Civil Paralegal 1

State of Montana • Helena, MT

4d

About The Position

The Civil Paralegal 1 position is with the Civil Bureau of the State’s Attorney’s Office in the Montana Department of Justice. The paralegal performs a variety of duties individually and in coordination with attorneys, management staff, and the Attorney General. The role supports bureau attorneys through all phases of litigation, including intake, discovery, motions, trial, and appeal, and involves maintaining paper and electronic files. It is also responsible for extensive brief formatting and filing in state and federal courts.

Additional duties include assisting with administrative rule review, service of process on the Attorney General, Attorney General Opinions, and administrative work such as maintaining a spreadsheet of active cases and accepting and processing legal mail. The position may assist the Solicitor General and General Counsel with other civil matters, coordinate work with the bureau chief and legal support staff, and assist other bureaus and personnel in the Attorney General’s Office as needed. The position is open until filled; the first review of applicants is scheduled for 11/16/2026.

Requirements

• Meet at least one of the statutory qualifications: an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies from an accredited institution; a bachelor’s degree in any discipline plus at least 18 semester credits from a qualified paralegal studies program; certification by the National Association of Legal Assistants or the National Federation of Paralegal Associations; a high school diploma or equivalent plus at least 4,800 hours of substantive legal work under a licensed lawyer’s supervision, documented by the supervising lawyer or lawyers, and at least five hours of approved continuing legal education in legal ethics and professional responsibility; or graduation from an accredited law school without having been disbarred or suspended from legal practice by any jurisdiction.
• Attach a résumé when applying; it should include work experience, job duties, employment dates (month and year), and reasons for leaving each job.
• Undergo criminal history fingerprint/name-based and driving history checks.

Nice To Haves

• Two years of experience working in a law office or legal environment.
• At least two years of experience researching court rules and rules of procedure.
• At least two years of experience formatting briefs, including generating tables of authorities.

Responsibilities

• Assist bureau attorneys with all phases of litigation, including intake, discovery, motions, trial, and appeal.
• Maintain paper and electronic litigation files.
• Format and file briefs in state and federal courts, including extensive brief formatting.
• Assist with administrative rule review.
• Assist with service of process on the Attorney General and Attorney General Opinions.
• Maintain a spreadsheet of active cases.
• Accept and process legal mail.
• Assist the Solicitor General and General Counsel with miscellaneous civil matters.
• Coordinate work with the bureau chief and other legal support staff.
• Assist other bureaus and personnel within the Attorney General’s Office as needed.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Retirement plans
• Paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Pre-tax Flexible Spending Accounts
• Employee Assistance Program
• State employment may qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Associate degree