Paralegal 1/2 (PCN 03-0132)

This position is being recruited in both Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau; final location is based on the location of the selected candidate.

What You Will Be Doing

The Torts, Workers’ Compensation and Corrections Section (TWCC) provides legal defense in civil litigation cases against the state, including personal injury, wrongful death, property damage, post-conviction relief, and civil rights suits. This section also offers advice and training to reduce the state’s liability exposure and provides legal services to the Division of Risk Management.

As a paralegal in the Workers’ Compensation workgroup, you will assist attorneys representing state agencies in workers’ compensation matters involving state employees. This role offers the opportunity to develop diverse legal skills, assist attorneys with litigation, alternative dispute resolution, administrative litigation, regulatory law, and legislative work. You will support attorneys in preparing for hearings or trials, manage documents for litigation or public records requests, conduct research, and draft legal pleadings and document.

Mission and Culture

The Civil Division of the Department of Law provides legal counsel to the executive branch in all civil actions. The division defends and prosecutes civil litigation to which the state is a party; handles legal matters for and provides legal advice to the governor, executive branch agencies, and - upon request - the legislative and judicial branches; reviews regulations prepared by executive agencies, drafts legislation for introduction by the governor; and reviews all legislation before it is acted upon by the governor.

Benefits of Joining Our Team

Our paralegals are essential to our attorneys, assisting with cases from start to finish. They have opportunities to learn about the legal system, engage with state agencies, and participate in the hearing/trial process. Success in our office requires reliability and daily collaboration with attorneys to meet deadlines and manage legal projects

You can expect a 37.5-hour work week; 11 paid holidays; personal leave accrual starting at 6 hours per pay period (about 21 days annually) and increasing with years of service. Our office also offers an optional hybrid telework schedule following completion of the probationary period. The general office hours are 8:00am to 4:30pm but there is flexibility in establishing your regular hours around core business hours.

The Working Environment You Can Expect

Our offices in each city are all multi-floor office buildings located in the heart of downtown, giving you access to a wide variety of lunch and coffee spots. You can also expect a private office with this position.    

Who We Are Looking For

To be successful in this position a candidate will need the following core competencies:

Self-Management: Sets realistic goals, shows initiative, and can work independently. Able to problem-solve, prioritize, and adapt to changing workplace dynamics to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines despite interruptions. Gathers relevant information and applies critical thinking to address multiple demands and competing priorities in a changing environment

Interpersonal Skills: Demonstrates understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, and politeness.

Legal experience: Knowledgeable in civil litigation practice and applicable court rules or rules of civil procedure.

Proficiency: Skilled in using the Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, and Teams) and Adobe.

The incumbent must be willing and able to maintain the strictest of confidences with the information they will be exposed to and have access to confidential databases.

Competency Based Minimum Qualifications Instructions

This job class uses competency based minimum qualifications. Please ensure your application (through work history, volunteer experience (duties summary), training, education, licenses, certifications, etc.) supports how you have gained the knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors (competencies) and that you possess the minimum required competencies for the job class.

Competency Description          
The competency description(s) listed below have been designed to promote a common understanding of the essential elements of the job class. They highlight the more general and customary knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs), tasks, and behaviors used to describe the competency. They typically list expectations, as opposed to specific tasks, and are to be used only as parameters and guidelines. A competency’s description is not intended to exclusively define every KSA, task, and behavior needed to successfully meet the competency, but rather to provide the manager/agency with a broad reference of options as to how an applicant can meet the job expectation.
 
Please ensure your application (through work history, training, education, licenses, certifications, etc.) supports/demonstrates you possess the minimum required competencies for the job class.

PI01B1 – Paralegal 1

Any combination of education and/or experience that provides the applicant with competencies in:

• Attention to Detail: Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail. 
• Interpersonal Skills: Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences.
• Reading: Understands and interprets written material, including technical material, rules, regulations, instructions, reports, charts, graphs, or tables; applies what is learned from written material to specific situations.
• Written Communication: Writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience.

Equivalent to those typically gained by:

Post-secondary and/or vocational education in a legal or legal support area and/or experience preparing, reviewing, or processing legal documents such as affidavits, court reports, demand letters, discovery requests or responses, hearing transcripts, memoranda of advice/instruction/understanding, letters of agreement, motions, legal opinions, subpoenas, and/or writs.

• Adaptability: adjusts planned work by gathering relevant information and applying critical thinking to address multiple demands and competing priorities in a changing environment.  
• Administrative Law: Knowledge of State and federal administrative laws, including procedures, regulations, guidelines, and precedents related to case preparation and settlements.
• Attention to Detail: Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail.
• Interpersonal Skills: Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences.
• Stress Tolerance: Deals calmly and effectively with high stress situations (for example, tight deadlines, hostile individuals, emergency situations, dangerous situations).

