Legal Assistant II

TX-HHSC-DSHS-DFPS • Houston, TX

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The legal assistant shall be responsible for facilitating and expediting Child Protective Service abuse and neglect cases within the parameters of policy guidelines of the Texas Family Code and the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. The position performs complex legal assistant work, including researching, analyzing, investigating, and drafting legal documents under the supervision of Department attorneys and county and district attorneys representing the Department.

Requirements

• Graduation from high school or equivalent.
• Two years of full-time paralegal, legal assistant, legal secretarial or Departmental experience.
• Ninety hours from an accredited college or university may be substituted for the required experience.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel and related computer software.
• Knowledge of spelling, punctuation, grammar, and the ability to adapt to the use of other materials as necessary.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with Word, Outlook, and Excel preferred.
• Education beyond high school is preferred.
• Prior legal assistant and or legal secretary experience is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Performs legal work related to the prosecution of child and elder abuse cases.
• Prepares, develops, reviews and edits petitions, motions, orders service, subpoenas, inquiries, discovery, and files documents with the district clerk's office as needed.
• Handles and prepares correspondence and memoranda.
• Schedules, attends and prepares cases and witnesses for hearings, trials, staffings, interviews, depositions and docket calls.
• Coordinates, develops and updated responses to discovery requests.
• Verifies service of process.
• Assists in negotiating court orders.
• Informs Departmental personnel of case status, decisions, and scheduling.
• Routinely interacts with Department attorneys, district and county attorneys, judges, ad litems, caseworkers and Departmental administrators and performs other work as assigned.

Benefits

• 100% paid health insurance for you, and 50% paid for eligible family members
• Retirement plans with lifetime monthly payments after five years of state service
• Options to save even more with 401(k) and 457 plans
• Paid vacation, holidays, and sick leave
• Optional dental, vision, and life insurance
• Flexible spending accounts for added tax savings on health and dependent care
• Employee discounts on things like gym memberships, electronics, and entertainment
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: High school or GED
• Number of Employees: 1-10 employees