Paralegal

City of New York - New York, NY

Full-time

New York, NY

Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support

About the position

The Kings County District Attorney's Office (KCDA) is one of the largest prosecutors' offices in the country, dedicated to developing and implementing innovative prosecutorial strategies aimed at keeping Brooklyn safe while ensuring fairness and justice for all. The office is currently seeking a Paralegal to support Assistant District Attorneys in preparing criminal cases, particularly in light of the recent discovery reforms in New York State. This role is crucial as it involves handling voluminous discovery materials, including police reports, body camera footage, 911 calls, forensic files, and security surveillance videos. The successful candidate will assist in obtaining and securely sharing necessary discovery with the defense, gaining exposure to nearly every aspect of a criminal case. Under general supervision, the Paralegal will perform a variety of essential duties. These include receiving, reviewing, and assessing felony case files, identifying outstanding documents from law enforcement, and requesting missing discovery materials. The Paralegal will also be responsible for uploading received discovery into the case management system, maintaining a detailed log of discovery ordered and received, and sending follow-up requests for any outstanding items. Additionally, the role involves completing forms for case preparation, ensuring that all paperwork is in order, and accurately preparing any missing documents. The Paralegal will notify officers and detectives for grand jury proceedings and redact sensitive information as needed. Other related duties may also be assigned as necessary.

Responsibilities

• Receive, review, and assess the contents of felony case files.
• Identify outstanding documents from officers, detectives, and specialized units of the Police Department.
• Request missing discovery such as detective follow-ups, property vouchers, body-worn camera footage, 911 recordings, officer activity logs, surveillance video, and interview recordings.
• Upload received discovery into case management.
• Maintain a detailed log of discovery ordered and received.
• Send follow-up requests for outstanding discovery.
• Complete all forms used in the preparation of case folders and review files to ensure that paperwork is in order.
• Accurately prepare any missing documents.
• Notify officers and detectives for the grand jury.
• Redact sensitive and personal information upon request.
• Perform other related duties as needed.

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.
• High school graduation or equivalent and three years of experience in community work or community-centered activities related to the duties described above; or education and/or experience equivalent to the above.

Nice-to-haves

• 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.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with a requirement to provide a spontaneous writing sample.
• Ability to be assertive and tactful in dealing with police personnel and civilian crime victims.
• Organizational and time-management skills, including the ability to take initiative, prioritize duties, and work both independently and within a team environment.
• Bi-lingual ability in Spanish is helpful.

Benefits

• Eligibility for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs for public service employees.
• Access to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF) for qualifying public service employees.