Special Note (All Levels):

Positions may require incumbents to be able to obtain a Notary Public upon hire, and to be able to pass a criminal background check to meet security requirements for using criminal record networks such as Alaska Public Safety Information Network (APSIN) and National Crime Enforcement Information Center/National Law Enforcement 

Telecommunications System (NCIC/NLETS). If this requirement is present, it will be stated in the vacancy announcement.

Some positions are required to work regular overtime during the standard workweek, on weekends, and/or holidays to provide support to the assigned duty attorney. If this requirement is present, it will be stated in the vacancy announcement.

“Competencies” means a combination of interrelated knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors that enable a person to act effectively in a job or situation.

“Paraprofessional” work is typically associated with and supportive of a professional field. It involves extensive practical knowledge gained through experience and/or specific formal or on-the-job training. Work in these occupations may involve substantial elements of the work of the professional or administrative field, but requires less than full knowledge of the field involved.

“Progressively responsible” means indicating growth and/or advancement in complexity, difficulty, or level of responsibility.

“Technical” means performing tasks, methods, procedures, and computations that are covered by established precedents or guidelines and often require a high degree of skill, care, and precision.

“Training” and “education” in this guidance are synonyms for the process of acquiring knowledge and skills through instruction. It includes instruction through formal and informal methods (such as classroom, on-line, self-study, and on-the-job), from accredited and unaccredited sources, and long-duration (such as a post-secondary degree) and short-duration (such as a seminar) programs.

**NOTE: PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING CAREFULLY**

THIS RECRUITMENT IS FOR ALASKA RESIDENTS ONLY

This recruitment is open to Alaska Residents only. Applicants must meet Alaska Residency Requirements to be considered for employment at this time.

If selected for an interview, the applicant must provide the following:

1. Last two (2) Performance Evaluations
2. A writing sample that is less than 5 pages on any topic. This can be a technical or professional sample – not a personal statement or contain personal information. Your writing sample should showcase your grammar, clarity, and ability to communicate a topic or point

Application Notice

You can ONLY apply for this position through the Workplace Alaska website or via a hardcopy application. If you accessed this recruitment bulletin through a job search portal, such as AlaskaJobs or any other database, you MUST use a Workplace Alaska online or hardcopy application to apply successfully. Instructions on how to apply with Workplace Alaska may be found on the Workplace Alaska “How to Apply" page. Your application must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. Alaska Standard Time on the closing date.

Education

If post-secondary education is required to meet the minimum qualifications, you must fill in the Education section of the application. If you have not obtained a degree, please indicate the number of units completed. Copies of transcripts are required to verify educational credentials if used to meet the minimum qualifications for a position. Transcripts can be attached at the time of application or provided at the time of the interview. 

Special Instructions for Foreign Education

Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the minimum qualifications listed above. If utilizing this education, you must show that the education credentials have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and that such education has been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs; or an accredited U.S. post-secondary institution reports the other institution as one whose transcript is given full value, or full value is given in subject areas applicable to the curricula at the post-secondary institution. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying.

Work Experience 

If using work experience not already documented in your application, also provide the employer’s name, job title, employment dates, and whether full or part-time. Applications will be reviewed to determine if the responses are supported and if minimum qualifications are clearly met. If they are not, the applicant may not advance to the recruitment interview and selection phase. 

Note: Attaching a resume is not an alternative to filling out the application in its entirety. Noting, "see resume" or any similar response on any portion of your application may lead to a determination that your application is incomplete and removal from consideration for this job posting.

Bargaining Unit

If you are a current state employee, please mark the union you are a member of at the time of application. If you are not a current state employee, do not complete this question.
 

Multiple Locations

This position is being recruited in Anchorage, Fairbanks or Juneau; the final location is dependent upon the location of the most qualified candidate. There is only ONE position to be filled.

Flexible Staffing
This position is flexibly staffed. The level of the job offer will be based on the selected candidate’s credibly possessed and proven competencies. If hired at the lower level, you will be promoted to the higher level after completing the training plan and demonstrating competency in the work.

EEO Statement

The State of Alaska complies with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Individuals with disabilities, who require accommodation, auxiliary aides or services, or alternative communication formats, please call 1-800-587-0430 or 465-4095 in Juneau or (907) 465-3412 (TTY) or correspond with the Division of Personnel & Labor Relations at: P. O. Box 110201, Juneau, AK 99811-0201. The State of Alaska is an equal-opportunity employer.

Workplace Alaska Application Questions & Assistance

Questions regarding application submission or system operation errors should be directed to the Workplace Alaska hotline at 1-800-587-0430 (toll-free) or (907) 465-4095 if you are in the Juneau area. Requests for information may also be emailed to recruitment.services@alaska.gov.

For applicant password assistance, please visit the reset password page.

For specific information about this position, please contact the hiring manager at the following:

Kamie Willis

Paralegal Specialist 2

Phone: 907-269-5100

kamie.willis@alaska.gov