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State of Alaska

Paralegal 1/2

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This recruitment is exempt from the Hiring Freeze (Administrative Order 358).

This is a permanent substitute position that will be responsible for providing administrative support to prosecutors within the Palmer District Attorney’s Office

This position will be substituting for a permanent employee while they are on extended leave, which is expected to be for approximately twelve (12) months. This position receives all benefits, including retirement (PERS). In the event the permanent employee returns to work, and after 12 months, you will be placed in layoff status with full layoff rights to the Paralegal 1/2 job class

What You Will Be Doing

In your role as a Paralegal, you will help members in your community who are directly impacted by crime and help victims and witnesses understand their rights and navigate them through the criminal justice system. This includes providing them updates throughout the life of a case as well as informing them of resources available to them. You will also play an important role of the prosecution team working through the criminal justice system to resolve legal issues, including building relationships with other agencies such as law enforcement, court personnel and victim advocates.

Mission and Culture

Our mission is to seek justice, promote public safety and public respect for government through prompt, effective, and compassionate prosecution of cases in a matter that advocates for the interests of the victims, respects the law enforcement agencies, responsibly stewards public resources, and holds offenders accountable while at the same time protecting the constitutional and legal rights of the accused.

Benefits of Joining Our Team

You will have an opportunity to learn about the legal system, engage with the court, prepare for hearings and trials, and provide vital support to everyone involved.
You can make a difference in someone’s life and take pride in knowing that you have assisted members of your community. The work you will be part of will have a direct impact on promoting safe and secure communities throughout Alaska.
This position is considered a flex position. After successfully demonstrating the core competencies outlined in the flex agreement, the incumbent will become eligible to flex to a Paralegal 2 position (Range 16).
You can expect a 37.5 hour work week; 12 paid holidays; personal leave accrual starting at 6 hours per pay period (about 21 days annually) and increasing with years of service. The general office hours are 8:00AM to 4:30PM but there is flexibility in establishing your regular hours around core business hours.

The Working Environment You Can Expect

The Palmer District Attorney's Office is located at 515 E Dahlia Ave, Suite 150. The office environment is friendly, fast-paced, and never boring.
In our office, you can become a leader, work as part of a team; work in one or more areas of law and build your office and computer skills.

Who We Are Looking For

Attention to Detail: Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail.
Interpersonal Skills: Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others: develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are different, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences.
Reading Comprehension: Understands and interprets written material, including technical material, rules, regulations, instructions, reports, charts, graphs, or tables; applies what is learned from written material to specific situations.
Written Communication: Writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience.

Competency Based Minimum Qualifications Instructions

This job class uses competency based minimum qualifications. Please ensure your application (through work history, volunteer experience (duties summary), training, education, licenses, certifications, etc.) supports how you have gained the knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors (competencies) and that you possess the minimum required competencies for the job class.

Minimum Qualifications

Competency Description
The competency description(s) listed below have been designed to promote a common understanding of the essential elements of the job class. They highlight the more general and customary knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs), tasks, and behaviors used to describe the competency. They typically list expectations, as opposed to specific tasks, and are to be used only as parameters and guidelines. A competency’s description is not intended to exclusively define every KSA, task, and behavior needed to successfully meet the competency, but rather to provide the manager/agency with a broad reference of options as to how an applicant can meet the job expectation.

Please ensure your application (through work history, training, education, licenses, certifications, etc.) supports/demonstrates you possess the minimum required competencies for the job class.

PI01B1 – Paralegal 1

Any combination of education and/or experience that provides the applicant with competencies in:

Attention to Detail: Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail.
Interpersonal Skills: Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences.
Reading: Understands and interprets written material, including technical material, rules, regulations, instructions, reports, charts, graphs, or tables; applies what is learned from written material to specific situations.
Written Communication: Writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience.

Equivalent to those typically gained by:

Post-secondary and/or vocational education in a legal or legal support area and/or experience preparing, reviewing, or processing legal documents such as affidavits, court reports, demand letters, discovery requests or responses, hearing transcripts, memoranda of advice/instruction/understanding, letters of agreement, motions, legal opinions, subpoenas, and/or writs.

