Paralegal

State of Minnesota Board of Public Defense

$68K — $112K *
Legal & Accounting
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Four-year paralegal degree from an accredited college or university, or two-year paralegal certificate with two years of experience.
  • Good knowledge of legal research principles and credible legal information sources.
  • Working knowledge of juvenile and criminal justice systems, including familiarity with the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines.
  • Considerable skill in written and oral communication, as well as interviewing and listening techniques.
  • Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion and establish effective working relationships.

Responsibilities

  • Compose and send substantive legal correspondence for clients and attorneys.
  • Organize, index, and summarize legal files and materials for easy access.
  • Conduct discovery, perform legal research, and draft various legal documents.
  • Confer with clients regarding case status and gather necessary information through interviews and documents.
  • Assist attorneys in analyzing cases and developing legal strategies for trial.

Benefits

  • Medical and dental insurance with affordable employee contributions.
  • Generous parental leave policy available after one year of employment.
  • Eligibility for retirement savings plans and flexible pre-tax accounts.
  • Access to an Employee Assistance Program for personal or professional challenges.
  • Paid holidays, floating holidays, vacation, and sick leave programs.
Full Job Description
Salary : $68,821.00 - $112,053.00 Annually
Location : Carlton, MN
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: 01963
Department: Sixth Judicial District
Division: Carlton
Opening Date: 08/28/2026
Closing Date: 9/11/2026 5:00 PM Central

Application Requirements

ATTACH COVER LETTER AND RESUME

Under administrative direction and supervision, performs work of moderate difficulty assisting staff attorneys in performance of preliminary or specialized legal tasks.

This position is eligible for a hybrid work schedule after successfully completing the probationary period of 12 months.
Definition/Summary of Duties

  • Composes substantive legal correspondence
  • Organizes, indexes, and/or summarizes files and other materials
  • Obtains discovery, conducts legal research; drafts motions, memoranda, notices, demands, jury instructions, and other documents;
  • Gathers information from clients and witnesses through interviews and from documents; confers with clients on case status, preparation, and other matters;
  • Assists attorneys with analyzing cases, developing defenses, theory of case, and trial strategies;
  • Assists at hearings and trials;
  • Drafts questions for prospective witnesses; prepares witness lists; coordinates witnesses;
  • Examines physical evidence, tangible objects, photographs and exhibits;
  • Prepares trial note books;
  • Locates and confers with expert witnesses and resource people;
  • Conducts jury surveys; prepares and serves subpoenas;
  • Prepares diagrams and other exhibits; testifies in court; assists clients with arrangements for bail; acts as jail liaison;
  • Assists clients with post sentencing issues such as jail credit, work release, and restitution;
  • Monitors and reports legislative and case developments affecting clients;
  • Maintains brief bank; administers law library; coordinates activities of interns and law clerks;
  • May design and present information for statewide training programs;
  • Performs related duties as required.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Knowledge:
  • Working knowledge of the juvenile and criminal justice systems
  • Good knowledge of relevant legal information sources
  • Good knowledge of the principles of legal research
  • Good knowledge of legal protocol, legal vocabulary, document indexing methods and document filing methods
Skills:
  • Considerable skill in interviewing and listening
  • Considerable skill in written and oral communications
  • Considerable skill in preparing and organizing materials for use by others
  • Considerable skill in analysis of facts and data.
Abilities:
  • Working ability to use legal research tools such as statutes, digests, practice manuals and computerized legal bases
  • Working ability to develop written and oral reports
  • Working ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships
  • Working ability to complete assignments under time constraints;
  • Working ability to perform job duties independently, organize work-flow efficiently, set priorities and meet deadlines;
  • Working ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with discretion;
  • Working ability to provide staff attorneys with a variety of legal processes.

Education and Experience

Minimum Qualifications:
  • Four year paralegal degree from an accredited college or university; OR
  • A two year paralegal certificate from an accredited business or technical school plus two years of approved experience as a Paralegal, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

The State of Minnesota offers benefits through the State Employee Group Insurance Program (SEGIP). Benefits-eligible employees are entitled to the following insurance and pre-tax benefits:
Full time employee and part time employee benefits:
Medical insurance
Single coverage as low as $38.50 a month

Family coverage $262.66 a month
Dental insurance
Single coverage as low as $13.50 a month

Family coverage $55.40 a month
Basic Life insurance
6 week paid Parental Leave (eligible after 1 year of employment)
Retirement Savings
11 paid holidays
2 Floating holiday Vacation and sick time along with leave of absence programs
Employee Assistance Program
Optional benefits:
Additional Life insurance for yourself, spouse and children
Accidental death and dismemberment insurance
Short and long-term disability insurance
Metro Pass
Deferred Compensation plan
Pre-tax expense accounts: dependent care account, medical and dental, transit expense

01

Describe the legal research tools you are familiar with using.
02

Describe the types of legal correspondence you have written (briefs, memos, etc.).
03

Describe your experience with interviewing another person to obtain information.
04

Describe your experience working with co-counsel/defense team.
05

Describe your experience working with scientific evidence.
06

Describe your familiarity with the juvenile and criminal justice systems, and any experience you have with the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines.
07

List the software programs you can use proficiently (Word, Excel, etc).
08

What experience do you have working with a diverse community in either volunteer or paid positions? List organizations and job duties.
09

Please list your educational background as related to this position.
Required Question

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