Paralegal - City Solicitor

PARALEGAL - 1103

GRADE - 110

PAY RANGE - $25.72 - $36.67/hr- plus a comprehensive benefits package

GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES:

Provides administrative support for the Office of the City Solicitor, performs legal research, prepares pleadings and other legal documents, manages civil and criminal dockets, and performs related work as required.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS:

The principal function of an employee in this class is to provide administrative support to the prosecutors and civil lawyers in the City's Legal Department. The work is performed under the supervision and direction of the City Solicitor, but considerable leeway is granted for the exercise of independent judgement and initiative. The nature of the work performed requires that an employee in this class establish and maintain effective working relationships with law enforcement, the courts, the City's Risk Manager, claim administration personnel, City boards, City employees, and the public. The principal duties of this class are performed in a general office environment.

EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL WORK:

• Assists attorneys in the preparation of legal cases, administrative hearings, and legal opinions;
• Prepares and develops legal documents for counsel review;
• Performs legal research;
• Meets with City employees to prepare discovery responses;
• Prepares agreements, deeds, leases, ordinances, licenses, and letters for attorney review;
• Prepares Notices of Claim for bankruptcies and monitors bankruptcies for collection of claims;
• Processes court notices to the City Solicitor's Office and updates databases and calendars;
• Designs, creates, formats, organizes and maintains department databases, spreadsheets and paper and electronic case and matter files;
• Updates lists of cases and prepares case status reports on a periodic basis or as requested;
• Conducts criminal history checks as needed;
• Assists with Domestic Violence Compliance;
• Provides guidance and demonstrations to new employees in similar positions;
• Keeps supervisors informed of work progress, issues, and potential solutions;
• Attends meetings and training to stay current on relevant practices and developments;
• Responds to citizen inquiries courteously and promptly;
• Coordinates regularly with others to enhance interdepartmental efficiency; and
• Performs additional duties as required by the classification.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Substantial knowledge of legal, court and administrative procedures, and electronic court filing;
• Substantial knowledge of methods and techniques of legal research, analysis, and report presentation;
• Substantial knowledge of case management and spreadsheet/database software;
• Ability to draft basic legal documents;
• Ability to serve in a confidential work relationship;
• Ability to handle confidential legal material with tact and discretion;
• Ability to draft and prepare correspondence;
• Ability to complete financial processing procedures;
• Ability to follow City policies and Departmental rules, procedures, practices and objectives;
• Ability to communicate effectively with others, both orally and in writing, using both technical and non-technical language;
• Ability to design, create, format, maintain and organize files;
• Ability to operate a personal computer using standard or customized software applications appropriate to assigned tasks;
• Ability to perform a wide variety of duties and responsibilities with accuracy and speed under the pressure of time-sensitive deadlines;
• Ability and willingness to quickly learn and put to use new skills and knowledge brought about by rapidly changing information and/or technology;
• Integrity, ingenuity and inventiveness in the performance of assigned tasks.

ACCEPTABLE EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING:

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's Degree; and
• Three to five years of training and/or experience in paralegal work, legal research, legal investigative work, criminal justice, criminal prosecution, case management, or related; or
• Any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to perform the work.

REQUIRED SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS:

• National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) - Certified Legal Assistant/Paralegal (CLA/CP) preferred.

ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL ABILITIES:

• Sufficient clarity of speech and hearing or other communication capabilities, with or without reasonable accommodation, which permits the employee to communicate effectively;
• Sufficient vision or other powers of observation, with or without reasonable accommodation, which permits the employee to review a wide variety of materials in electronic or hard copy form;
• Sufficient manual dexterity, with or without reasonable accommodation, which permits the employee to operate a personal computer, telephone, and related equipment;
• Sufficient strength and endurance, with or without reasonable accommodation to lift and carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, through a full range of motion, up to 10 pounds occasionally, 5 pounds frequently and 2 pounds consistently;
• Sufficient personal mobility and physical reflexes, with or without reasonable accommodation, which permits the employee to function within the general office environment.