Legal Assistant

$30,000 - $70,000/Yr

KMRG Holdings - Chicago, IL

Full-time - Entry Level

Chicago, IL

Personal and Laundry Services

About the position

The Legal Assistant will support the U.S. Attorney's Office Northern District of Illinois (USAO IL) within the Department of Justice (DOJ). This full-time role involves managing various aspects of witness coordination, ensuring compliance with legal protocols, and providing administrative support to facilitate the legal process.

Responsibilities

• Work directly with witnesses prior to, during, and after trial
• Ensure witnesses appear in court
• Receive witness visits, field witness phone calls, and answer witness questions
• Help witnesses understand protocols for court, pre-trial conferences, grand jury appearances, etc.
• Coordinate witness travel, manage expense reimbursement, etc.
• Obtain relevant files and documents to arrange travel and reimbursements
• Initiate contact/notify Fact Witnesses concerning travel arrangements, appearance date/time, and determine any special circumstances or needs of the Fact Witness
• Determine when AUSAs should be notified of special circumstances or needs of Fact Witnesses
• Confer with AUSAs concerning Fact Witness appearance and special circumstances regarding Fact Witnesses
• Complete and submit proper documentation for special authorizations and obtain prior approval before proceeding with Fact Witness travel arrangements
• Ensure all travel documents and appearance date/time have been provided to the Fact Witness before their appearance
• Make necessary arrangements for Fact Witness travel and lodging according to DOJ and USAO policies and procedures
• Meet with Fact Witnesses upon arrival to the designated hearing or pre-trial conference, provide courtroom orientation, accompany Fact Witnesses to court, ensure a safe waiting area is available, and collect necessary documentation and signatures for reimbursement documents
• Prepare and submit documentation for Fact Witness reimbursement, i.e., witness vouchers and other required documentation
• Furnish requested information concerning pending and completed Fact Witness vouchers
• Gather required documentation 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
• Establish and maintain a variety of Fact Witness files, documents, and databases
• Assemble documents and other information for Fact Witness file material and retention in accordance with established procedures and DOJ regulations
• Establish and maintain a calendar and/or database of active and pending Fact Witness appearances; track hearings, trial dates, Grand Jury, and scheduling conferences
• Perform other administrative and logistical Fact Witness management-related duties as required/assigned

Requirements

• Progressive and relevant experience
• Proficient in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Teams, Access)
• Proficient in Adobe Acrobat
• Preference for Bachelor's degree

Benefits

• Job security and stability
• Competitive salary
• Comprehensive benefits package