LEGAL ASSISTANT I/II - PROSECUTION DIVISION

About Us

The Office of the Los Angeles City Attorney is one of the nation's largest municipal law offices. It has more than 1,000 legal professionals, including more than 500 attorneys. The City Attorney is the Chief Counsel to the City and the Chief Prosecutor for the City of Los Angeles. The Office provides a wide range of legal services, prosecutes criminal misdemeanors, plays a leading role in criminal justice reform, advises on homelessness initiatives, defends civil lawsuits and claims, and brings civil enforcement actions in the name of the People of the State of California.

Guided by an overarching commitment to integrity, service and accountability, we find great meaning in the work we do and the services we provide. We seek collaborative team players who understand that fulfilling our mission is key to making a positive impact.

Description

The Criminal Branch is responsible for the processing of misdemeanor cases filed throughout the City of Los Angeles. The Criminal Branch offices are:

Central

200 N. Main Street, 5th Floor, Los Angeles 90012

Metropolitan

1945 S. Hill Street, Room 501, Los Angeles 90007

Pacific

11701 S. La Cienega Blvd., Room 430, Los Angeles 90045

100 Oceangate, Suite 510, Long Beach, CA 90802

Van Nuys

6262 Van Nuys Blvd., Suite 160, Van Nuys 91401

San Fernando

900 3rd St., San Fernando, CA 91340

Hollywood - Mental Health Courthouse

5925 Hollywood Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90028

Duties and Responsibilities

The Legal Assistant will work closely with attorneys, support staff, law enforcement officers, and civilian representatives of state and federal agencies. The Legal Assistant's primary duties include, but are not limited to:

• Execute searches in all existing local, state, national and international criminal databases for information that will assist in the prosecution of cases. The Legal Assistant will access, retrieve and interpret information from a wide variety of databases including TCIS, DMV, CCHRS/CII/FBI databases;

• Contacting and updating witnesses regarding their court appearances and case status;

• Securing discovery, documents, court records and other materials as needed from other City departments, law enforcement agencies, and private entities;

• Redacting of criminal history reports / police reports and determining what information is discoverable under the law;

• Analyze and organize discovery, including exhibits and motions;

• Provide discovery to opposing attorneys or their representatives;

• Assisting attorneys in court, including preparing exhibits, preparing and securing litigation maps and obtaining and organizing certified copies of prior convictions and other pertinent court documents;

• Assisting with pre-trial matters, including filing motions with the court and service on defense counsel;

• Managing digital evidence, including the entry of incoming/outgoing video discs and radio calls;

• Prepare declarations for the introduction of records at trial;

• Assist attorneys both in and out of court with managing their court calendars and updating case status in the Office's case management system;

• Assist the attorneys with logging and tracking incoming defense motions and retrieving associated case files;

• Maintain alcohol testing records and communicating as needed with law enforcement and defense attorneys to ensure discovery compliance;

• Assist with tracking and updating discovery-related information, including Brady information;

• Assist with tracking and updating criminal case referrals, filing information, and case management systems;

• Assist with tracking and updating grant-related information;

• Operate vehicle as needed to provide support at court proceedings or any of the Criminal Branch Offices located throughout Los Angeles County; and

• Perform other assignments as assigned.

Requirements

• Six months of legal administrative experience which requires knowledge of legal procedures and terminology and independent judgment in analyzing, interpreting and reviewing legal documents;

-or-

Successful completion of one Legal Assistant (Paralegal) class (equivalent to 3 units), which includes emphasis on legal procedures, terminology and the ability to use independent judgment in analyzing, interpreting and reviewing legal documents. Course may be taken through the City, a college or university.

• A valid Driver's License;

• Applicants must possess impeccable ethics, excellent organizational skills, and have the ability to work well with attorneys and staff of this Office, personnel from other agencies, and members of the public.

The hours for this position are generally 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, subject to operational needs. Reliable attendance and punctuality are mandatory.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience with criminal law and procedure, including discovery concepts.

• Knowledge of criminal case management systems, Network Expanded Communications System (NECS), and the Trial Court Information System (TCIS).

How to apply

Requirements for Application

• Cover Letter

• Resume

Application

Interested candidates should go to: to apply online by Friday, March 27, 2026. Qualified applicants will be invited to interview.

Conflict of Interest

This position is designated as Category 10 on the Conflict-of-Interest Code

Contact

Questions? Please email [email protected].

exempt employment


If employment is said to be exempt, it is meant that the employment is exempted from the civil service provisions of the City Charter. In order to receive a regular civil service appointment, employees must have successfully participated in a civil service examination, received a high enough score on the examination to be placed on and receive an appointment from an eligible list, and they must serve a probationary period. Exempt employees do not compete in a civil service examination, they are not placed on an eligible list and receive an appointment from that list, nor do they serve a probationary period. As a result, exempt employees do not have what is referred to as a "property interest" in their job. Exempt employees serve at the will of the appointing authority and can be terminated at any time without cause. Employees with a property interest in their job, i.e. civil service employees, cannot be deprived of their employment(discharged or suspended) without due process.

General Information About Exempt Employment


Exempt employees serve at the will of the appointing authority, and as such, they may be discharged, suspended or otherwise disciplined without cause. Exempt employees have no property interest in their employment, and any procedural benefit or other prerogative extended to them by their appointing authority is not intended to create and does not create any such property interest. No officer or employee of the City may make to any other officer or employee any representation of a property interest in employment which does not correspond to Charter provisions unless the City Council, by ordinance, permits such representation. No unauthorized representation can serve as the basis of an employee's reliance on, or expectation of, a property interest.

Employees Seeking To Become Civil Service Employees


There is no protective leave for an exempt employee appointed to a civil service position. Upon receiving a civil service appointment and passing probation, the former exempt employee will be subject to the Civil Service provisions described in Article X of the City Charter. Upon appointment, the civil service employee will begin to accrue displacement and layoff seniority on the first day of his/her civil service appointment and may file for promotional examinations for which s/he qualifies. A full or half-time exempt employee appointed to a full or half-time civil service position continues to: contribute to the Retirement System; accrue vacation time; accrue sick time; receive anniversary date salary increases; and, receive health and dental benefits identical to those received in the civil service position.