LEGAL ASSISTANT

Requisition No: 849836

Agency: Agency for Persons with Disabilities

Working Title: LEGAL ASSISTANT - 67072407 APD/ DDDP

Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 67072407

Salary: $1,298.47-$1,570.34 bi-weekly

Posting Closing Date: 04/10/2025

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

AGENCY FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

POSITION: Legal Assistant- Career Service

POSITION NUMBER: 67072407

OPEN COMPETITIVE OPPORTUNITY

SALARY RANGE: $1,298.47-$1,570.34 BIWEEKLY

Working hours 8:00am-4:30pm

This posting may close before the posted closing date.

CANDIDATE POOL: Future vacancies may be filled from this advertisement for a period of up to six months.

The Benefits of Working for the State of Florida

Working for the State of Florida is more than a paycheck. The State’s total compensation package for eligible employees features a highly competitive set of employee benefits, including:

• Annual and Sick Leave benefits.
• Nine paid holidays and one Personal Holiday each year.
• State Group Insurance coverage options, including health, life, dental, vision, and other supplemental insurance options.
• Retirement plan options, including employer contributions (For more information, please click www.myfrs.com).
• Flexible Spending Accounts.
• Tuition waivers.
• And more! For a more complete list of benefits, visit www.mybenefits.myflorida.com.
• Paid Maternity and Parental Leave.
• https://compcalculator.myflorida.com/

The Agency seeks team members who demonstrate the qualities of being humble, hungry, and smart and lead others to embody the same. This entails lacking excessive ego, sharing credit, being self-motivated, and exercising good judgment and intuition regarding the subtleties of group dynamics.

This position with APD will serve staff and management across the Agency. Your work will impact the workplace culture, our community, and the population we serve as we continuously strive to achieve the Agency’s mission.

Program Overview

The Developmental Disabilities Defendant Program operates on the campus of Florida State Hospital in Chattahoochee and at Sunland in Marianna under the auspices of The State of Florida Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD). The Developmental Disabilities Defendant Program (DDDP) is dedicated to empowering persons with developmental disabilities charged with a felony crime to:

1. Acquire the skills and supports that will prepare them for success in their future environments.

2. Acquire the skills needed to become competent to stand trial.

Position Summary

This is a professional position responsible for a variety of clerical and administrative tasks which support the Senior Forensic Attorney at DDDP.

Prepares materials for, coordinates, and assists Facility Forensic Attorney with court hearings and obtaining signed orders following hearings. Prepares appropriate cover letters and model pleadings and orders to accompany court reports and/or notifications and distributes the documents to the appropriate court officials and Agency personnel. Uses the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal to ensure instant delivery and receipt of reports by the assigned judges and attorneys. Creates and maintains tracking log and coordinates the work of the Facility Forensic Attorney. Follows up on assignments, evaluations, and other reports that require administrative and/or legal actions to ensure deadlines are met. Coordinates the filing and service of court reports on individuals committed to the Agency in a timely and efficient manner. Tracks and maintains database on court reports submitted for legal processing. Receives and answers calls and emails from evaluators, Agency personnel, and court officials. Places calls and/or emails to verify the correct contact information for all parties to facilitate service of legal documents. Maintains schedule of all hearings and manages process to include communicating dates, times, and other pertinent information (location, Zoom, Teams, etc.) to all involved parties. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, skills and abilities, including utilization of equipment, required for the position:

• Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

• Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

• Skilled in administrative and clerical processes.

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, residents, partners, and other stakeholders.

• Ability to understand written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

• Ability to talk to others to convey information effectively.

• Ability to effectively communicate in writing.

Minimum Qualification:

At least one year of administrative experience in a professional office or legal setting.

A valid driver’s license.

The Work You Will Do

DDDP is a forensic facility working with individuals with disabilities in a secure setting. These individuals have been adjudicated by the courts as incompetent to proceed to trial and have significant behavioral and psychiatric issues. DDDP provides rehabilitative, vocational, and daily living skills training to the individuals served which allows for a smooth transition back into a non-secure residential or community setting.

Pathways is a 34-bed all male forensic facility working with individuals with disabilities in a secure setting. These individuals have been adjudicated by the courts as incompetent to proceed to trial and have significant behavioral and psychiatric issues. Pathways provides rehabilitative, vocational, and daily living skills training to the individuals served which allows for a smooth transition back into a non-secure residential or community setting.

Additional Information

We are dedicated to empowering persons with developmental disabilities charged with a felony crime to acquire the skills needed to become competent to stand trial, and to acquire the skills and supports that will prepare them for success in their future environments.

Recruiting Contact:

Jodi NeSmith

Recruitment Manager- Developmental Disabilities Defendant Program & Pathways

Agency for Persons with Disabilities

Telephone: (850) 793-7075

Email: jodi.nesmith@apdcares.org

Profile Completion

Applicants must complete all fields in the Candidate Profile, including their work history within the month and year, to qualify for this position.

Responses to Qualifying Questions must be verifiable in the Candidate Profile, and “see resume” will not be considered an acceptable response.

Resumes and other documentation can be attached to provide additional information, but this will not replace the required completed Candidate Profile.

Retiree Notice

If you are a retiree of the Florida Retirement System (FRS), please check with the FRS on how your current benefits will be affected if you are re-employed with the State of Florida. Your current retirement benefits may be suspended or voided, and you will be required to repay all benefits received depending upon the date of your retirement.

Direct Deposit Program

As a condition of employment, a person appointed to a position in the State Personnel System is required to participate in the Direct Deposit Program. Rather than receiving a paper paycheck, your funds will be deposited directly into your account at your financial institution. This will be accomplished by Electronic Funds Transfer. Banks, savings and loan associations, and credit unions are eligible to accept such deposits. Retirement funds are also required to be in the Direct Deposit Program.

Background Screening Requirement

It is the policy of the Florida Agency for Persons with Disabilities that applicants for employment undergo Level 2 employment screening in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 435, Florida Statutes, as a condition of employment or being permitted to serve as a volunteer.

No applicant for a designated position will be employed or permitted to volunteer until the Level 2 screening results are received, reviewed, and approved by the Agency.
Level 2 background screening shall include, but not be limited to, fingerprinting for Statewide criminal and juvenile records checks through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and Federal criminal records checks through the Federal Bureau of Investigation and may include local criminal records checks through local law enforcement agencies.

Pursuant to S. 110.1127(1), Florida Statutes, this position requires a background investigation, including fingerprinting.

APD only hires U.S. citizens, and those lawfully authorized to work in the U.S. APD participates in the U.S. government’s employment eligibility verification program (E-verify). E-verify is a program that electronically confirms an employee’s eligibility to work in the U.S. after completing the employment eligibility verification form (I-9).

All applicants should complete the online application process. If assistance is needed to apply for this position, please call the people first service center at 1-877-562-7287.

Responses to the qualifying questions are required to be considered for this position. Answers to the qualifying questions must be verifiable based on your submitted application.

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.

VETERANS’ PREFERENCE. Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans’ Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply. Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements. Candidates claiming Veterans’ Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code. Veterans’ Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here. All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.