POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT 27-02
Legal Administrative Assistant - Capital Habeas Unit
Office of the Federal Public Defender District of Arizona - Phoenix

THE FEDERAL PUBLIC DEFENDER for the District of Arizona is accepting applications for the position of a full-time legal administrative assistant to be stationed in Phoenix. Internal and external candidates are welcome to apply. The Federal Public Defender operates under authority of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 3006A(g)(2)(A), to provide federal defense services by court appointment to individuals who are unable to afford counsel. The staff of the Capital Habeas Unit represents men and women under a sentence of death, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 3599.
 

Requirements. To qualify for the position of Legal Administrative Assistant, a person must be a high-school graduate or equivalent and have a minimum of three years of general experience and two years of specialized experience. Preference given to candidates with three or more years of experience assisting attorneys with court filings of complex litigation. Some higher education may be substituted for specialized experience. Bachelor’s degree or paralegal certificate preferred. Law office experience, computer literacy, advanced word-processing skills, and proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and Adobe Acrobat are required. Employment is subject to fingerprinting and a satisfactory background investigation. U.S. Citizenship is required.
Duties. The Legal Administrative Assistant provides litigation support services to attorneys, paralegals, and investigators in the representation of death-sentenced clients in capital federal habeas corpus proceedings. This is a high-volume, high-stress appellate practice requiring an understanding of state, federal, and supreme court rules and procedures; strong communication, organization, proofreading, formatting, and case docketing skills; and a demonstrated ability to multitask and effectively prioritize competing responsibilities. This position requires attention to detail and a commitment to excellence. Duties include, but are not limited to:

• preparing, formatting, and filing complex and lengthy pleadings, including motions, habeas petitions, appellate briefs, replies, memoranda, and case-related forms;
• assisting with case-file management; preparing, gathering, organizing, summarizing, and indexing electronic and paper documents and other discovery materials;
• answering phones, typing letters, and contacting court personnel and detention facilities;
• processing incoming and outgoing mail and saving all client-attorney communications;
• conducting conflict checks;
• calendaring and scheduling court hearings, client meetings, jail visits, and maintaining internal dockets and calendars; and
• performing other duties and projects assigned.
The full position qualifications statement and position description are available for inspection in this office.

Salary and Benefits. The starting salary for the legal administrative assistant is commensurate with the experience and qualifications of the applicant and is currently at a range of $78,117-$101,558 per annum. This position is in the excepted service and does not carry the tenure rights of the competitive Civil Service. The position does include regular government employee benefits including health and life insurance, retirement, and the Thrift Savings Plan. Salary is payable only by Electronic Funds Transfer (direct deposit). All positions are at-will and subject to availability of funds.

How to Apply. Qualified persons should apply via the online application system at https://azfd.acquiretm.com/home.aspx. Please login or create an online profile and follow the prompts to upload a letter of interest, résumé, and 3 professional references as one .pdf document. Position announced October 28, 2026; open until filled. First review of applications will be November 4, 2026. This announcement may close once a sufficient number of qualified applications are received.
The Federal Public Defender is an equal-opportunity employer. All applicants, regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or age, are encouraged to apply.

Equal Opportunity Employer. The Federal Public Defender for the District of Arizona is an equal opportunity employer. Individuals from groups underrepresented in national projects within the defender community are encouraged to apply.