Legal Support Specialist - Inmate Legal Services

Legal Support Specialist

Do you have a keen sense of legal curiosity and the ability to manage information? The Legal Support Specialist provides support to the MCSO Inmate Legal Services (ILS). This includes providing access to court, legal research and materials. ILS responds to inmate requests, which may include legal research, and provides research per requirements so access to the courts is not hindered. ILS is mandated by the consent decree of Hart v. MCSO, January, 1995 to follow strict guidelines in providing legal services to MCSO inmates.

Will you be the one to help us achieve great results? About the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Do you possess integrity, strong interpersonal skills, and do you have a desire to serve your community? We are seeking passionate individuals to join our team with a variety of openings for Civilian, Detention and Sworn personnel. The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) invites you to become part of Arizona's leading law enforcement agency where we come together as a team to support and provide public safety.

Position Qualifications

We recognize your time is valuable, so please apply if you meet the following required qualifications.

• High School Diploma or GED
• Two (2) years of experience in a legal setting that includes legal preparations and legal proceedings.
• OR Combined education and experience qualifications Post-secondary education may substitute for the required experience on a year-for-year basis.

Other Requirements Training with the exception of Arizona driver's license to be provided on-the-job:

• FEMA NIMS – IS100 AND 700
• OSHA training
• ADP payroll training
• PREA training
• Must possess or have the ability to obtain by the time of hire, a valid Arizona driver's license.
• Notary commission received within six (6) months of employment with renewal as required by the Secretary of State.
• Obtain Terminal Operator Certification (TOC) within six (6) months of employment with renewal required every two years.
• Prior to hiring, the Sheriff's Office requires that all candidates pass an extensive background review.

Our Preferred Candidate has:

• Associate degree Paralegal Studies or Legal Assistance or a certificate of completion from an accredited Legal Assistant (Paralegal) program.
• One (1) year experience working in a paralegal capacity.
• Experience working in a law office, court, law enforcement, or detention setting.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) skills.

Compensation is more than a salary with MCSO:

• Growth and stability since 1871
• Choice of three medical plans – starting as low as $70/month
• Holidays – 10/year + 1 personal day
• Enrollment in Arizona State Retirement System
• Paid sick and parental leaves (birth/adoption)
• 10% discount at KinderCare facilities in the Valley and upcoming MCKids Club to serve County employees and their families exclusively
• MCSO Mentoring program to provide personal and professional growth opportunities for all employees
• Access to free County gyms

Essential Job Tasks

• Assists inmates with legal research by providing the statutes, case law, and rules of procedure.
• Provides detainees confidential contact with their attorney(s) and other court officials.
• Supplies inmates with proper forms to file motions, complaints, responds to complaints for civil and criminal cases.
• Gives assistance and legal research to Pro-Per and Pro-Se inmates to review and analyze motions, petitions and complaints for correct format and content.
• Advises inmates in the preparation of motions, petitions and complaints and tracks information and materials provided to Pro-Per and Pro-Se inmates.
• Monitors the status of criminal and civil cases through various Arizona Court databases, e.g., iCISng, PACER, AZ Court of Appeals, and Public Access.
• Conducts legal research electronically through Westlaw.
• Provides specific notary services for MCSO inmates after first thoroughly reviewing request and inmate positively identified to ensure ILS services are not used for fraudulent purposes.
• Processes inmate legal requests and assists with legal problems, without the unauthorized practice of law.
• Delivers and serves federal detainers.
• Files, delivers, and mails court documents to Arizona Courts (Maricopa Superior Court, AZ Supreme Court, U.S. District Court, AZ Court of Appeals and the Downtown Justice Court Center).
• Provides eligible inmates with legal writing materials.
• Reviews and analyzes various court filings inclusive of motions, petitions, and complaints for content and format.
• Analyzes request forms to determine the needs of the inmate.
• Ensures documents are filed within the legal time limits to appropriate courts.
• Assists with updating forms, statutes, and court rules.
• Prioritizes and sends out material and forms in accordance with the rules of the court.
• Prepares reports and maintains statistical data.
• Be present at work site to perform tasks as scheduled and/or assigned by supervisor.

Working Conditions

Maricopa County is an EEO/ADA Reasonable Accommodation Employer. The following environments described are only representative of how the essential job tasks are currently performed or envisioned. As such, in order to accommodate a disability or limitation, the essential job tasks may be performed in ways other than described on these pages.

Work occurs primarily indoors working in MCSO jail facilities with various staff and all classifications of inmates.

Work occurs primarily indoors and includes regular contact with inmates and jail housing units. Tasks require manual dexterity of hands and body to operate office equipment as well as managing frequent interruptions, time pressures, and high work volumes. Job includes team-oriented activities and interaction with all levels of personnel, inmates and the public. Responsibilities require concentration, accuracy, ethical conduct and a professional demeanor.

• Indoors
• Rarely outdoors or in temperatures above 90 degrees and/or below 40 degrees
• Conditions that may include wet/damp area, stairs or ladders, unprotected heights
• Occasionally high noise level, bright lighting or dim lighting
• Rarely exposure to contagious diseases

Sitting, standing, walking

Driving a vehicle

Speaking, hearing, seeing, reading

Bending, kneeling, reaching, twisting

Lifting floor to waist twenty (20) pounds

Lifting waist to shoulder of twenty (20) pounds

Lifting shoulder to overhead of ten (10) pounds

Carrying a weight of ten (10) pounds for a distance of 75 feet

Pushing/pulling a weight of fifty (50) pounds for a distance of 75 feet

Frequently dangerous environment, rarely emergencies

Handling multiple or complicated tasks and occasionally changing or unscheduled tasks

High volume of work with time pressures

Frequent interruptions

Accuracy and attention to detail

Decision making

Working in a team environment in close proximity with others

Frequent contact with the public

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of:

• Microsoft Office Suite applications with intermediate proficiency.
• Legal terminology, principles, precedents, procedures and research methods.
• Rules of Court, evidence, discovery, Federal Privacy Act, Freedom of Information Act, methods and techniques of writing briefs, opinions, reports and other established documents.
• Court system and court rules for filing.

Skill in:

• Utilizing technical information to make an independent decision.
• Interviewing and eliciting information in a legal investigation as required, and extracting and utilizing information in statutes