Description:
To serve as a professional staff employee of the client whose primary responsibility is to assist the Department's Legal Counsel and members of the Legal Office.
Job Duties:
Assist the Legal Counsel in Department litigation.
Conduct research on legal issues.
Prepare affidavits.
Respond to discovery requests.
Act as a liaison with the Attorney General’s Office as it pertains to ongoing Department litigations.
Prepare legal documents.
Research and analyze law sources including statutes, recorded judicial decisions, legal articles, treaties, constitutions and legal codes.
Prepare legal documents, including briefs, pleadings, appeals and contracts for review and approval by the Legal Counsel.
Investigate facts and law of case to determine causes of action and to prepare supporting documentation accordingly.
Prepare affidavits of documents.
Coordinate assembly of documentation required as the result of subpoenas and discovery requests.
Act as law librarian, keep and monitor legal volumes and ensure legal volumes are up to date.
Act as liaison between the Department and Attorney General’s Office in Department litigations.
Ensure proper indexing and filing of original legal documents.
Review client Code and client Administrative Code to make proposals regarding potential language changes.
Answer phones for Legal Office personnel.
Compile and prepare answers to requests for Production, Admission and Interrogatories.
Draft and prepare legal notices, subpoenas, witness lists and other documents as required for the client .
Draft and prepare litigation list for the client.
Process and assign incoming Public Records Requests.
Process incoming expungement orders
Process attendance records for personnel assigned to the Legal Office.
Compile and record training hours for personnel assigned to the Legal Office.
Register/schedule staff attorneys for Continuing Legal Education.
Serve as a liaison to the legislature as required.
Serve on interview committees as required.
Perform other duties as required.
Job Qualifications:
Must be a high school graduate or possess and equivalent GED.
Must possess ONE of the following:
Bachelor's degree with a minimum of twelve (12) hours in law or paralegal studies; OR
Bachelor's degree AND a Paralegal certificate; OR
Bachelor's degree PLUS two (2) years of full time Paralegal experience; OR
Associate's degree in paralegal studies (with certification) AND two (2) years full time legal experience; OR
Certification in paralegal studies PLUS two (2) years full time paralegal experience; OR
Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam (PACE) (as offered by the National Federation of Paralegal Associations), and be in good standing; OR
Paralegal CORE Competency Exam (as offered by the National Federation of Paralegal Associations), and be in good standing; OR
Certified Legal Assistant/Certified Paralegal (CLA/CP) certification (as offered by the National Association of Legal Assistants), and be in good standing.
Basic understanding of the Legal Research sites LexisNexis and Westlaw preferred.
Proficient in utilizing Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, Outlook and Publisher.
Must be able to conceptualize and develop programs and procedures.
Ability to maintain confidentiality.
Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
Must be able to proofread documents accurately.
Must have strong problem-solving skills.
Must be able to organize, access, input, file and retrieve information utilizing computer.
Must be able to work with minimal supervision, prioritize work and meet deadlines.
Skill - Required / Desired - Amount of Experience
High school diploma or GED required. - Required
Paralegal certification with 2 years paralegal experience. - Required - 2 Years
Basic Computer skills. - Required - 2 Years
Strong attention to detail. - Required
Able to communicate clearly and professionally, both in writing and orally. - Required
Prior experience handling sensitive or confidential information. - Required
Prior experience w/Legal Research sites LexisNexis and Westlaw. - Highly desired - 2 Years
Prior experience conceptualizing and developing programs and procedures. - Highly desired
Paralegal competency certification w/National Federation of Paralegal Associations or CLA/CP certification w/National Assoc. of Legal Assistants. - Highly desired
Associates degree (or higher) with paralegal Studies w/certification. - Highly desired
Notes:
Position is on-site, Monday thru Friday, either 7am to 3pm or 8am to 4pm, 1/2 hour unpaid lunch
VIVA is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants have an equal opportunity for placement, and all employees have an equal opportunity to develop on the job. This means that VIVA will not discriminate against any employee or qualified applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status