Senior Legal Assistant

Kansas State Board of Indigents’ Defense Services (SBIDS)

Our mission is to fulfill the constitutional promise of a zealous defense by providing our clients with team-based advocacy that champions their human dignity and achieves just outcomes on their behalf.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. BIDS does not sponsor or assume sponsorship of an employment visa.

SBIDS Current Job Openings

About the Position:

• Who can apply: Anyone
• Classified/Unclassified Service: Unclassified
• Full/Part-time: Full-Time
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
• Eligible to Receive Benefits: Yes
• Veterans’ Preference Eligible: Yes

Compensation:

• Annual Salary Range: $38,355.00 - $55,125.00

Note: Salary can vary depending upon education, experience, or qualifications.

Employment Benefits:

• Comprehensive medical, mental, dental, vision, and additional coverage
• Sick & Vacation leave
• Work-Life Balance programs: parental leave, military leave, jury leave, funeral leave
• Paid State Holidays
• Employee discounts with the STAR Program
• Retirement and deferred compensation programs

Visit the Employee Benefits page for more information

Position Summary & Responsibilities:

Position Summary:

The Kansas State Board of Indigents’ Defense Services is accepting applications for the position of Senior Legal Assistant in the Sedgwick County Public Defender Office in Wichita, Kansas.

The Board of Indigents’ Defense Services (BIDS), through its regional public defender offices like the Sedgwick County Public Defender Office, represents adults charged with felonies who cannot hire an attorney. By supporting and elevating public defense in the State of Kansas, BIDS empowers its team to provide relentless representation and collaborative, holistic advocacy in service of client-centered outcomes.

The Kansas State Board of Indigents’ Defense Services is in the process of remaking its public defense model with a renewed emphasis on building public defense offices with an interdisciplinary team-based collaborative defense system that uses community connections and resources to better represent not just an individual’s case, but the client as a whole.

We are looking for dynamic, client-centered Senior Legal Assistants who are passionate about the importance of public defense and are interested in aiding our efforts to fundamentally rebuild our system and transform our offices into a models of collaborative public defense practice.

Job Responsibilities:

Senior Legal Assistants play an important role in the defense team, and operate under the supervision of the Chief Public Defender or designated Deputy. Senior Legal Assistants must abide by the ethical and professional standards required of criminal defense teams.

It is expected that the duties of a Senior Legal Assistant will include the following (in addition to other tasks, as assigned):

• Review and maintain office calendar for attorneys and staff.
• Prepare reports/forms as required by the State of Kansas SHARP and SMART systems.
• Refer conflict cases to other assigned counsel when appropriate.
• Organize, review, and summarize evidence. Prepare binders, exhibits, and filings in preparation for hearings and trial. Assist attorneys during hearings and trials.
• Assist attorneys with preparing and filing of Notice of Appeal, when appropriate.
• Assist with docketing interlocutory appeals, with the Kansas Court of Appeals.
• Coordinate with experts to provide assistance in cases when requested.
• Obtain signed releases from clients; communicate with records custodians at schools, medical facilities, psychiatric facilities, drug treatment providers, and the VA, among others, to obtain records for the defense team.
• Obtain and document prior criminal history.
• Redact paper files, electronic files, and video.
• Meet with clients in custody (jail, prison, courthouse) and out of custody.
• Assist in obtaining client information during initial client interviews and assist in drafting bond motions.
• Review eligibility for diversion, assist with diversion process, including assistance with filling out applications and paperwork.
• Obtain information from community corrections and jail to provide to attorney and compute client credit for time served.
• Follow up on client information to locate witnesses and evidence.
• Assist clients with clothing who are in custody preparing for trial.
• Research legal issues within a particular case as directed by attorneys and write written summary.
• Confer with clients in absence of attorney to obtain information concerning client’s case and answer non-legal questions.
• Provide back-up support to administrative staff. Includes regular back-up on answering telephone, greeting and directing office visitors, opening case files, downloading and organizing discovery, performing court-run, and typing a variety of legal documents for filing with the court or providing information to clients.
• Other projects as assigned by the Chief Public Defender or Deputy Public Defender.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Must be able and willing to develop the skills necessary to complete the tasks required, and become proficient in managing a range of tasks for a team of attorneys and staff.
• Must be able to work independently and manage their time to complete tasks in a timely and efficient manner.
• Must be able to respectfully interact with clients, colleagues, and the courts.
• Must have attention to detail.
• Must follow the highest standards of professional conduct. Must have a keenly developed and uncompromising set of personal and professional ethics.
• Frequent local travel and occasional statewide travel.

Qualifications:

Education

• Minimum of a high school diploma or equivalent

Licensing & Certification

• Must have a valid driver’s license

Minimum Qualifications

• Six months experience as a legal assistant, paralegal or legal secretary

All Employment is subject to the Governor’s Salary Approval

Recruiter Contact Information:

• Name: Shawn Keeling
• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: 785-296-6631
• Mailing Address: 700 SW Jackson Street, Suite 500 Topeka, KS 66603

Job Application Process

• Cover letter
• Resume
• List of three professional references
• If you are claiming Veteran’s Preference, please also include your DD214

Ensure you upload all required documents during the application process.

If you have any further questions please contact:

Shawn Keeling

Human Resources Professional, Administration Office

State Board of Indigents’ Defense Services

Helpful Resources at jobs.ks.gov: “How to Search for a Job – Instructions”

Required documents for this application to be complete:

Kansas Tax Clearance Certificate required:

In accordance with Executive Order 2004-03. Each applicant (even non-residents) who is selected for a State of Kansas job vacancy must apply for a Tax Clearance Certificate within 10 days from the date of the offer letter by accessing the Kansas Department of Revenue's (KDOR) website at www.kdor.ks.gov/apps/taxclearance/Default.aspx .

If you need assistance with the tax clearance, please contact KDOR at (785)296-3199 or by email at [email protected]

How to Claim Veterans Preference

Veterans' Preference Eligible (VPE): Former military personnel or their spouse that have been verified as a "veteran"; under K.S.A. 73-201 will receive an interview if they meet the minimum competency factors of the position. The veterans' preference laws do not guarantee the veteran a job. Positions are filled with the best qualified candidate as determine by the hiring manager.

Learn more about claiming Veteran’s Preference

How to Claim Disability Hiring Preference

Applicants that have physical, cognitive and/or mental disabilities may claim an employment preference when applying for positions. If they are qualified to meet the performance standards of the position, with or without a reasonable accommodation, they will receive an interview for the position. The preference does not guarantee an applicant the job, as positions are filled with the best qualified candidate as determined by the hiring manager.

Learn more about claiming Disability Hiring Preference at the following link: Disability Hiring Preference | Kansas Department of Administration (ks.gov).

PLEASE NOTE: The documentation verifying a person's eligibility for use of this preference

should not be sent along with other application materials to the hiring agency but should be sent

directly to OPS. These documents should be sent either by fax to (785)296-7712, scanned and

emailed to [email protected], or can be mailed/delivered in person to:

ATTN: Disability Hiring Preference Coordinator

Office of Personnel Services

Landon State Office Building

900 SW Jackson, Rm 401

Topeka, KS 66612

Equal Employment Opportunity

The State of Kansas is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified persons will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, political affiliation, disability or any other factor unrelated to the essential functions of the job.

If you wish to identify yourself as a qualified person with a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act and would like to request an accommodation, please address the request to the agency recruiter.