What are the responsibilities and job description for the Fact Witness Management Legal Clerk position at BlackFish Federal?
Fact Witness Management Legal Clerk
Location: 99 NE 4th Street, Miami, FL 33132
Status: Full Time
Blackfish Federal, LLC is committed to supporting economic development in Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZones). Candidates residing in a designated HUBZone are strongly encouraged to apply. To check if your address qualifies, please visit the official HUBZone Map provided by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Position Summary:
Provide all clerical services required to perform tasks related to the support of the U.S. Attorney's Office (USAO) fact witness management process by providing a variety of direct assistance to USAO Victim-Witness personnel, Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSA), legal assistants, administrative staff, and other USAO personnel. Duties include, but are not limited to, maintaining witness files, completing and processing travel vouchers, arranging travel and lodging, entering data in relevant computer systems, and other witness management related duties.
Required Qualifications:
- High School Diploma.
- Ability to:
- Perform word processing and data entry/retrieval.
- Review and analyze data and information from multiple sources.
- Establish case/project files.
- Enter and retrieve data from databases.
- Prepare and format management reports.
- Manipulate, transfer, compute and print information.
- Prepare and correct reports and correspondence using word processing software.
- Schedule appointments.
- Answer inquiries regarding case-related information and status as maintained in the database.
- Obtain additional information from other agencies/organizations.
- Maintain internal status information on the disposition of designated information, files, and assets.
- Assure information is accurate and perform analytical computations necessary to process data.
- Provide administrative information and assistance concerning case or file to other agencies or organizations.
- The contractor must have good communication and organizational skills, the ability to deliver highest quality work under pressure, and knowledge of software used by the USAO (or the ability to acquire knowledge about the USAO's computer systems).
- Possess or be able to obtain/maintain a Government Department of Justice (DOJ) Security Clearance.
- This position requires U.S. Citizenship.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Undergraduate degree.
Essential Functions:
Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- Provide witness management assistance prior to, during, and after trial. Typical assignments include working directly with fact witnesses, providing aid and support to ensure appearance for court, pre-trial conferences, and grand jury.
- Receive visitors, field phone calls, questions and other inquiries from fact witnesses seeking information pertaining to court, pre-trial conferences, grand jury appearances and expense reimbursement. Obtain pertinent information for files and documents necessary to arrange witness travel and reimbursements.
- Initiate contact/notify fact witnesses concerning travel arrangements, appearance date/time, and determine any special circumstances or needs of the fact witness. Use judgment to determine when AUSA should be notified of special circumstances or needs of fact witnesses.
- Confer with AUSA concerning fact witness appearance and special circumstances regarding witnesses (special authorizations, international witnesses, military/federal employee witnesses, or hostile witnesses). Complete and submit proper documentation for special authorizations and obtain prior approval before proceeding with travel arrangements.
- Prior to fact witness' appearance, ensure all travel documents and appearance date and time have been provided to the witness. Make necessary arrangements for fact witness travel and lodging according to DOJ and USAO policies and procedures.
- Meet with fact witnesses upon arrival to designated hearing or pre-trial conference, offer and perform courtroom orientation, accompany witness to court, ensure a safe waiting area is available, and collect necessary documentation and signatures for fact witness reimbursement documents.
- Prepare and submit documentation for fact witness reimbursement, i.e., witness vouchers and other required documentation for fact witnesses. Furnish requested information concerning pending and completed fact witness vouchers. Gather required documentation and reconcile Government Travel Accounts.
- Obtain information, confer, and coordinate with the Court, Probation, Pretrial, U.S. Marshals Service, investigative agencies, and other counterparts, when necessary.
- Complete variable aspects of recurring documents in conformance with the rules governing their style and format. Compose original letters that do not require legal interpretations but require a good working knowledge of legal procedures and specialized terminology relevant to fact witness laws and regulations.
- Perform general office procedures pertaining to fact witness management, including, but not limited to: establish and maintain a variety of fact witness files, documents and databases; assemble documents and other information for fact witness file material and retention in accordance with established procedures and DOJ regulations; if requested, establish and maintain calendar and/or database of active and pending fact witness appearances; track hearings, trial dates, grand jury and scheduling conferences; perform other administrative and logistical fact witness management related duties as required/assigned.
Non-Essential Functions:
- Performs other duties as needed.
Work Conditions:
- Work is primarily performed in an office environment.
This document is not intended to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of all job-related activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Due to the nature of the industry, job tasks may be changed as necessary to meet the needs of the customer.