Job DescriptionThe Kings County District Attorney’s Office (KCDA) is one of the largest prosecutor’s 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 a grand jury presentation, trial prep, and/or trial appearance.
Review daily court calendars to ensure defendants are produced on time.
Cover the Supreme Court calendars.
For child abuse cases, receive Oral Report Transmittals (ORTS) from ACS; Conduct initial conference with an assigned case worker from ACS.
Serve and file legal documents to supreme and criminal courts.
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.
Preferred Skills
Able to work independently, be assertive, highly organized, and detail oriented.
Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel. PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.)
Ability to Multi-task and exercise sound judgment.
Strong attention to detail is essential.
Applicants should possess excellent verbal and written communication skills and will be required to provide a spontaneous writing sample.
The ability to be assertive and tactful in dealing with police personnel and civilian crime victims is essential.
Organizational, and time management, including the ability to take initiative, prioritize duties, and work both independently and within a team environment is a plus.
Bi-lingual ability in Spanish is helpful.
Additional InformationCandidates must meet the additional 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.
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-serviceQualificationsQualification Requirements
High school graduation or equivalent and three years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to duties described above; or
Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" above.
Additional InformationThe City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.