The Federal Public Defender for the Western District of North Carolina seeks a Paralegal to the Capital Habeas Unit for the Fourth Circuit (“the CHU”) in Charlotte, North Carolina.
About Us: Our regional CHU represents indigent people sentenced to death in the state and federal courts within the Fourth Circuit’s appellate jurisdiction. We have an experienced team of investigators, paralegals, and attorneys who are committed to innovative and passionate advocacy.
Our office is based in Charlotte, a compact and thriving city in the Carolina Piedmont. Charlotte offers expansive parks and greenways, premier theatre and concert venues, outstanding restaurants, professional sports, and an innovative public school system. It’s also within easy reach of the Carolina coast and the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains.
We recognize that we cannot serve the distinct needs of our clients without assembling a diverse team of dedicated professionals who work and advocate collaboratively on their behalf. We welcome applicants of any race, color, religion, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, disability, age, and status. We are committed to ensuring an inclusive and equitable workplace. Click here for more information about our office.
Job Description: The scope of our work includes all stages of federal habeas corpus proceedings, stay litigation, method-of-execution challenges, and executive clemency. We have an active caseload in North Carolina, South Carolina, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, and the United States Military. We regularly litigate in federal district courts, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court of the United States. The Paralegal will play an integral role in litigation teams that represent death-sentenced prisoners. A paralegal’s duties include: performing general case preparation as directed by the CHU staff, including assisting in the creation, maintenance, organization, and indexing of case files; participating in case management functions such as calendaring, conflict checks, and docket control; assisting in the preparation and submission of pleadings and correspondence; assisting in the development of evidence, including the locating, collecting, organizing, summarizing and analyzing of records from a variety of different sources relating to the offense and the client’s life history and supporting investigations; and assisting in the maintenance of “banks” of substantive pleadings and reference materials by subject matter. The position may require frequent travel and work outside of business hours, including weekends and holidays.
For more information, including how to apply, please see the full announcement on our website: https://ncw.fd.org/employment.