Position Announcement 26-15
PARALEGAL OR ASSISTANT PARALEGAL
Office of the Federal Public Defender Western District of Texas (Del Rio)
THE FEDERAL PUBLIC DEFENDER, Western District of Texas, is accepting applications for the position of paralegal or assistant paralegal to be stationed in Del Rio, Texas. The Federal Public Defender operates under authority of the Criminal Justice Act, 18 U.S.C. 3006A, to provide defense services in federal criminal cases and related matters by appointment from the court to individuals unable to afford counsel.
Requirements. To qualify for the position of paralegal, candidates must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university or have a paralegal certificate from an accredited paralegal program. Spanish-language fluency is required. Candidates must also possess:
• a strong legal, administrative, or paralegal background.
• excellent organization and communication skills.
• computer proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Acrobat, Excel, word processing, legal research tools using Westlaw and Lexis, and database coding, search, and maintenance.
• excellent command of English grammar and spelling.
• three to five years of relevant experience, preferably managing complex litigation and/or
voluminous case files.
• experience as a paralegal performing progressively responsible paralegal duties.
• the skills and ability to execute the duties of the position.
To qualify for the position of assistant paralegal, candidates must be a high school graduate or
the equivalent and have at least two years of paralegal or comparable experience, or an educational substitute. Spanish-language fluency is required. Candidates must also possess:
• experience as an assistant paralegal performing progressively responsible paralegal
duties;
• an understanding of paralegal and secretarial duties in a legal environment;
• a working knowledge of law office operations, legal practices, methods and techniques, and the legal system;
• the skills and ability to execute the duties of the position.
Candidates for both paralegal and assistant paralegal positions must possess:
• the skill and judgment in the analysis of assignments;
• a general understanding of office confidentiality issues, such as attorney/client
privilege;
• an understanding of criminal law, criminal procedure, and evidence;
• the ability to work collegially; and
• integrity, character, and good judgment.
Duties. The paralegal or assistant paralegal performs legal and administrative duties using legal terminology, procedures, and documents that include researching legal issues, drafting motions and orders, and maintaining electronic case files and databases. Paralegals or assistant paralegals support the assistant federal public defenders by performing duties that include assisting with case file management, gathering, organizing, summarizing, and indexing of electronic and paper documents and other discovery materials. Paralegals or assistant paralegals also assist attorneys at hearings and trials; with client contact; with expert and witness interviews; with litigation support services using advanced software programs; and other duties as assigned. The full position qualifications statement with position description is available upon request.
Selection Criteria. The successful candidate will have a working knowledge of law office
operations, legal practices, methods and techniques, and an understanding of criminal law,
procedure, and evidence. Prior federal court litigation experience is preferred. Employment is
subject to a satisfactory background investigation, including but not limited to an FBI name and fingerprint check.
Salary and Benefits. The starting salary of a paralegal will be commensurate with the experience and qualifications of the applicant, within a range from JSP-11, Step 1, to JSP-14, Step 1, and currently yielding $74,678 to $125,776 per annum. The starting salary of an assistant paralegal will be commensurate with the experience and qualifications of the applicant, at JSP-9, Step 1, currently yielding $61,722 per annum. The position is in the excepted service and does not carry the tenure rights of the competitive Civil Service. This position offers federal government employment benefits, including participation in health and life insurance, retirement, and the Thrift Savings Plan. Salary is payable only by Electronic Funds Transfer (direct deposit).
How to Apply. Qualified persons may apply by sending a letter of interest (mentioning announcement 26-15), a résumé, references, and representative writing sample. Experience should be described in detail. Send all required documents in a single PDF document named with applicant’s “last name, first name-Announcement 26-15 DR Paralegal/AP” by email to TXW_Employment@fd.org. Electronic submissions sent directly to the Defender will not be considered. For applicants with disabilities, this organization provides reasonable accommodations, which are decided on a case-by-case basis. To request reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or interview process, contact personnel administrator Victoria B. Longoria at (210) 981-2081. More than one position may be
filled from this announcement. Position announced February 6, 2026, subject to the availability of funds; open until filled.
Federal Public Defender is an equal-opportunity employer.