Paralegal 1

Division Overview:

 The State’s Attorney’s Office in the Montana Department of Justice is dedicated to ensuring justice and upholding the rule of law on behalf of the people of Montana.  The office includes the Solicitor General’s Office, Criminal Prosecution and Appellate Services, Civil Services and Consumer Protection.  The functions within the office include defense of Montana’s laws as passed by the Legislature, constitutional challenges, determining legal sufficiency of ballot initiatives, prosecution of criminals, handling all phases of litigation from district court proceedings through appeal, and complex litigation of antitrust matters, including, but not limited to, various economic markets (pharmaceutical, healthcare, agricultural and information technology industries). 

 

Job Overview:

 The Paralegal position performs a variety of paralegal functions for the Department of Justice, requiring the incumbent to work individually as well as with the attorneys and management staff.  The incumbent performs paralegal and administrative duties involving research and analysis of legal information such as statutes, court decisions, codes, rules, regulations, and other sources for use by staff attorneys. 

Minimum Qualifications:

• Two years of substantive work as a paralegal plus
• The following requirements listed under statute (25-10-305 (2), MCA):
  •  Associates degree in paralegal studies from an accredited institution or
  • Bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies from an accredited college or university; or
  • Bachelor’s degree in any discipline from an accredited college or university and completion of no less than 18 semester credits of course work offered by a qualified paralegal studies program; or
  • Certification by the national association of legal assistants or the National Federation of Paralegal Associations; or
  • Has received a high school diploma or its equivalent and has performed not less than 4,800 hours of substantive legal work under the supervision of a licensed lawyer documented by the certification of the lawyer or lawyers under whom the work was done and has completed at least five hours of approved continuing legal education in the area of legal ethics and professional responsibility; or
  • Has graduated from an accredited law school and has not been disbarred or suspended from the practice of law by any jurisdiction. 

Special Instructions\:

The selection procedures to be used in evaluating the applicant's qualification may include but are not limited to an evaluation of the résumé and cover letter, a structured interview, performance test, academic transcripts, reference/background checks and fingerprint checks.

Additional materials, references or information submitted by the applicant, but not requested, will not be considered.

Successful applicant(s) will be subject to: 

• Criminal History Fingerprint / Name-based Check
• Driving History

HOW TO APPLY\: 

To be considered for this position, you must attach a resume at the time of application.

Tip\: When attaching your resume, you must mark the attachment as a “Relevant File”.

 Your Resume\: Please include all work experience as well as job duties that demonstrate your qualifications for this position.  Include dates of employment (month & year- start & end) and the reason you left each job.

 A complete online state application is not required.  To initiate an application, attach the resume to be considered for this position.  Failure to attach résumé will result in an incomplete application that will not be considered further.

 Only electronic applications will be accepted.  Materials submitted but not requested will not be considered in the selection process.

All documents for Veteran or Disability preference must be received or date stamped by the closing date.  Please submit preference documentation to Terri Christianson at Terese.Christianson@mt.gov via File Transfer Service.

To request an accommodation with the application process, please contact the HR office.

Your service is rewarded with competitive compensation and generous State of Montana Benefits.

· Medical, dental and vision coverage

· Retirement plans

· Generous paid vacation, sick and holidays

· Pre-tax Flexibility Spending Accounts

· Employee Assistance Program

State of Montana employment may qualify for student loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.

 

This Organization Participates in E-Verify.

Minorities are under-represented in this position and are encouraged to apply.

The State of Montana has a decentralized human resources (HR) system. Each agency is responsible for its own recruitment and selection. Anyone who needs a reasonable accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the agency's HR staff identified on the job listing or by dialing the Montana Relay at 711. Montana Job Service Offices also offer services including assistance with submitting an online application.

State government does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, childbirth or medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, marital status, creed, political beliefs or affiliation, veteran status, military service, retaliation, or any other factor not related to merit and qualifications of an employee or applicant.