The Bronx County District Attorney’s Office seeks a well-qualified staff whose diverse backgrounds contribute to serve the 1.4 million members of the Bronx County community and to pursue a safer Bronx through fair justice. The Office currently has two openings for the position of Trial Preparation Assistant in its Civil Litigation Bureau. The successful candidate in this position will possess paralegal experience to assist the Civil Litigation Bureau's FOIL Unit in responding to requests made by the public pursuant to the Freedom of Information Law (“FOIL”).

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

Engage in communications with parties making FOIL requests by acknowledging receipt of request, providing status updates, and drafting FOIL determination letters.

Locate closed criminal files and other records from office file storage in order to respond to FOIL requests.

Under attorney supervision, review documents, media, and other records to determine information responsive to each FOIL request.

Assist in the drafting of FOIL determination letters that set forth records to be disclosed or withheld under the FOIL statute.

Using applicable computer programs, input data with respect to each FOIL request and maintain statistics for the FOIL Unit.

Use advanced features of Adobe Acrobat to merge and separate PDF files, as well as mark and apply redactions as necessary.

Pick up and deliver files and records for the bureau.

Scan, copy, and redact disclosable records and provide to requesting parties upon payment of costs.

Provide support and assistance to other professional and legal staff members as necessary.

All other duties as assigned.


QUALIFICATIONS:

A bachelor’s degree, or a high school diploma with four years of work experience in a law firm, governmental agency, or non-profit organization is required. Experience as a paralegal is preferred.

A valid driver’s license with a minimum of two years of driving experience is required and must be maintained for the duration of employment.

Must be able to maintain a high degree of confidentiality.

Strong proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and Adobe Acrobat.

Excellent time management skills.

Strong desire and ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment.

Familiarity with general court services.

Ability to work independently and effectively under deadlines.

Qualification Requirements
1. High school graduation or equivalent and three years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to duties described above; or
2. Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" above.

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.