Paralegal (Special Project Worker)

Full Job Description

Under moderate supervision or under supervision of an attorney, provides routine legal research support.

Screens, reviews, analyzes and organizes case-related material required for Court presentation and/or case settlement in the Criminal and/or Civil Courts.

Drafts agreed summary and default judgment motions and orders. Drafts various pleadings, discovery, motions, affidavits, and subpoenas. Coordinates the work of assigned secretarial support staff.

This is the first in a series of two paralegal-related job classifications within the Administrative Support job family.

This classification is distinguished from the Paralegal Senior in that incumbents do not supervise other Paralegals or serve as the primary agent in the research and drafting of legal memoranda on substantive and procedural legal topics.

Sensitivity to detail and confidentiality. Customer and client contact. This classification may require work in secure facilities.

Requirements

Prepares and organizes pretrial case materials. Retrieves information from computer to assist case documentation.

Contacts office staff, Court personnel, employees from other criminal justice agencies and others, as required to obtain information needed for prosecution of cases.

Reviews, screens, and analyzes case-related materials for assigned cases and provides summary of facts to assigned attorneys.

Processes documents, including preparation, filing and issuance of information. Obtains, indexes and outlines criminal histories, offense reports and all other relevant documents. Analyzes jury lists.

Assists attorney(s) in preparation for depositions, trials, Court and administrative hearings. Coordinates witness appearance in all Court proceedings. Investigates facts, files pleadings and orders.

Drafts correspondence to victims, clients, attorney(s), governmental agencies, law enforcement agencies and the general public as to the status of cases, contracts, or opinions.

Conducts legal research, prepares files, subpoenas and other legal documents, as required. Meets with respondent's or defendant's attorney(s) to provide case information or discovery.

Negotiates agreed judgments with defense attorneys. Drafts judgments, orders, contracts, payment agreements and other documents for assigned cases.

May appear in Court with attorneys to take notes and follow up on items requested.

Files documents with the court and appears on behalf of supervising attorney at Civil / District Court, and calls to obtain default judgments.

Coordinates discovery, including drafting and calendaring of interrogatories, requests for disclosures, requests for production, requests for admissions and other requests in accordance with local, state, federal and administrative and agency rules and procedures.

Drafts discovery responses and objections in assigned cases.

Coordinates and schedules Court appearances, trials, depositions and meetings. Maintains Court settings for attorney's calendar.

Responds to inquiries related to the cases pending and returns messages for assigned attorneys. Maintains personal time and billing records. Maintains statistical records and prepares reports.

Responds to inquiries related to the pending cases and returns messages for assigned attorney(s).

Communicates with office staff, adverse counsel and staff, Court Clerks and personnel, and other Travis County employees. Contacts witnesses and expert witnesses, as required.

Interviews witnesses and prepares summaries. Receives and responds to open records requests.

May select, train and supervise clerical support staff, including reviewing prepared files and documents. May locate and make contractual arrangements with foreign language interpreters.

Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education and Experience:
Bachelor's degree in Paralegal Studies, Public Administration, Business Administration or a directly related field AND two (2) years experience as a paralegal;

OR,

Any combination of education and experience that has been achieved and is equivalent to the stated education and experience and required knowledge, skills, and abilities sufficient to successfully perform the duties and responsibilities of this job.

Licenses, Registrations, Certifications, or Special Requirements:
Paralegal Certificate from a professionally recognized Paralegal/Legal Assistant program.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge of:

• Federal, State, Local and County applicable laws, rules, regulations and guidelines.
• Law office management and administration.
• Open meetings laws and Public Information Act.
• Policies, practices, procedures and legal terminology related to Court system.
• Discovery process.
• Current legal trends in the interaction of law and professional ethics.
• Statistical and record keeping applications, including databases and spreadsheets.
• Business letter writing, grammar and punctuation, and report preparation.
• May be required to develop knowledge of and adhere to federal and state laws requiring the confidential handling of certain health information.

Skill in:

• Acquiring, maintaining, organizing, analyzing and summarizing case evidence.
• Understanding legal terminology and English grammar.
• Case file examination for documentation accuracy.
• Operating a variety of modern office equipment, including a computer.
• Both verbal and written communication.

Ability to:

• Train and supervise clerical and administrative employees.
• Accurately and succinctly summarize legal information.
• Perform legal research.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with County employees and officials, judges, attorneys, Court personnel, other participants in the civil justice system, representatives of outside agencies, and the general public.

Additional Information

Physical requirements include the ability to lift/carry up to 20-50 pounds occasionally, visual acuity, speech and hearing, hand and eye coordination and manual dexterity necessary to operate a computer and office equipment. Subject to sitting, client/customer contact, standing, walking, vision to monitor, repetitive motion, stooping/kneeling, squatting, bending, and reaching to perform the essential functions.

Travis County employees play an important role in business continuity. As such, employees can be assigned to business continuity efforts outside of normal job functions.

Work Hours: 8 am - 5 pm, Monday-Friday.

Location: 416 W. 11th Street, Austin, Texas 78701

Department: District Attorney

Criminal, Driving, Education, and Employment Background Checks Required.

For updates or questions on this position, contact: Deborah.Kortan@traviscountytx.gov

This job description is intended to be generic in nature. It is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The essential duties, functions and responsibilities and overtime eligibility may vary based on the specific tasks assigned to the position.