PARALEGAL SPECIALIST (HELP’s Program)
Salary Range: $62,709 – $80,136 (*Salary range provides earnings potential, which is based on years of service employed with Saratoga County in specified title)
Work Location: 40 McMaster Street, Ballston Spa NY 12020
Classification: Non-Competitive HELPs (Exam requirements temporarily waived)
Job Description
This is para-professional legal work of a complex nature within Saratoga County. Depending on assignment (District Attorney, County Attorney, Public Defender, Conflict Defender, Treasurer’s Office, Social Services) work involves responsibility for a wide variety of legal duties including but not limited to preparation, review, verification and maintenance of legal documents as well as designing and coordination of the maintenance of a variety of legal materials. Incumbent will be required to act as liaison between attorneys, court and non-court staff on a routine basis. Work is performed under the general supervision of a designated attorney or other administrative staff member. Does related work as required.
Minimum Qualifications
A)Possession of a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice, Political Science, Paralegal Studies, Business Administration or closely related field AND one (1) year of paid, full-time experience working within a legal or law office, or in a role requiring duties with an emphasis on court proceedings, practices and requirements; OR
B)Possession of an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice, Political Science, Paralegal Studies, Business Administration or closely related field, AND three (3) years of paid, full-time experience working within a legal or law office, or in a role requiring duties with an emphasis on court proceedings, practices and requirements; OR
C)Graduation from High School or possession of an Equivalency Certificate (GED) and five (5) years of paid, full-time experience working in a legal or law office, or in a role requiring duties with an emphasis on court proceedings, practices and requirements.
NOTE: Completion of a Paralegal/Legal Assistant Training Program will be given favorable consideration.
(Degree must have been awarded by a college or university by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the US Department of Education/US Secretary of Education. If your degree was awarded by an educational institution outside the United States and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. A list of acceptable companies who provide this service can be found on the internet at http://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/degrees.cfm. You must pay the required evaluation fee.)
NOTE: This job opportunity will be specific to working with Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests. Preference may be given to candidates with experience working directly with FOIL requests.
Typical Work Activities (*Illustrative)
•Performs legal research, reviews files and prepares memorandum to assist in litigation;
•Drafts legal briefs and memorandum for use in legal cases;
•Examines legal documents and abstracts relevant data;
•Conducts basic research and gathers information needed in various legal actions;
•Reviews legal documents for completeness and accuracy of contents;
•Verifies citations and condenses case law statues;
•Follows through on court of administrative decisions to ensure that related records are organized and files;
•Prepares legal memorandum for attorneys;
•May accompany attorneys to administrative or judicial hearings and prepares notes for final briefs;
•Assists in legal matters such as hearings, trials, suits, injunctions, etc. as may be required and performs legal tasks assigned by the supervising attorney;
•Receives, downloads, documents, reviews and files the needed discovery information for each client file to be filed for distribution to the attorney and client if needed;
•For all new arrests and citations issued by law enforcement, may oversee document receipt and download from various electronic delivery systems and export into the case management system (PDCMS & local share), certify receipt, organize and prepare for distribution;
•May follow up with arresting agency or court for delivery of additional documents as needed and provide to the assigned attorney;
•Writes routine resolutions and correspondence for attorney’s signature;
•Prepares and revises discovery information and inputs critical documentation;
•Acts as liaison between crime victims, attorneys, courts and multiple County departments, agencies and service providers;
•Conducts legal research in all areas of law utilizing electronic and web-based applications, interprets statutes, cases, rules and regulations;
•Reviews and analyzes complex new laws, court decisions, and administrative directives for their effect on current legal practices;
•May be responsible for handling all areas of the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests;
•Performs other related duties as needed.
*Typical Work Activities are intended only as illustrations of possible types of work that might be appropriately assigned to an incumbent of this title. Work activities that do not appear above are not excluded as appropriate work assignments, as long as they can be reasonably understood to be within the logical limits of the job.
Additional Information
•Excellent benefits, NYS Retirement Membership, and competitive Compensation Plan
To Apply (via Link Provided is preferred method)
•Qualified candidates may alternatively submit an application and resume, by mail or in person to the Personnel Officer – Civil Service Division, 40 McMaster Street, Ballston Spa, NY 12020
•Resume may not be substituted for complete application
•Fax submissions will not be accepted