Job Description

Posting Date

07/20/26

Application Deadline

07/24/26

Pay Range

Anticipated Hiring Range: $21.75 - $25.44 hourly
Full Pay Range: $21.75 - $36.50 hourly

Salary offers are based on the candidate's equivalent experience and internal equity with other employees within the same job classification. This position is eligible for overtime compensation for all hours worked over 40 in the designated workweek.

Job Type

Unclassified

Department

Public Defender

About the Position

The Maricopa County Public Defender’s Office is searching for a hard-working Legal Secretary with excellent communication and organizational skills to join our team. The Legal Secretary provides secretarial support services to our attorneys, which include the preparation of legal documents, handling of case files, performing reception tasks, transcription, analysis of data, and providing support to attorneys and other staff, and assisting group leadership with tasks as needed.

About Us

With over 470 employees, the Office of the Public Defender is the largest of the five indigent defense offices in Maricopa County. We are also one of the largest public defender offices in the country. Our office provides innovative, client-centered legal representation in the full range of criminal matters to clients unable to afford legal counsel. Our attorneys and staff are dedicated to treating our clients with respect and dignity as we defend their constitutional rights in a court of law. This is a fast-paced department with an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the people we serve.

Proud to Offer

• Work with a greater purpose

• Tuition reimbursement

• Exceptional work-life balance, with hybrid and alternative work schedule options

• Work alongside attorneys, investigators, paralegals, mitigation specialists, and other professionals to provide top-notch client representation

• Opportunities for growth and development within Maricopa County

• Low-cost, high-value healthcare for you and your qualifying dependents

• Child care benefits, including access to our on-site center Maricopa County Kids Club, dedicated to serving Maricopa County families

• Paid vacation, sick time, and parental leave

• Extensive wellness program, including an incentive

• Enrollment in the Arizona State Retirement System, a defined retirement benefit requiring a 11.98% per paycheck contribution rate that includes a 100% employer match on Day 1

• Want to learn more about the County’s Qualifying and Compensation Philosophy? Follow this link to learn more! Work With Us | Maricopa County, AZ

We Require

• Two years of experience in a legal setting with knowledge in legal preparations and legal proceedings

• High school diploma or GED

• Post-secondary education may substitute for the experience requirement on a year-for-year basis

We Also Value

• Criminal law office, indigent defense, and legal secretary experience

• Secretarial experience, which includes dealing with law-related matters such as might be found in a law, insurance, or real estate office

• Bilingual (English/Spanish)

Job Contributions

• Type and prepare legal documents, briefs, petitions, and memoranda from written copy, oral, or mechanical dictation in a fast-paced environment

• Transcribe witness interviews from cassette tapes, CDs, and digital recordings

• Perform as a receptionist for assigned unit or floor, answer a multi-line telephone, screen and transfer calls, direct visitors, sort and distribute mail

• Translate brief letters or documents into or from Spanish/English; compose brief Spanish letters; interpret for Spanish-speaking individuals; interpret for visitors who speak Spanish

• Coordinate case files and calendars; file documents in hard files; prepare court calendars; schedule meetings, interviews, and legal calls for attorneys

• Photocopy and organize documents, correspondence, notebooks, books, motions, briefs, files, and other confidential materials

• Access information electronically from the Court and update internal case tracking systems; use internal case tracking systems and intra/internet to answer questions for attorneys, staff, and clients

• Hand-deliver and/or pick up documents/items on and off-site

• May supervise clerical staff in the absence of a supervisor

Working Conditions

• Work is primarily performed in an office environment with bright lighting and requires prolonged periods in a stationary position, constant viewing of a computer monitor or screen, frequent computer use involving repetitive hand and wrist movements, and occasional exposure to outdoor heat and sunlight

• Emergencies, exposure to traumatic subject matter (crime scenes, accidents, etc.), frequently changing tasks, decision-making, working in close physical proximity with others, public contact, and interaction with indigent defendants may be frequent

• Occasional travel to court locations

• Ability to lift 10 – 25 pounds floor to waist and waist to shoulder

Selection Procedure

• Consideration will only be given to candidates who submit online applications

• Candidates will be contacted primarily through email and their Workday online application profile

• Must pass a pre-employment background and/or fingerprint investigation as required by statute or policy, including drug and alcohol testing requirements for positions designated as safety-sensitive

Maricopa County is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants. If you require a reasonable accommodation during the application process or to perform the essential functions of the position under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), please contact MHRFeedback@maricopa.gov to initiate the interactive process.

Apply Now!