What are the responsibilities and job description for the Legal Assistant position at Federal Public Defender?
POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT No. 26-04L
Legal Assistant
Southern District of Texas
Laredo, TX Division
The Federal Public Defender, Southern District of Texas, is accepting applications for the position of Legal Assistant to be stationed in the Laredo, TX office. The federal defender organization operates under authority of the Criminal Justice Act, 18 U.S.C. § 3006A, to provide defense services in federal criminal cases and related matters by appointment from the court.
Requirements. To qualify for entry level, a person must be a high school graduate or equivalent and have at least two years of general experience; one year of specialized experience; some higher education may be substituted for experience. Personal computer, advanced word-processing skills, and Spanish-language fluency are required; law office experience is preferred. Employment is subject to a satisfactory background investigation.
Duties. Provide legal secretarial and clerical support to three or more attorneys; maintain attorneys’ calendars of court settings and filing deadlines; answer general telephone inquiries regarding attorneys' activities; maintain attorneys' case files; type legal documents, briefs and general correspondence using Word (including formatting, proofreading, and editing as directed); review outgoing documents for accuracy; compose routine general correspondence; perform conflicts checks; filing, photocopying, routing mail, and other duties as assigned. This position will also have some case management duties, to be defined at a later date. The full Position Qualifications Statements and Position Description is available for inspection in this office.
Selection Criteria. Candidates must possess good communication skills, initiative, and capability of working in a high volume, fast paced office. The successful candidate will also have a demonstrated work history of dependability, responsibility, and the ability to be a team player.
Salary and Benefits. Starting salary will be commensurate with experience and qualifications of the applicant, within a range from JSP-6, Step 1 to JSP-8, Step 1, currently yielding $47,166 to $58,045 per annum. The position is in the excepted service and does not carry the tenure rights of the competitive Civil Service. The position does include the same benefits as other federal government employees including participation in health and life insurance, retirement, and the Thrift Savings Plan. Salary is payable only by Electronic Funds Transfer (direct deposit).
How to Apply. Qualified persons may apply by sending a letter of interest (mentioning announcement number 26-04L) and résumé to: Laura Dusthimer, Administrative Officer, Southern District of Texas, 440 Louisiana Street, Suite 1350, Houston, Texas 77002- 1634, or email in PDF format to TXS_Hiring@fd.org. For applicants with disabilities, this organization provides reasonable accommodations, which are decided on a case-by-case basis. To request a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or interview process, please contact Administrative Officer Laura Dusthimer at (713) 718-4600. Position announced on January 30, 2026; open until filled.
Subject to the availability of funds.
The Federal Public Defender is an equal-opportunity employer.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $47,166.00 - $58,045.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- Paid sick time
- Paid time off
- Parental leave
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
Salary : $47,166 - $58,045