Job Details for Legal Assistant/Assistant Paralegal or Paralegal
| Court Name/Organization | Washington Eastern Federal Defenders |
| Overview of the Position | Provides support services to three or more attorneys and is responsible for all aspects of case preparation and file management, drafting pleadings and correspondence, managing and organizing discovery, calendaring, collecting and organizing records and various other duties necessary to support the attorneys and investigators. |
| Location | Spokane, WA |
| Opening and Closing Dates | 07/15/2026 - Open Until Filled |
| Appointment Type | Permanent |
| Salary | Not specified |
Position Description
Paralegal duties also includes:
- Performing legal research utilizing available resources, i.e. computer-assisted legal research tools
- Providing litigation support working with the team to understand substantive issues of the case so that the most effective tools can be identified and used; to work closely with ACSA on workflow and management of discovery using appropriate software; and assist with technology in court if needed
Qualifications
Must be a high school graduate or equivalent and have at least four years of experience, i.e. at least two years in public service or a business which provided a knowledge of office clerical procedures and at least two years working in a legal environment.
Advanced computer proficiency in MS Word, Excel, Outlook and Adobe Acrobat is necessary.
Applicants must have strong organizational skills, set priorities and meet critical deadlines.
Applicants must be dependable, punctual, detail-oriented and able to multi-task. Applicants must also possess the ability to work in a team environment and communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
Spanish language proficiency is preferred but not required.
Specialized Experience
Applicants must be technologically savvy as we are a paper-light office with cases stored digitally, utilizing Outlook for calendaring deadlines/court hearings and federal pleadings filed using CM/ECF.
Knowledge of the criminal legal system to include federal district and appellate rules and protocols for CMF/ECF e-filing in appellate and federal criminal cases is preferred.
Law office experience and adherence to confidentiality is required.
The ideal candidate must believe in this office’s mission to protect the constitutional interests of our indigent clients and communicate with them in a professional and respectful manner.
Employee Benefits
This full-time position has a starting annual salary range:
- Legal Assistant G/S 6-1 $,45,409 to G/S 8-10 $72,664
- Assistant Paralegal G/S 9-1 $61,722 to G/S 9-10 $80,243
- Paralegal G/S 11-1 $74,678 to G/S 12-10 $116,969
You will be eligible for benefits, including the following:
- Health
- Vision
- Dental
- Life insurance/AD&D & long-term disability
- Flexible savings account
- 403(b) Retirement Plan
- 11 paid federal holidays
- 13 days of paid annual sick leave
- 13 days of paid annual vacation (the rate of paid vacation leave increases based on years of service)
Salary is paid semi-monthly (mid-month and end-of-month) via direct deposit.
Miscellaneous
This position is in the office, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Current and future positions may be filled from this position announcement. Position subject to the availability of federal funding.
We encourage people of diverse backgrounds to apply.
Application Info
Please send a cover letter stating interested position, resume, and list of three professional references, to the following e‑mail: wae_employment@fd.org (subject line: Legal Support-Spokane)
No telephone calls. Only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted. The interview process will be discussed with selected applicants.
The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.