Paralegal

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Are you ready to take your legal career to the next level? Join the City of Fresno's dynamic legal team as a Paralegal and play a pivotal role in shaping justice and policy in our vibrant community. As a vital member of the City Attorney's Office, you'll dive into a diverse range of responsibilities from preparing crucial legal documents and managing high-stakes litigation to conducting impactful investigative work and representing the City before administrative bodies. If you're passionate about the law, thrive in a fast-paced environment, and have a keen eye for detail, this is your opportunity to make a significant impact while advancing your professional skills. Apply today and be a cornerstone of legal excellence in Fresno!

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Prepare and respond to Public Records Act requests.

• Respond to inquiries regarding case management status and data using computer systems.
• Organize trial and administrative hearing documents and exhibits.
• Brief witnesses for trial and administrative hearings.
• Conduct investigative work, including interviewing potential witnesses and inspecting property related to claims or complaints.
• Represent the City in small claims court and/or administrative hearings.
• Perform legal research and draft comprehensive legal memoranda.
• Prepares routine contracts, deeds of trust and leases, and performs routine title searches.

Perform other related duties as assigned.

Duties may vary by assignment, please inquire about specific duties if called upon for an interview.

Full job specification may be viewed at:

https://www.fresno.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Paralegal_01_17.pdf

Three (3) vacancies exist in the City Attorney's Office. Immediate and future vacancies will be filled from this eligible list for a period of three (3) months from the date the eligible list is created, with the option of extending that period at the City's discretion. If the examination process is suspended for this recruitment, the eligible list may be limited to three (3) months.

The Requirements

Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications on or before the posted filing deadline in order to qualify for the examination and do not assure placement on the eligible list:

OPTION 1:

Completion of a paralegal training program from an accredited school

AND

One (1) year of paralegal experience in a law office.

OPTION 2:

Completion of one (1) year of juris doctorate course work from a school of law, which included course work in writing and research, contracts, and civil procedure.

APPLICANTS MUST ATTACH A COPY OF TRANSCRIPTS (instructions below on how to attach documents). Applications lacking the attachment may be rejected.

The work experience section MUST be completed with detailed duties, dates and weekly hours worked for each title held. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed employment application and will not be used to evaluate minimum requirements. Applications lacking a completed work experience section may be rejected.

The selected eligible candidates certified will be required to successfully pass a department interview and a Department of Justice fingerprint prior to employment with the City of Fresno and sign a confidentiality agreement.

Selection Process

The examination process may consist of the following:

Application Review - Qualifying Only: Applications submitted will be reviewed and a limited number of the most qualified candidates will be invited to the panel interview. Selection of the most qualified candidates will be based upon those applications demonstrating the greatest breadth and depth of applicable training, experience, and education. Therefore, applicants are urged to submit sufficiently detailed information in their application materials for a proper evaluation.

Oral Examination - (100%): A panel of subject matter experts will conduct a job related oral examination to assess a candidate's knowledge of legal terminology and procedures related to the court systems and civil process; ability to conduct research, prepare legal documents and make clear and persuasive oral presentations; exercise sound, independent judgment and establish effective working relationships or other topics related to a candidate's training, experience and qualifications for the position of Paralegal.

Candidates must achieve a passing score to qualify for the eligible list.

The Oral Examination date is to be determined.

How To Apply

For information on how to complete an online application, please visit the Help & Support tab. For NEOGOV Application Assistance, please call 1-855-524-5627 or email support@governmentjobs.com. ONLY ONLINE APPLICATIONS AND MATERIALS ARE ACCEPTED and must be submitted by midnight on the closing deadline, or they will not be accepted for any reason.

Required licenses, certifications, and education must be verified with supporting documents. Foreign education must be evaluated by a credential evaluation service recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Please ensure all relevant attachments are uploaded with your application.

For the work experience section, provide detailed descriptions of job duties for each position related to the specific role you are applying for. Resumes are not a substitute for completing this section and will only be reviewed as supplemental information, not for determining minimum qualifications.

For other City of Fresno employment opportunities, please view our Careers Homepage. If you have recruitment questions, please call our office at 559-621-6950. Our office is located at 2600 Fresno Street, Room 1030, Fresno, CA 93721.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The City of Fresno is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Should you need a special accommodation due to a qualifying disability, please contact the Personnel Service Department at (559) 621-6950 in advance of the examination.

Veteran’s Preference

If an examination is conducted for a position within the classified service, qualified veterans who pass the examination will have five (5) points added to their final score. Candidates must submit a copy of their DD214 Member 4 form or electronic copy indicating honorable discharge with each application prior to the filing deadline.