Paralegal

The City

Culver City is a Charter City incorporated in 1917 and is a destination filled with outdoor cafes, unique shops, and galleries opening onto pedestrian-friendly boulevards. Culver City has a dedicated staff of approximately 700+ employees with an overall operating budget of over $178 million. The City provides a full range of municipal services, including Fire, Police, Community Development, Public Works, Transportation, Parks, Recreation, and Health and Human Services.

The Department

COMPENSATION:
In accordance with the current CCMG Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), employees in this classification will receive a four percent (4%) base salary increase, effective the first full pay period following July 1, 2025.

GENERAL DUTIES: The positions assigned to this management classification perform difficult paralegal duties under the direct supervision and review of the City Attorney and/or other attorneys in the City Attorney Department as well as a wide range of complex administrative duties.  Paralegals are in the unclassified service and maintain confidentiality consistent with ethical obligations, attorney-client privilege, and attorney work product protections.  

1. Prepares contracts, under the supervision of an attorney, and tracks status of contracts from initial review through final approval process.
2. Performs legal research in which issues are not readily defined and a substantial amount of research is required from a variety of references. 
3. Researches, compiles, studies, evaluates, and summarizes laws, court decisions, and other legal authorities for use in the preparation of ordinances, resolutions, regulations, policies and procedures, and other legal documents.
4. Drafts a variety of legal documents, correspondence, and reports that are complex and may require a significant amount of original writing.
5. Assists attorneys in preparing resolutions, ordinances, policies, procedures and other legal documents.
6. Collects, compiles, and prepares documents responsive to subpoenas and requests under the California Public Records Act (CPRA).
7. Processes liability claims against the City upon receipt from the City Clerk. Promptly obtains reports regarding the claim from appropriate departments and transmits to the third party claims administrator or insurance carrier.  At the direction of the City Attorney, prepares and sends notices and other correspondence to the claimant.
8. Transmits new litigation filed against the City, at the direction of the City Attorney, to the appropriate outside legal counsel; monitors correspondence pertaining to litigation to obtain requested documentation from appropriate departments; under the supervision of an attorney, reviews discovery responses prepared by outside counsel and prepares verifications. 
9. Uses legal office claims, litigation and project management systems to maintain a log of claims, litigation and projects; and records status and actions taken on claims, litigation and projects.  Maintains department master calendar including meetings, response deadlines, and compliance dates.
10. Uses City’s financial management system to process invoices and assists with monitoring the City Attorney’s Office budget.  

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Any combination equivalent to training and experience that could likely provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities would be qualifying.  A typical way to obtain the knowledge, skills and abilities would be:  

1) Two years experience working as a paralegal in municipal law, involving one or more of the following areas:  general and public contract law; land use, planning and zoning; housing, rent stabilization and tenant protections; environmental law; municipal code enforcement through criminal prosecution, administrative remedies or civil actions; personnel issues and labor negotiations; open meetings (Brown Act); public records (Public Records Act); conflicts of interest (Political Reform Act); elections campaign finance; and First Amendment issues; and
2) A certificate of completion of a paralegal program approved by the American Bar Association; or certificate of completion of a paralegal program at, or a degree from, a postsecondary institution that requires the successful completion of a minimum of 24 semester, or equivalent, units in law-related courses and that has been accredited by a national or regional accrediting organization or approved by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education; or baccalaureate degree or an advanced degree in any subject and a minimum of one year of law-related experience under the supervision of an attorney who has been an active member of the State Bar of California for at least the preceding three years or who has practiced in the federal courts of this state for at least the preceding three years, and a written declaration from this attorney stating that the person is qualified to perform paralegal tasks; or a high school diploma or general equivalency diploma and a minimum of three years of law-related experience under the supervision of an attorney who has been an active member of the State Bar of California for at least the preceding three years or who has practiced in the federal courts of this state for at least the preceding three years, and a written declaration from this attorney stating that the person is qualified to perform paralegal tasks.

IDEAL CANDIDATE: The ideal candidate will be a highly organized and detail-oriented paralegal with some municipal law or public agency experience. They will have proven skills in contract preparation, legal research, drafting, and supporting litigation and Public Records Act responses. 

The candidate should have strong aptitude and skill in learning and using new software programs, as they will play an important role in the final implementation and ongoing management of Cobblestone, the City’s contract management system, including providing technical assistance and training to department staff. 

They will demonstrate strong communication skills, the ability to work independently under the direction of the City Attorney, and a collaborative spirit when working across various City departments. A commitment to maintaining confidentiality, initiative, and meeting critical deadlines in a fast-paced environment will be essential.

Key Qualifications:

• Completion of an ABA-approved paralegal certificate program or equivalent qualifying education and experience.

• At least two years of experience supporting municipal law functions, including public contract law and the California Public Records Act.

• Strong technical skills with Microsoft Office Suite and the ability to learn and support contract management systems (Cobblestone experience preferred but not required).

Only the most qualified candidates will be invited to advance to the next stage in the recruitment process, which will consist of an oral appraisal interview. Candidates who are not invited to the next stage will be deferred and may receive future consideration.

Oral Appraisal Interview Applicants who are deemed most qualified will be invited to an Oral Appraisal Interview, tentatively scheduled for the week of June 2, 2025.

• Background/ Reference Check: Upon a conditional job offer, a live scan finger printing must be completed with acceptable results. Your fingerprints will be sent to the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI). Having a conviction history does not automatically preclude you from a job with the City. If you are selected as a finalist, you will be contacted to schedule a fingerprinting appointment. Upon hire, employee is subject to further reporting from DOJ via subsequent arrest notification.
• Pre-placement medical evaluation including drug screen (select positions). 
• E-Verify: Proof of U.S. citizenship, alien residency or authorization to work in the U.S. will be required at time of appointment.