Legal Assistant

Legal Assistant
ROLE
We need an experienced Legal Assistant at the United States Attorney's Office, District of Vermont (USAO-VT). The USAO-VT provides direct support and services to victims and witnesses of federal crime, with Victim-Witness personnel playing an integral role in facilitating participation and cooperation throughout the federal judicial system. In this role, you will provide witness management assistance before, during, and after trial by working directly with fact witnesses to ensure their appearance for court, pre-trial conferences, and grand jury proceedings. This is a full-time opportunity. We can offer a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package.
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RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide witness management assistance prior to, during, and after trial by working directly with fact witnesses and providing assistance and support to ensure appearance for court, pre-trial conferences, and grand jury
• Receive visitors, field phone calls, questions and other inquiries from fact witnesses seeking information pertaining to court, pre-trial conferences, grand jury appearances and expense reimbursement
• Initiate contact and notify fact witnesses concerning travel arrangements, appearance date and time, and determine any special circumstances or needs of the fact witness
• Confer with attorneys concerning witness appearances and special circumstances regarding witnesses including special authorizations, international witnesses, military or federal employee witnesses, or hostile witnesses
• Ensure all travel documents and appearance date and time are provided to witnesses prior to their appearance and make necessary arrangements for fact witness travel and lodging according to Department of Justice and USAO policies and procedures
• Meet with fact witnesses upon arrival to designated hearing or pre-trial conference, offer and perform courtroom orientation, accompany witness to court, ensure a safe waiting area is available, and collect necessary documentation and signatures for fact witness reimbursement documents
• Prepare and submit documentation for fact witness reimbursement including witness vouchers and other required documentation, furnish requested information concerning pending and completed fact witness vouchers, and reconcile Government Travel Accounts
• Obtain information, confer, and coordinate with the Court, Probation, Pretrial, U.S. Marshals Service, investigative agencies, and other counterparts when necessary
• Complete variable aspects of recurring documents in conformance with the rules governing their style and format
• Compose original letters that do not require legal interpretations but require a good working knowledge of legal procedures and specialized terminology relevant to fact witness laws and regulations
• Establish and maintain a variety of fact witness files, documents and databases and assemble documents and other information for fact witness file material and retention in accordance with established procedures and Department of Justice regulations
• Establish and maintain calendar and database of active and pending fact witness appearances, track hearings, trial dates, grand jury and scheduling conferences, and perform other administrative and logistical fact witness management related duties as required or assigned

• High School Diploma – Required
• Undergraduate degree – Preferred
• Strong communication skills with ability to answer inquiries regarding case-related information and status
• Proficiency in word processing, data entry/retrieval, and database management including entering, retrieving, manipulating, transferring, computing, and printing information
• Ability to review and analyze data from multiple sources, perform analytical computations, and ensure information accuracy
• Ability to establish and maintain case/project files and internal status information on the disposition of designated information, files, and assets
• Ability to prepare, format, and correct management reports and correspondence
• Ability to schedule appointments and coordinate with other agencies/organizations to obtain and provide administrative information and assistance

• Burlington, Vermont 05401

• U.S. citizenship required since this role supports the U.S. federal government

• U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont

• Intermittent travel to Rutland and Brattleboro courthouses (reimbursable)

• 40 hours per week
• 8 hours per day

• Employment Classification Eligibility — W2

• Not eligible for relocation benefits

• Base Hourly Wage: $19.59 per hour
• Health & Welfare (Benefits rate): $4.98 per hour
• Total Hourly Compensation: $24.57 per hour
• Benefits: Health & Welfare benefits contribution as required under the Service Contract Act (SCA); Benefits package includes options for health, dental and vision insurance coverage

West 4th Strategy is an Equal Opportunity (EEO) employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, ancestry, national origin, age, marital status, mental disability, physical disability, medical condition, pregnancy, political affiliation, military or veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by federal or state law.  

Other Considerations: applicants will be subject to a background investigation. Individual’s primary workstation is located in an office area. The noise level in this environment is low to moderate. Regularly required to sit for extended periods up to 80% of the time; frequently required to move about to access file cabinets and use office equipment such as PC, copier, fax, telephone, cell phone, etc. Occasionally required to reach overhead, bend, and lift objects of up to 10 lbs. Specific vision abilities required by this job include the use of computer monitor screens up to 80% of the time.