PI01B2 – Paralegal 2

Successful completion of training under a formally established Paralegal 1-2 flexible staffing training plan with the State of Alaska;

Any combination of education and/or experience that provides the applicant with competencies in:

Adaptability: adjusts planned work by gathering relevant information and applying critical thinking to address multiple demands and competing priorities in a changing environment.
Administrative Law: Knowledge of State and federal administrative laws, including procedures, regulations, guidelines, and precedents related to case preparation and settlements.
Attention to Detail: Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail.
Interpersonal Skills: Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences.
Stress Tolerance: Deals calmly and effectively with high stress situations (for example, tight deadlines, hostile individuals, emergency situations, dangerous situations).

Equivalent to those typically gained by:

Post-secondary and/or vocational education in a legal, paralegal, criminal justice, or similar legal support area and/or experience performing paraprofessional legal investigation, discovery, and providing support in the preparation of legal cases, reports, documents, and exhibits.

Special Note (All Levels):

Positions may require incumbents to be able to obtain a Notary Public upon hire, and to be able to pass a criminal background check to meet security requirements for using criminal record networks such as Alaska Public Safety Information Network (APSIN) and National Crime Enforcement Information Center/National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (NCIC/NLETS). If this requirement is present, it will be stated in the vacancy announcement.

Some positions are required to work regular overtime during the standard workweek, on weekends, and/or holidays to provide support to the assigned duty attorney. If this requirement is present, it will be stated in the vacancy announcement.

“Competencies” means a combination of interrelated knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors that enable a person to act effectively in a job or situation.

“Paraprofessional” work is typically associated with and supportive of a professional field. It involves extensive practical knowledge gained through experience and/or specific formal or on-the-job training. Work in these occupations may involve substantial elements of the work of the professional or administrative field, but requires less than full knowledge of the field involved.

“Progressively responsible” means indicating growth and/or advancement in complexity, difficulty, or level of responsibility.

“Technical” means performing tasks, methods, procedures, and computations that are covered by established precedents or guidelines and often require a high degree of skill, care, and precision.

“Training” and “education” in this guidance are synonyms for the process of acquiring knowledge and skills through instruction. It includes instruction through formal and informal methods (such as classroom, on-line, self-study, and on-the-job), from accredited and unaccredited sources, and long-duration (such as a post-secondary degree) and short-duration (such as a seminar) programs.

“Typically gained by” means the prevalent, usual method of gaining the competencies expected for entry into the job.

Careers with the State of Alaska offer MANY benefits

The following information describes typical benefits available to employees of the State of Alaska. Actual benefits received may differ by bargaining unit or branch of government, position type, or be prorated for other than full time work.

For a quick breakdown of the insurance, health, and retirement benefits available for State Employees you can view an orientation video from Division of Retirement and Benefits. (Please note this video is specifically designed for new State Employees.)

Insurance Benefits

Health insurance, which includes employer contributions toward medical/vision/dental
- The following employee groups are under AlaskaCare Benefits administered by the State: See https://drb.alaska.gov/help/plans.html for additional information.
  - AVTEC
  - Confidential
  - Correctional Officers
  - Marine Engineers
  - Mt. Edgecumbe Teachers
  - Supervisory
  - Unlicensed Vessel Personnel/Inland Boatman's Union
  - Exempt employees (not covered by collective bargaining)
- The following employee groups are covered by Union health trusts. Contact the appropriate Union for additional information.
  - General Government
  - Labor, Trades and Crafts
  - Public Safety Employees Association
  - Masters, Mates & Pilots
Employer paid Basic Life insurance with additional coverage available (amount depends on Bargaining Unit)

Optional Insurance Benefits

Group-based insurance premiums for
- Term life (employee, spouse or qualified same sex partner, and dependents)
- Long-term and short-term disability
- Accidental Death and Dismemberment
- Long-term care (self and eligible family members)
- Supplemental Survivor Benefits
Employee-funded flexible spending accounts for tax savings on eligible health care or dependent care expenses

Retirement Benefits

Membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)/Teachers' Retirement System (TRS)
Matching employer contribution into a defined contribution program (new employees)
Employer contribution into a defined benefit or defined contribution program (current employees)
Contributions to the Alaska Supplemental Annuity Plan in lieu of contributions to Social Security
Option to enroll in the Alaska Deferred Compensation Program
Note: The Defined Contribution Plan, Supplemental Annuity Plan and Deferred Compensation Program offer a variety of investment options

See https://drb.alaska.gov/retiree/ for additional information

Paid Leave & Other Benefits