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Job Description
Role
The Public Defender’s Office has a rewarding opportunity for a paralegal assisting our attorneys in case preparation. The ideal candidate will be experienced in a legal environment with attorney-delegated paralegal duties. All candidates will demonstrate strong legal research, legal writing, and proofreading skills. All candidates will be required to have or become a Certified Paralegal with NALA within one year of employment.
Here in Yavapai County Government, we live each day by our core values of Compassion, Integrity, Collaboration, and Innovation. We do what we do because we care for our community and because people matter. The County Public Defender’s Office has also developed their own department mission and values. We at the PDO strive to ensure access to justice for all people.
OUR WHY
We ensure access to justice for all people.
OUR POV
We live our why by being diligent, fearless, and principled in our pursuit of justice.
OUR NON-NEGOTIABLE VALUES
Dedication
We show up well prepared and are committed to our why.
Courageousness
We are bold, creative, and accessible every day.
Honorable
We are honest, authentic, and trustworthy in our actions.
We are a collegial paperless office where all employees have the option to work remotely from their homes in a hybrid arrangement or in the office full-time. We stress work-life balance and manage our caseloads to ensure it. We would love to talk to you about our office and your interests.
Review complete class specification for Paralegal here.
Major Duties, Responsibilities- Reviews relevant facts of case, researches case law, confers with attorneys, and drafts legal documents.
- Provides legal assistance and case management functions for attorneys in the department, prioritizes assignments, and performs duties within scope of authority and training, and in compliance with policies and procedures.
- Drafts motions, arguments, briefs, petitions, changes of plea, and other legal pleadings as directed.
- Formats, types, proofreads, and checks legal citations of letters, memoranda, and various legal pleadings.
- Calendars deadlines and hearing dates.
- Confers with attorneys, defense team, experts, lay witnesses monitors cases, and prepares trial notebooks.
- Prepares and assists attorneys at court hearings and trials.
- Performs other job-related duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications
Education:
Associate’s degree in paralegal studies.
Experience:
A minimum of two (2) years of progressively responsible experience in a legal environment charged with attorney-delegated legal assistant duties.
Additional Requirements:
Must possess a valid Arizona driver’s license.
Possess or obtain Certified Paralegal (CP) status with National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) within one year of employment.
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
Yavapai County Government offers a comprehensive employee benefits package to
Full-Time employees working 30 or more hours per week that includes but is not limited to:
• 10 Paid Holidays Per Year
• Annual Leave
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Health Care Insurance - Medical, Dental, Vision
• Life Insurance
• Long-Term & Short-Term Disability
• Retirement Plans
• Sick Leave
• Tuition Reimbursement Program
ELECTIVE COVERAGE
• 457 Deferred Compensation Program
• Dependent Health Care Insurance - Medical, Dental, Vision
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Short-Term Disability
• Supplemental Life (for employees & dependents)
PLEASE NOTE
• Part-Time , Temporary and Seasonal employees accrue Sick Leave based on hours worked.
• Part-Time employees have limited benefits available.
• Temporary and Seasonal employees are not eligible to accrue Annual Leave.
Click here to view our benefits summary.
Closing Date/Time: 10/31/2025 5:00 PM Arizona -
ABOUT THE COMPANY
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Yavapai County
Show moreYavapai County reflects the history of the old west and the future of the new. At Yavapai County Government, we care for our community while building upon our legacy. Guided by our core values of Compassion, Integrity, Collaboration, and Innovation we uphold these values in our everyday endeavors.
Yavapai County is in northcentral Arizona, just north of Phoenix, and is one of the four original Arizona counties formed in 1864. The County, with approximately 246,191 residents, includes eight incorporated towns and cities: Prescott (county seat), Prescott Valley, Chino Valley, Jerome, Clarkdale, Sedona, Cottonwood, Camp Verde, and the newest municipality Dewey-Humboldt. The County features some of the most spectacular natural beauty in the American West with a mild climate, four beautiful and distinct seasons, and breathtaking landscapes complete with granite mountains, lakes, and rolling meadows.
As a Yavapai County Government employee, you will have the chance to work in one of 37 unique departments, each providing vital services to our community. From law enforcement and healthcare to public works and environmental protection, there is a wide range of career paths to explore. And with opportunities for advancement and professional growth, you can build a long and rewarding career with us.
We have a workforce of over 1,800 employees who are committed to enhancing the well-being of its residents and cultivating a thriving and vibrant community, making Yavapai County a wonderful place to live, work, and play.
Whether you're just starting your career or looking for a new challenge and aspire to be part of a vibrant team that values each member, we welcome you to join us in furthering our legacy and making a difference in your community. Why… because people matter!
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