Senior Criminal Defense Paralegal / Attorney Support Specialist

Havenridge Incorporated is seeking an experienced Senior Criminal Defense Paralegal / Attorney Support Specialist to support a busy U.S. criminal defense practice.

This is not an entry-level Legal Assistant or general Virtual Assistant position.

We are specifically looking for an experienced criminal-defense professional who is highly organized, assertive, proactive, deadline-driven, and capable of taking ownership of an attorney’s daily case workflow.

The ideal candidate is the person who notices that something is missing before the attorney asks about it, recognizes when a court date or deadline does not look right, follows outstanding matters until they are actually resolved, and is comfortable working independently in an environment where priorities can change quickly.

Professional U.S. Criminal Defense experience and professional Clio experience are required.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage the attorney’s daily case schedule and ensure the attorney knows what matters require attention each day
• Maintain and manage attorney calendars in Clio and Google Calendar
• Track court appearances, hearings, filing deadlines, client appointments, and case-related deadlines
• Review criminal matters regularly to determine what is outstanding and what needs to happen next
• Review court websites and dockets for case updates, hearings, filings, and changes
• Compare court information against internal calendars and case records and identify discrepancies
• Create, update, and maintain matters within Clio Manage
• Maintain detailed and accurate case notes
• Prepare, organize, upload, name, and maintain legal documents and case files
• Assist with criminal pleadings, motions, filings, discovery, exhibits, correspondence, and other case-related documents
• Coordinate electronic filing and service when required
• Track discovery and outstanding documents
• Communicate directly with clients regarding court dates, appointments, required documents, reminders, and case-related information within the scope of the position
• Communicate professionally with courts, prosecutors’ offices, opposing counsel, vendors, and other parties when required
• Coordinate meetings, Zoom appearances, consultations, and attorney appointments
• Follow up on incomplete assignments without waiting to be reminded
• Identify urgent issues and escalate them immediately
• Maintain an accurate daily understanding of where assigned criminal matters stand
• Assist the attorney with preparation for hearings and other court proceedings
• Document completed work so another tea ---------- mber can immediately determine what occurred and what remains outstanding

THIS POSITION REQUIRES OWNERSHIP

We are not looking for someone who waits for a daily checklist and stops working when the checklist is complete.

We need someone who can look at a criminal case, the attorney’s calendar, the court docket, existing notes, outstanding tasks, and upcoming deadlines and recognize what requires attention.

You should be comfortable asking questions when instructions conflict, identifying potential problems, following up when someone has not responded, and bringing issues to the attorney’s attention before they become emergencies.

Completing a task means ensuring the objective was accomplished—not simply sending an email and considering the matter finished.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Substantial professional experience supporting a U.S. Criminal Defense practice
• Strong understanding of criminal-defense case workflow and terminology
• Professional experience using Clio Manage
• Experience managing attorney calendars and court deadlines
• Experience reviewing court dockets or court websites
• Experience communicating directly with U.S. legal clients
• Experience preparing and organizing criminal case documents
• Strong written and spoken English
• Exceptional organizational skills
• Excellent attention to detail
• Strong follow-through
• Ability to prioritize urgent matters without constant direction
• Ability to independently manage multiple active matters
• Ability to recognize when information is missing or inconsistent
• Comfortable working directly with attorneys in a fast-moving environment
• Reliable computer, high-speed internet, and professional remote workspace
• Availability during required U.S. Central Time business hours

DO NOT APPLY IF:

• You have never professionally worked in U.S. Criminal Defense
• Your legal experience is primarily intake, customer service, or general administrative support
• You have never independently tracked court dates or legal deadlines
• You have never professionally used Clio Manage
• Your Clio experience comes only from tutorials, courses, certifications, or self-study
• You need continuous instructions to determine what to work on next
• You are uncomfortable identifying errors or questioning conflicting information
• You routinely require reminders to follow up on unfinished work
• You are looking for an entry-level opportunity to learn criminal law

HIRING & EVALUATION PROCESS

Candidates will be questioned specifically about their U.S. Criminal Defense experience. Please answer accurately. We would rather hear that you have not performed a particular task than have a candidate exaggerate their experience to obtain the position.

Candidates who advance will participate in a paid practical training and evaluation period.

The evaluation may include reviewing criminal matters, identifying outstanding issues, reviewing court information, calendaring, prioritizing assignments, organizing case information, following written instructions, and demonstrating how you would manage an attorney’s daily workflow.

We are evaluating more than whether you can complete individual tasks. We are evaluating judgment, ownership, accuracy, organization, criminal-law knowledge, follow-through, and the ability to recognize what needs attention without being continuously directed.

HOW TO APPLY


Email your application to ---------- your resume and a brief explanation of:

• How many years of U.S. Criminal Defense experience you have
• The criminal-defense positions you have held
• Approximately how many active criminal matters you supported at one time
• What responsibilities you personally handled without supervision
• Your experience managing an attorney’s calendar and court deadlines
• Which court systems/websites you have used
• How you used Clio Manage in your previous position
• Your availability to work U.S. Central Time business hours

Applications that do not demonstrate actual U.S. Criminal Defense experience may not be considered.

Please do not contact the law firm or its attorneys directly. All recruiting communication should be directed to Havenridge Incorporated at ----------