Legal Assistant II
About The Position
This position is a Legal Assistant II in the Enforcement Department. The Enforcement Department is one of seven departments in the Legal Services Division of the HHS Office of Chief Counsel. The Enforcement Department provides legal support related to HHS sanctions against facilities, programs, and services, including reviewing and drafting notices, correspondence, and guidance documents; interpreting state and federal laws, regulations, and rules; rendering legal advice and counsel to HHS agency personnel; providing legal representation in contested case proceedings, and overseeing enforcement litigation in district courts. This Legal Assistant position works on the Child Care Team of the Enforcement Department in the Legal Services Division. The Child Care Team provides legal consultations and representation in contested case hearings to the Regulatory Services Division, Child Care Licensing. This position reviews and assigns consultation requests, reviews and assigns hearing requests, updates databases, drafts correspondence, obtains program records supporting the enforcement action, assigns cases to department attorneys, dockets cases for hearing at the State Office of Administrative Hearings and supports attorney hearing preparation. The Legal Assistant interacts routinely with HHSC staff throughout the state, other state agency staff, and the general public.
Requirements
- Knowledge of legal terminology, of research methods and techniques, of administrative and court procedures, of the legislative process, and of public notice requirements.
- Skill in the use of office equipment.
- Ability to conduct research; to draft, prepare, and interpret legal documents; to evaluate and relate findings to cases in question; and to train others.
- May require certification as a paralegal. Relevant work experience may be substituted for certification.
- A paralegal certificate/degree or a minimum three years of experience as a Legal Assistant.
Responsibilities
- Maintains, organizes, and assigns new contested cases to attorneys.
- Assists attorneys in scheduling and prioritizing their caseloads.
- Maintains hearing dates for attorneys' calendar through Microsoft Outlook.
- Organizes case files and prepares chronologies, fact summaries, and witness files in preparation for court proceedings.
- Assists attorneys in preparation for administrative hearings, meetings, and interviews.
- Coordinates and contacts witnesses for appearance in all court proceedings.
- Files motions, exhibits, and orders with the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH).
- Coordinates, assembles, and/or prepares evidence, affidavits, and documents for use in legal proceedings.
- Under attorney supervision, drafts various legal documents, including pleadings, motions, subpoenas, and correspondence.
- Examines documents for accuracy and completeness.
- Conducts bate-stamping, redaction, duplication, and indexing of documents.
- Coordinates discovery, including drafting and calendaring of discovery in accordance with relevant rules and procedures.
- Updates internal case management systems to assist in case documentation.
- Coordinates the service of subpoenas and notice of depositions by communicating with law enforcement agencies and court reporting agencies.
- Contacts office staff, court personnel, employees from other departments, and criminal justice agencies to obtain information needed for contested cases.
- Locates and makes arrangements with foreign language interpreters in preparation for court proceedings.
- Communicates with clients, attorneys, governmental agencies, and law enforcement agencies concerning the status of cases.
- Trains and supervises support staff, including reviewing prepared files and documents such as record requests, exhibits and motions.
Benefits
- comprehensive benefits package includes 100% paid employee health insurance for full-time eligible employees
- a defined benefit pension plan
- generous time off benefits
- numerous opportunities for career advancement
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
No Education Listed
