Paralegal

The City of Redmond is a thriving, culturally diverse community and home to over 80,000 residents. Redmond is the hub of an array of commerce and industry ranging from technology, aerospace, and gaming to biomedical and innovation start-ups.

The Paralegal plays a key role in supporting the City Attorney’s Office through a combination of paraprofessional, administrative, and operational support needs. This position ensures coordination of legal operations by assisting attorneys with case preparation, conducting legal research, managing communications, and organizing critical documentation. From drafting legal documents and trial materials to coordinating court calendars and maintaining up-to-date legal resources, this role is essential in facilitating efficient legal processes across City departments.

• Assists in file and trial preparation for attorney(s) by collecting and organizing accurate information, forms, evidence, and documentation.  
• Assures that correct forms are submitted to attorney(s) for each case.
• Updates attorney(s) on latest legal developments after screening for relevance and manages legal library content assuring that it stays current
• Handles discovery requests.
• Contacts witnesses and schedules interviews, prepares subpoenas as appropriate to division.
• Handles department e-mail and telephone communications with both external and internal parties.
• Prepares standard jury instructions for trial.
• Coordinates and assists attorneys with preparation of court calendars, meetings, interviews and hearing dates.
• Creates, maintains, organizes, and retains all files according to City policies and statue 
• Assists with maintaining attorney calendars and scheduling of events
• Performs legal research relating to complex issues and projects, assists with preparation of memoranda, opinions, or other legal correspondence with recommendations for action or resolution to issues.
• Conducts investigations and interviews with employees and others to gather information relating to legal issues and/or litigation.
• Provides assistance to various city departments through City Attorney’s Office relating to responses to legal issues and/or preparation of legal documents.
• Prepares drafts of legal documents, to include but not limited to: resolutions, ordinances, and responses to legislative requests, leases, and contracts.
• Assists the city attorney and/or deputy city attorneys in preparing for trial and preparing responses to requests for legal opinions.
• Prepares drafts of initial pleadings, discovery documents, motions, briefs, and other legal pleadings and papers relating to litigation.
• Prepares graphic aids, tables, slides, and other audio/visual devices for the city attorney and/or assistant city attorneys.
• Establishes and maintains an organized bank of briefs, memoranda, and other research documents previously produced by the department.
• Tracks appeals and works on briefs with attorney(s).
• Oversees the organization and maintenance of materials in the City Attorney's Office's electronic research database

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Federal, state, and local statutes and ordinances 
• Knowledge of municipal law and administrative rules and regulations for civil role
• Legal research techniques, investigatory and problem-solving techniques.
• Legal terminology and procedures, court rules and procedures.
• Fact analysis, documentation and concise expression in written communications.
• Familiarity with database systems such as Spillman (Police department records), Digital Evidence Locker (photo, video and audio evidence), DISCIS (District Court Information System) and ECR (Electronic Court Records) 
• Extensive writing skills, including the ability to prepare legal memoranda, opinions, legal documents, briefs, resolutions, ordinances, and other legal correspondence.
• Enhanced communication skills, including the ability to interview witnesses, coordinate with other agencies and law offices, and discuss complex legal issues with attorney staff.
• Exercise a high degree of discretion when dealing with confidential and privileged information.
• Interact in a sensitive and appropriate manner with victims, witnesses, defendants, attorneys, judges, city leadership, court staff, and city employees.
• Prepare, draft, and proofread complex legal documents, reports, briefs, and summaries.
• Ability to deal tactfully and effectively with city officials, employees, court officials, and the general public.
• Ability to use the computer and related software to perform legal research and title searches.
• Effectively and independently organize and coordinate workload and scheduling.
• Function in various roles within a project or team.
• Consider multiple viewpoints and make decisions in the best interest of the organization.

• Three years of progressively responsible support experience in legal office, including paralegal experience;.  
• High school diploma or equivalent; Associate’s degree in paralegal studies or related field or equivalent years of college-level coursework;
• Familiarity with legal process, databases, legal research and analysis; 
• Paralegal certification from approved training program preferred

Other

This class description describes the general nature of the work performed, representative duties as well as the typical qualifications needed for acceptable performance. It is not intended to be a complete list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of the job.

Selection Process

• All applicants will be notified of their application status. 
• Top candidates will be contacted to participate in the next phase of selection process, which may include testing and/or an interview. 
• Note, the City may review existing application pools to fill this position or use this pool to fill future vacancies.
• Offers of employment are conditional based on the candidate successfully passing both background and reference checks. Internal candidates are subject to passing a new background if the previous check was conducted more than six months ago.
• Additionally, new hires relocating to the area are required to have Washington State residency within 30 days of their start date to comply payroll tax purposes.

Our employees earn competitive wages and enjoy an exceptional benefits package that includes:

• MEDICAL INSURANCE - Choice of two plans for employees and their eligible dependents: Premera or Kaiser Permanente. All employee healthcare premiums paid for by the City of Redmond.
• PRESCRIPTION DRUG INSURANCE - Included with each medical plan
• DENTAL INSURANCE - For employees and their eligible dependents
• VISION INSURANCE - For employees and their eligible dependents
• OTHER INSURANCE - Life, accidental death & dismemberment insurance, short and long-term disability, optional employee-paid voluntary life insurance
• FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNTS - For tax savings on healthcare and dependent care expenses
• PAID VACATION & HOLIDAYS – with (13) paid holidays per year
• EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (EAP)
• RETIREMENT PLANS - Department of Retirement Systems (DRS) plus additional options that include: Municipal Employees Benefit Trust (Social Security replacement plan) and MetLife 457 Plan
• Annual COLA adjustments
• Annual merit increases of up to 5%

To learn about benefits at the City of Redmond, please visit C2MB (ajg.com)