The Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Eastern District of Virginia is accepting applications for a Paralegal / Administrator Federal Public Defender position in our Richmond office. Pursuant to the Criminal Justice Act, 18 U.S.C. § 3006A, the office provides legal representation to indigent defendants in federal criminal cases and related matters.
Summary
The Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Eastern District of Virginia is accepting applications for a Paralegal / Administrator Federal Public Defender position in our Richmond office. Pursuant to the Criminal Justice Act, 18 U.S.C. § 3006A, the office provides legal representation to indigent defendants in federal criminal cases and related matters.
The paralegal position provides support services to staff attorneys. This position will also provide vital administrative assistance to the Richmond location and serve as a backup for the Branch Manager. This position may require work on holidays, evenings, and weekends, as the nature of assigned cases require.
General legal duties include providing research, drafting legal pleadings, assisting with case preparation and file management, managing discovery, assisting attorneys at hearings and trials, assisting with client contact, assisting investigators with interviewing witnesses as needed, maintaining research banks, and intensive technological litigation support. Additional duties may include analyzing legal decisions, opinions, rulings and compiling and summarizing substantive information on statutes, treaties and specific legal subjects.
Administrative duties will include but are not limited to: greeting and directing visitors, answering and routing calls to the office, overseeing incoming and outgoing mail, overseeing and organizing office supplies, opening and closing physical and digital case files, assisting in financial and case file management, and managing office calendars for trials and dockets. Administrative duties during the regular course of business may account for a significant portion daily duties.
The final candidate will undergo an FBI background check and employment is conditional upon its completion.
The physical demands of the position are those required to successfully perform the duties described above. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions. The paralegal will spend most of their time in an office environment consistent with our telework policy. The individual must occasionally lift and/or move 25-50 pounds. Travel within the state may be necessary and a valid driver's license preferred.
Qualifications
The successful applicant must, at a minimum have: 1) 3 years of experience in a legal setting or the equivalent; 2) A high level of proficiency with MS Office (Word, PowerPoint) and Adobe Acrobat; 3) experience with litigation support software. The successful applicant will have a working knowledge of law office operations, legal practices, methods and techniques, and an understanding of criminal law, criminal procedure and evidence. Successful candidates will demonstrate a willingness to assist in office operations and perform administrative duties as needed. Graduate level education from an accredited institution may substitute for experience.
Education
At a minimum, candidates must possess a high school diploma.
Additional information
The position is "at-will" employment in the excepted service and does not carry the tenure rights of the competitive civil service.
This position is subject to the availability of funds.
All responses will remain confidential.
More than one position may be filled from this announcement.
The Federal Public Defender is an Equal-Opportunity Employer.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Pay is only part of the generous total compensation package you will receive while working for the federal Judiciary. We offer employees a diverse group of benefit programs and family friendly flexibilities to meet the needs of you and your family. A generous benefits package is available to full-time permanent court employees including:
Paid vacation and sick leave, paid parental leave, and 12 paid federal holidays per year.
Optional participation in Federal Employees Health Benefits plans (health, dental and vision); Federal Employees Group Life Insurance; Flexible Benefits Program; Long-Term Care Insurance; Health Care Reimbursement (HCRA) and Dependent Care Reimbursement (HCRA).
Public transportation subsidy, Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
Participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). Optional participation in Thrift Savings Plan (up to 5% employer matched contributions).
Public Service Loan Forgiveness program pursuant to the term of the (PSLF).
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
We will review your resume and supporting documents to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information provided and evaluate your relevant professional, educational, and work experiences as it relates to fundamental competencies, identified in the Qualifications section above, required for this position.
Pay is only part of the generous total compensation package you will receive while working for the federal Judiciary. We offer employees a diverse group of benefit programs and family friendly flexibilities to meet the needs of you and your family. A generous benefits package is available to full-time permanent court employees including:
Paid vacation and sick leave, paid parental leave, and 12 paid federal holidays per year.
Optional participation in Federal Employees Health Benefits plans (health, dental and vision); Federal Employees Group Life Insurance; Flexible Benefits Program; Long-Term Care Insurance; Health Care Reimbursement (HCRA) and Dependent Care Reimbursement (HCRA).
Public transportation subsidy, Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
Participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). Optional participation in Thrift Savings Plan (up to 5% employer matched contributions).
Public Service Loan Forgiveness program pursuant to the term of the (PSLF).
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
To be considered for this position, email a single PDF containing a completed AO78 Judicial Branch Application, cover letter, and resume to FPDedva_hiring@fd.org. You must include the job announcement number in the subject line.
For required documents or additional information, visit the Employment section of https://vae.fd.org.
This position will remain open until filled with preference given to those who apply by March 27, 2026.
Office of the Federal Public Defender, Eastern District of Virginia
1650 King Street
STE 500
Alexandria, VA 22314
US
Next steps
Only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted; please do not contact the office. Those contacted will be required to participate in a panel interview.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
To be considered for this position, email a single PDF containing a completed AO78 Judicial Branch Application, cover letter, and resume to FPDedva_hiring@fd.org. You must include the job announcement number in the subject line.
For required documents or additional information, visit the Employment section of https://vae.fd.org.
This position will remain open until filled with preference given to those who apply by March 27, 2026.
Office of the Federal Public Defender, Eastern District of Virginia
1650 King Street
STE 500
Alexandria, VA 22314
US
Next steps
Only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted; please do not contact the office. Those contacted will be required to participate in a panel interview.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
