Initial Services Assistant

Posting Date

05/11/26

Application Deadline

05/15/26

Pay Range

$21.25 - $33.00 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

Are you passionate about justice and the power of advocacy? Do you want to directly impact lives, not from behind a desk, but in the field?

We're seeking a dedicated bilingual (Spanish) individual to join us in a vital role. You'll be visiting in-custody clients in Maricopa County jails, meticulously reviewing discovery, performing notaries, and delivering crucial paperwork.

This is a unique opportunity to empower individuals during a critical time in their lives and ensure their right to a fair defense. If you're driven by service and want to make a tangible difference, we encourage you to apply.

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 the option of either an alternative schedule or the ability to complete documentation while teleworking from home

• 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 12% 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

• Three years of progressively responsible legal, court, or justice system-related experience

• High school diploma or GED

• A combination of post-secondary education and/or job-related experience may substitute for the minimum qualifications on a year-for-year basis

• Intermediate bilingual (English/Spanish) skills (speaking, reading and writing)

• Notary Public or the ability to become a Notary Public upon hire

We Also Value

Experience conducting face-to-face client interviews in a social service or criminal justice setting

Job Contributions

• Review discovery (audio, video, CDs, police reports, etc.), which can be graphic and sensitive in nature, with in-custody clients at all Maricopa County jail locations and out-of-custody clients at the office; may be required to translate and interpret discovery for Spanish-speaking clients

• Travel to Maricopa County jail locations to deliver, pick up and review case-related documents, obtain confidential information and signatures of inmates on behalf of attorneys

• Communicate criminal justice system information and answer procedural inquiries in person and over the telephone

• Coordinate daily activities such as recording docket information, dividing workload, filing interview sheets, and tracking workload in the case management system

• Prepare informational documents, forms, letters, and statistical data

• Demonstrate continuous efforts to imp