Job Details for Paralegal - Trial Unit
| Court Name/Organization | Arizona Federal Public Defender |
| Overview of the Position | The Federal Public Defender for the District of Arizona is accepting applications for the position of a full-time paralegal to be stationed in the Phoenix Trial Unit. More than one position may be filled from this announcement. The Federal Public Defender operates under authority of Title 18, United States Code, Section 3006A(g)(2)(A), to provide federal criminal defense services to individuals unable to afford counsel. The organization has staffed offices in Phoenix, Tucson, Yuma, and Flagstaff. |
| Location | Phoenix, AZ |
| Opening and Closing Dates | 02/11/2026 - Open Until Filled |
| Appointment Type | Permanent |
| Classification Level/Grade | JSP 11 - JSP 13 |
| Salary | $78,117 - $111,338 |
| Announcement Number | 26-08 |
| Link to Job Announcement | |
Position Description
Paralegals are expected to provide a full range of litigation support to staff attorneys, including at hearings and trials. General duties include but are not limited to the following:
- Receives, organizes, reviews, analyzes, and maintains discovery, records, and case documents;
- Identifying the best methods and use of litigation support technology for the review, analysis, and organization of voluminous discovery, records, and electronically stored information;
- Prepares demonstrative evidence and exhibits for pleadings, hearings, and trials;
- Assist attorneys at hearings, trials, and sentencings using presentation software such as Trial Director and PowerPoint;
- Process and maintain client records requests to various agencies for purposes of case mitigation;
- Prepares sentencing videos using video editing software.
- Conducts case specific research, as well as locating and retrieving documents, information, and records from outside sources;
- Prepares and disseminates discovery and case documents for experts, or other third parties; and
- Assists with CJA panel training.
Qualifications
Applicants must possess a high school diploma or equivalent; a bachelor’s degree is preferred. A minimum of three years of general experience and three years of specialized experience is required, with higher education accepted as a substitute for specialized experience. Proficiency in Microsoft Office, CaseMap, Adobe Acrobat, Trial Director, Westlaw, and Lexis are essential, along with experience in video editing for sentencing presentations. Prior work in indigent criminal defense and familiarity with the federal court system or criminal process are preferred. Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, self-motivation, and the ability to work collaboratively are essential. U.S. citizenship and a satisfactory background investigation are mandatory.
Employee Benefits
The starting salary will be fixed commensurate with experience and qualifications of the applicant. For the paralegal position the range is from JSP-11, Step 1, to JSP-13, Step 1, currently yielding $78,117 to $111,338 per annum. The position is in the excepted service and does not carry the tenure rights of the competitive Civil Service. The position does include regular government employee benefits including health and life insurance, retirement, telework opportunities and the Thrift Savings Plan. Salary is payable only by Electronic Funds Transfer (direct deposit). All positions are at will and are subject to the availability of funds.
Miscellaneous
Paralegals are expected to provide a full range of litigation support to staff attorneys, including at hearings and trials. General duties include but are not limited to the following:
- Receives, organizes, reviews, analyzes, and maintains discovery, records, and case documents;
- Identifying the best methods and use of litigation support technology for the review, analysis, and organization of voluminous discovery, records, and electronically stored information;
- Prepares demonstrative evidence and exhibits for pleadings, hearings, and trials;
- Assist attorneys at hearings, trials, and sentencings using presentation software such as Trial Director and PowerPoint;
- Process and maintain client records requests to various agencies for purposes of case mitigation;
- Prepares sentencing videos using video editing software.
- Conducts case specific research, as well as locating and retrieving documents, information, and records from outside sources;
- Prepares and disseminates discovery and case documents for experts, or other third parties; and
- Assists with CJA panel training.
Application Info
Qualified persons may apply by sending, via e-mail, a letter of interest and résumé to the Personnel Administrator, Federal Public Defender, District of Arizona, at azx_hr@fd.org. (Letter of interest and references must be included). Announced Feb. 5, 2026; Closes: Feb. 20, 2026.
All applicants, regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or age, are encouraged to apply.
The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.