The federal government provides student loan forgiveness through its Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF) to all qualifying public service employees.
Please visit the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program site to view the eligibility requirements: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service