Job Opportunities in United States

What You Will Be Doing
Law office assistants are responsible for formatting and finalizing various legal documents including diverse pleadings, filed with courts of all levels. Other duties include communicating with various officials and individuals over phone and email, processing incoming/outgoing legal documents, creating case files, organizing case files, scanning, filing, faxing, coordinating case-related attorney travel, and other duties as needed.

Mission and Culture
The Civil Division of the Department of Law is the State of Alaska’s chief legal office in civil matters. The Civil Division has fifteen sections in offices throughout the state and is considered the “largest law firm” in Alaska. We represent the other state departments and their employees.

Benefits of Joining Our Team
Our law office assistants are the attorneys’ right hand staff, helping them from top to bottom and beginning to end over the course of their cases. Within that, we offer opportunities to learn about the legal system, engage with the court, prepare for hearings and trials, assist in the legislative/regulation development process, and provide vital support to State agencies. 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. People who succeed and thrive in our office are those who can be reliable and present each day to work alongside their assigned attorneys to tackle their various deadlines and legal puzzles.

The Working Environment You Can Expect
This position is in the Brady Building in downtown Anchorage. The Brady Building is a multi-floor office building with easy access to parking and popular lunch spots.

The office is open from 8:00am to 4:30pm.

After six months of acceptable job performance, employees are eligible for an alternate workweek, flextime schedule, or occasional teleworking.

Who We Are Looking For
To be successful in this position a candidate will need the following core competencies:

• Well-developed written communication skills with the ability to edit and proofread documents for grammar, composition, punctuation, and spelling.
• Strong computer skills utilizing Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and Adobe.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to develop and to maintain cooperative working relationships with a wide variety of people and the ability to accept supervision and direct instructions.

To truly excel in this position a candidate will have or develop the following competencies:

• Ability to work calmly and productively under frequent deadline pressure and changing priorities in a distracting, fast-paced work environment with frequent interruptions.
• Ability to stay focused on numerous details and to maintain a high level of accuracy.

Minimum Qualifications

Law Office Assistant 2
One year of specific experience as a Law Office Assistant 1 with the State of Alaska;
OR
Successful completion of training under a formally established Law Office Assistant 1-2 flexible staffing training plan with the State of Alaska;
OR
One year of experience in a law office, or other administrative experience that includes the regular, proficient use of electronic management information systems and word processing and other standard business software applications for preparing, reviewing, or processing legal documents such as affidavits, court reports, demand letters, discovery requests or responses, entries of appearances, hearing transcripts, memoranda of advice/instruction, motions, legal opinions, subpoenas, and/or writs.

Substitutions:
A bachelor’s degree in a legal field of study may substitute for the required experience.

An associate’s degree or specific vocational-technical certification in a legal support career area (e.g., paralegal, Law Office Assistant, legal secretary, or criminal justice) may substitute for up to 6 months of the required experience.

Post-secondary education from an accredited college or university in a non-legal field of study may substitute for up to 6 months of the required experience (2.67 semester hours or 4 quarter hours equal one month).

Vocational-Technical Certification in a generalized business support (e.g., administrative office technology, business and marketing management, entrepreneurship, or office assistance) career area may substitute for up to 3 months of the required experience.

Special Note (All Levels):
Most positions 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 APSIN and National Crim 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.

Additional Required Information

**NOTE: PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING CAREFULLY**

THIS RECRUITMENT IS FOR ALASKA RESIDENTS ONLY
This recruitment is open to Alaska Residents only. Applicants must meet Alaska Residency Requirements to be considered for employment at this time.

Background Check
The successful candidates must pass a comprehensive background investigation, which includes a criminal history check.

Application Notice
You can ONLY apply for this position through the Workplace Alaska website or via a hardcopy application. If you accessed this recruitment bulletin through a job search portal, such as Alaska Jobs or any other database, you MUST use a Workplace Alaska online or hardcopy application to apply successfully. Instructions on how to apply with Workplace Alaska may be found on the Workplace Alaska “How to Apply" page. Your application must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. Alaska Standard Time on the closing date.

Education
If post-secondary education is required to meet the minimum qualifications, you must fill in the Education section of the application. If you have not obtained a degree, please indicate the number of units completed. Copies of transcripts are required to verify educational credentials if used to meet the minimum qualifications for a position. Transcripts can be attached at the time of application or provided at the time of the interview.

Special Instructions for Foreign Education
Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the minimum qualifications listed above. If utilizing this education, you must show that the education credentials have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and that such education has been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs; or an accredited U.S. post-secondary institution reports the other institution as one whose transcript is given full value, or full value is given in subject areas applicable to the curricula at the post-secondary institution. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying.

Work Experience
If using work experience not already documented in your application, also provide the employer’s name, job title, employment dates, and whether full or part-time. Applications will be reviewed to determine if the responses are supported and if minimum qualifications are clearly met. If they are not, the applicant may not advance to the recruitment interview and selection phase.

Note: Attaching a resume is not an alternative to filling out the application in its entirety. Noting, "see resume" or any similar response on any portion of your application may lead to a determination that your application is incomplete and removal from consideration for this job posting.

Bargaining Unit
If you are a current state employee, please mark the union you are a member of at the time of application. If you are not a current state employee, do not complete this question.

Flexible Staffing
This position is flexibly staffed. The level of the job offer will be based on the selected candidate’s eligibility. If hired at the lower level, you will be promoted to the higher-level job class after completing the training plan and meeting the minimum qualifications.

Multiple Vacancies
This recruitment may be used for more than one (1) vacancy. The applicant pool acquired during this recruitment may be used for future vacancies for up to ninety (90) days after this recruitment closes. Interested applicants are encouraged to apply to each recruitment notice to ensure consideration for all vacancies.

EEO Statement
The State of Alaska complies with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Individuals with disabilities, who require accommodation, auxiliary aides or services, or alternative communication formats, please call 1-800-587-0430 or 465-4095 in Juneau or (907) 465-3412 (TTY) or correspond with the Division of Personnel & Labor Relations at: P. O. Box 110201, Juneau, AK 99811-0201. The State of Alaska is an equal-opportunity employer.

Contact Information

Workplace Alaska Application Questions & Assistance
Questions regarding application submission or system operation errors should be directed to the Workplace Alaska hotline at 1-800-587-0430 (toll-free) or (907) 465-4095 if you are in the Juneau area. Requests for information may also be emailed to recruitment.services@alaska.gov.

For applicant password assistance, please visit the reset password page.

For specific information about this position, please contact the hiring manager at the following:

Kelly West
Phone: 907-269-5100
Fax: 907-276-3697
Kelly.West@alaska.gov (email preferred)

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 Alaska Care 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)

• 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

Paid Leave & Other Benefits

• Personal leave with an accrual rate increase based on time served
• Twelve (12) paid holidays a year