Paralegal - Confidential - Limited Term (Open)

Full Job Description

The County Attorney’s Office of the County of San Mateo is seeking a well-qualified candidate for the position of Limited Term Paralegal – Confidential.THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICEThe County Attorney’s Office (also referred to as the County Counsel’s Office) is the general counsel for the County of San Mateo and all its departments, as well as for many school districts and special districts.

As a large company might utilize its in-house counsel, our clients rely on our office for the full range of legal services, covering a broad spectrum of practice areas.

The office's more than 30 attorneys handle nearly all the County's civil litigation as well as advisory work, which includes employment, contracts, commercial, personal injury, probate matters, civil rights, child welfare, taxation, environmental law, labor standards enforcement, government law, and impact litigation.THE POSITIONThe County of San Mateo, Office of The County Attorney, seeks a Paralegal who has a passion for law and thrives in a service-oriented environment.

Paralegals perform a wide range of complex legal support work, such as conducting legal research, preparing legal memoranda, motions and other documents, initiating and responding to litigation discovery, corresponding with attorneys, self-represented parties and clients, and assisting attorneys in all aspects of case preparation and transactional matters.

Incumbents may receive general direction regarding the scope and approach to projects or assignments, but procedures and techniques are discretionary, and incumbents are expected to possess the initiative to operate with a significant degree of independence.There is one full-time two-year Limited Term Paralegal – Confidential vacancy in the Office of The County Attorney.The ideal candidate for this position will be able to handle several projects and assignments simultaneously, have experience with complex legal support work, strong oral and written communication skills, well developed computer skills, as well as proficiency with the full range of Microsoft products (including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook) in addition to case management and eDiscovery software.

The ideal candidate will work collaboratively with office management, attorneys, support staff, and other County departments, and will be able to accept assignments outside of their prior work experience.

The abilities to independently conduct legal research, use initiative, exercise sound judgment, set priorities and meet critical deadlines are also strongly desired.

In addition, the ideal candidate will have experience in processes and procedures related to specific fields of law such as bail bonds or probate.Salary Differential: Confidential employees receive a 5% salary differential, in addition to the listed salary.

Requirements

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Perform legal research under the direction of an attorney.
• Prepare and serve subpoenas and subpoenas duces tecum to witnesses, agencies, medical professionals, and businesses.
• Prepare proposed orders for Superior Court and Federal Court hearings. Draft and prepare pleadings, including points and authorities, declarations, and other related documents.
• Work with law enforcement agencies in obtaining reports and records.
• Explain procedures and policies to internal and external stakeholders and provide referrals, information, and assistance as appropriate.
• Prepare files, exhibits, and other documents for court hearings, depositions, and trials.
• Interview case participants, witnesses, and others to obtain relevant information.
• May direct the work of others on a project basis and may train others in work procedures as needed.
• Compile and review confidential and sensitive materials/records in collaboration with outside investigators, medical experts, and outside governmental and/or private organizations.
• Use ProLaw, CloudNine, Westlaw, and other legal software platforms and have familiarity with E-Filing (State and Federal levels).
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education and Experience:
Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to qualify is:

• Completion of coursework leading to paralegal certification or completion of the first year of law school, or two years of increasingly responsible legal office experience including legal research and policies and procedures related to the specified field of law.

Knowledge of:

• Legal research techniques and standard legal reference materials.
• Processes and procedures related to a specified field of law, such as family law, forfeitures, or probate.
• Legal office terminology, processes, procedures, and the format for legal documents.
• Record keeping, report preparation, and filing methods.
• Correct English usage, including spelling, grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary.
• Business arithmetic, including percentages and decimals.
• Office administrative practices and procedures, including filing, business letter writing, and the operation of common office equipment, including a word processor and personal or on-line computer.

Skill/Ability to:

• Perform legal research from varied sources.
• Communicate with individuals of various socio-economic backgrounds in difficult situations.
• Prepare a variety of legal documents.
• Use initiative and sound independent judgment within established guidelines.
• Organize and maintain accurate records and files.
• Organize work, set priorities, meet critical deadlines, and follow up on assignments.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships.

Additional Information

All applications containing the required materials are reviewed and, typically, two rounds of interviews are conducted with selected applicants.

Selection of the candidate for the position will be made following oral interviews and reference checks.Please combine the application materials into one PDF file and submit to: CC_Applications@smcgov.org Applicants must provide the following:

• Resume, including educational and employment history.
• List of references, including at least one supervisor from the last two years.
• Cover Letter and/or attachment addressing the following:

1. 1. Why are you seeking a position with the Office of the County Attorney? What aspects of our practice are of specific interest to you?
   2. Describe any paralegal courses and/or related training you have completed which would prepare you for this position. Be specific about when and where the course/training was completed and why it is relevant to this position.

   Give an example of a paralegal support function you provided on a specific project involving a complex litigation or legal matter.

   Be specific in your response and include information regarding the jurisdiction of the court, number of attorneys and other support staff involved in the matter, and the complexity or uniqueness of the matter.

   3. Describe your computer skills and the types of software programs you have used including any e-discovery tools. Be specific with your response.
   4. Give an example of a situation when you worked through personality or work style conflicts to complete a project accurately and on time.

All application materials must be received by 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, April 2, 2026. Late or incomplete applications may not be considered.

LIMITED TERM POSITIONS AND EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

This is a limited term position. Limited Term positions are full-time, fully benefited, temporary positions. This current position is funded for up to two years, depending on the department’s needs.

Benefits for Limited Term employees include health, vision, and dental plans, vacation and sick leave, and a defined contribution retirement plan (401-a).

Additional information concerning all of the available employee benefits may be obtained in the 2026 Limited Term Employee Benefits Guide.

About the County
San Mateo County is centrally located between San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay. With over 750,000 residents, San Mateo is one of the largest and most diverse counties in California and serves a multitude of culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse communities.

The County of San Mateo, as an employer, is committed to advancing equity to ensure that all employees are welcomed in a safe and inclusive environment. The County seeks to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community. We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply. Eighty percent of employees surveyed stated that they would recommend the County as a great place to work.

Analyst: Chet Overstreet (03182026) (E016- Paralegal - Confidential - Limited Term)