TRIAL COURT STAFF ATTORNEY

Requisition No: 682443

Agency: State Courts System

Working Title: TRIAL COURT STAFF ATTORNEY - 22008653

Position Number: 22008653

Salary: $4,296.45 - $7,733.61 (Monthly) **Monthly prior to Florida Bar Admission

Posting Closing Date: 07/25/2022

Summary: The essential function of the position within the organization is to assist the judiciary with case management, pending litigation and issues, and/or process criminal and civil appeals. The position is responsible for drafting memoranda, opinions, orders and reports; conducting legal research; reviewing briefs and case files; and advising judges on pending litigation and issues. The position works under general supervision of the Senior Attorney I.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

NOTE: The following duties are illustrative and not exhaustive. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

• Reviews files, evidence, depositions, pleadings, motions, legal briefs, and memoranda of law, proposed orders and other related documentation in order to advise judges in a variety of legal areas;
• Conducts legal research of substantive and procedural legal matters, and drafts/prepares legal documents, such as opinions, judgments, post-conviction orders, memoranda or orders concerning extraordinary writs;
• Review motions for post-conviction relief brought pursuant to Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure Section 3.850;
• Research the application and interpretation of the Florida Rules of Judicial Administration.
• Conduct legislative research;
• Perform research on specific questions of law as presented by judges sitting in the circuit civil, criminal, family, and probate divisions, and the county civil, criminal, and small claims divisions;
• Perform other related duties as required;
• Drafts proposed orders for motions filed in and issues arising during death penalty cases;
• Provides immediate legal research and recommendations required by judges conducting court sessions;
• Attends staff meetings to exchange information; attends technical or professional workshops, seminars or conferences to improve professional skills; attends hearings as required;
• Assists the circuit court appellate division by drafting bench briefs and/or appellate opinions.

Supervisory Responsibilities: This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability requires. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Data Responsibility:

Refers to information, knowledge, and conceptions obtained by observation, investigation, interpretation, visualization, and mental creation. Data are intangible and include numbers, words, symbols, ideas, concepts, and oral verbalizations.

Synthesizes or integrates analysis of data or information to discover facts or develop knowledge or interpretations; modifies policies, procedures, or methodologies based on findings.

Conducts research to discover new methodologies or to find solutions for unresolved problems.

People Responsibility:

Refers to individuals who have contact with or are influenced by the position.

Counsels, instructs or trains others through explanation, demonstration, and supervised practice, or by making recommendations on the basis of technical disciplines.

Assets Responsibility: Refers to the responsibility for achieving economies or preventing loss within the organization.

Requires minimum responsibility for only small quantities of low cost items or supplies where opportunities for achieving economies or preventing loss are negligible.

Mathematical Requirements: Deals with quantities, magnitudes, and forms and their relationships and attributes by the use of numbers and symbols.

Uses addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division; may compute ratios, rates, and percents.

Communications Requirements: Involves the ability to read, write, and speak.

Reads and interprets advanced professional materials; writes complex reports and papers; speaks to high level professional groups.

Complexity of Work: Addresses the analysis, initiative, ingenuity, creativity, and concentration required by the position and the presence of any unusual pressures.

Performs work involving the application of principles of logical thinking and legal practice to diagnose or define problems, collect data and solve abstract problems with widespread unit or organization impact; requires sustained, intense concentration for accurate results and continuous exposure to unusual pressure.

Impact of Decisions: Refers to consequences such as damage to property, loss of data or property, exposure of the organization to legal liability, or injury or death to individuals.

Makes decisions with moderate impact, may affect those in organization and general public.

Equipment Usage: Refers to inanimate objects such as substances, materials, machines, tools, equipment, work aids, or products. A thing is tangible and has shape, form, and other physical characteristics.

Handles machines, tools, equipment, or work aids involving some latitude for judgment regarding attainment of standard or in selecting appropriate items, such as computers, peripherals, or software programs, such as word processing.

Education and Training Guidelines: Graduation from an accredited law school and membership in the Florida Bar. Law School graduates awaiting the Florida Bar results or anticipating taking the Florida Bar will be expected to attain membership in the Florida Bar within one year of the date of hire.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Knowledge of legal principles, statutory and case law, court rules and procedures. Ability to read, analyze, and interpret complex documents. Ability to respond effectively to sensitive inquiries or complaints. Exceptional writing and research skills. Ability to analyze complex legal issues and complicated factual details, digest and communicate ideas and concepts orally and in writing. Comprehensive knowledge of legal publications and the ability to use them efficiently. Ability to reason logically and analytically. Ability to exercise discretion, maintain confidentiality, impartiality, and honesty in handling matters before the Court. Ability to work effectively with others.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations: Florida Bar Membership

SPECIAL COMMENTS:

• If awaiting results of membership with the Florida Bar or prior to taking Florida Bar exam, the salary will be 10% below the minimum. Law School graduates awaiting the Florida Bar results or anticipating taking the Florida Bar will be expected to attain membership in the Florida Bar within one year of the date of hire.

The Florida State Courts System is a criminal justice agency. The successful applicant will be subject to a criminal background check.

In accordance with Section 110.205(2)(c), Florida Statutes, positions with the Florida State Courts System (judicial branch) are not covered under the Career Service System. All employees of the Florida State Courts System are at-will employees and serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority and do not attain tenure rights.

HOW TO APPLY

Submit a current and complete employment application located on the website at http://www.keyscourts.net/employment.html.

Trial Court Staff Attorney Application Packet should include the following:

• Cover letter
• Resume
• Writing sample
• List of professional references
• Transcripts (law school and undergraduate)
• State of Florida application

The signed application must be submitted for the position listing the appropriate class title and position number for which you are applying.

Submit Application Packet to:

Personnel / 16th Judicial Circuit

302 Fleming Street, Ste 3028

Key West, Florida 33040

Or

Email to: Personnel@KeysCourts.net

For additional information and to apply contact: Sixteenth Judicial Circuit, Cheryl Alfonso, Court Operations Manager; Phone: (305 ) 295-3652 or Email Cheryl.alfonso@keyscourts.net

The successful applicant will be subject to a criminal background check.

We are an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin or disability.

If you need an accommodation to participate in the application/selection process, make a request to the contact indicated for each respective position.

Persons using a TDD may call the contact person through the Florida Relay Services at 711 or 1-800-955-8771.

This Organization Participates in E-Verify: Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States. The 16th Judicial Circuit participates in the U.S. Government’s Electronic Employment Verification Program (E-Verify) to assist in this required verification process. E-Verify is a program that electronically confirms an employee’s eligibility to work in the United States after completion of the Employment Eligibility Verification Form (I-9) upon hire within the first 3 days of employment. For information about E-Verify, please visit: https://www.e-verify.gov/employees

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer, and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.