Litigation Support Specialist

The Federal Public Defender’s Office for the Central District of California is accepting applications for a full-time litigation support specialist position. The litigation support specialist will be stationed in the Los Angeles main office, but will also work in the Riverside and Santa Ana branches. The Federal Public Defender’s Office is committed to the client-centered pursuit of justice by advocating for the constitutional rights and inherent dignity of indigent individuals who are accused or convicted of crimes.

Job Duties: Litigation support specialists provide specialized support to attorneys and case teams in all types of federal matters, including pre-indictment cases, trials, appeals, and habeas cases. Duties are divided in two categories - database & software and digital forensics.

Database and software responsibilities include using database programs (e.g., Eclipse, CaseMap, Summation, Relativity) to manage and review electronically stored information (ESI); editing and ingesting load files, tagging, and exporting content; presenting digital evidence in the courtroom using Trial Director; training staff on litigation software tools, workflows, and technical aspects of forensic data; editing/converting audio and video files and working with proprietary video formats (NVRs, dash cam, pole cam, etc.); conducting social media investigations; and proficiency with Office 365 applications (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Teams, OneDrive), Adobe Acrobat, and dtSearch.

Digital forensic responsibilities include using forensic tools (Forensic Toolkit, Encase, Cellebrite, Axiom) to capture and review data from forensically acquired digital devices; create forensic copies of data sources, e.g., hard drives, portable storage media, tablets, smart phones, and cloud data; analyze and preserve such data in accordance with those standards utilizing write-blocking technology; interpret call detail records and generate cell tower maps; perform video, photo and audio forensics; experience with the following operating systems: Windows, Macintosh, Linux or UNIX, iOS, and Android; and experience and familiarity with forensic artifacts and hash tags.

Requirements: All applicants must have an undergraduate degree in paralegal studies, computer science, or a related field, and five (5) or more years of experience working with forensic tools and litigation support applications and databases. Certifications in any of these forensic tools are preferred but not required.

 

 

Selection Criteria: Candidates must have an interest in advancing the Federal Public Defender’s mission of providing high quality criminal defense to indigent individuals; must keep up with emerging IT trends; have strong oral and written communication skills; be able to work independently, be flexible, and take initiative; and work well in teams. A background investigation is required as a condition of employment. In line with current appropriations law, applicants must be United States citizens or permanent residents seeking citizenship as described here: https://www.uscourts.gov/careers/search-judiciary-jobs/citizenship-requirements-employment- judiciary.

 

Salary/Benefits: This is a full-time, at-will position. Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience and is subject to direct deposit. Benefits include health and life insurance, retirement, and a Thrift Savings Plan. For more information on benefits, see http://www.uscourts.gov/careers/benefits.

 

How to Apply: Apply by emailing a letter of interest, résumé, and three references in a single PDF document to Cuauhtémoc Ortega, Federal Public Defender, at Employment@fpdcdca.org with the subject line: Litigation Support Specialist Application. All application materials must be received by July 26, 2021. The Federal Public Defender’s Office may fill current and future positions from this vacancy announcement. Please, no phone calls.