Paralegal

State of Minnesota Board of Public Defense

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

Qualifications

  • Paralegal degree or equivalent education/experience
  • Knowledge of juvenile and criminal justice systems
  • Skills in legal research and analysis
  • Strong written and oral communication skills
  • Ability to manage sensitive information discreetly
  • Experience working under tight deadlines

Responsibilities

  • Compose legal correspondence and documents
  • Conduct legal research and obtain discovery materials
  • Interview clients and witnesses for case insights
  • Assist attorneys in case analysis and trial strategy
  • Prepare trial notebooks and coordinate witness logistics
  • Testify in court and assist with post-sentencing issues

Benefits

  • Medical and dental insurance options
  • 6 weeks of paid parental leave after 1 year
  • 11 paid holidays and 2 floating holidays
  • Retirement savings plan
  • Employee Assistance Program
  • Optional life and disability insurance
  • Pre-tax expense accounts for healthcare and transit expenses
Full Job Description
Salary : $68,821.00 - $112,053.00 Annually
Location : Crookston, MN
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: 01966
Department: Ninth Judicial District
Division: Crookston Office
Opening Date: 09/04/2026
Closing Date: 9/18/2026 4:00 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

List the software programs you can use proficiently (Word, Excel, etc).
02

What experience have you had working with a diverse community? List organizations and job duties.
03

List any additional information you feel may be important for us to know in evaluating your application.
04

Describe your knowledge of the juvenile and criminal justice systems.
05

Please list your educational background as related to this position.
06

Describe any experience you have with producing written reports.
Required Question

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