Legal Assistant | Paralegal | Senior Paralegal

Charlotte, County of•Charlotte County, FL

22h•Onsite

About The Position

The Legal Assistant, Paralegal, and Senior Paralegal positions provide critical support to the professional staff of the County Attorney’s Office. These roles require a high degree of confidentiality, independent judgment, and initiative in assisting attorneys with their work. This is specialized secretarial work of a confidential nature providing secretarial and administrative support to the legal staff in the County Attorney’s office. Independent judgement and initiative are exercised in relieving attorneys of routine matters. This is paraprofessional work assisting the professional staff in the County Attorney's Office. Employees in this class research law, investigate facts, and prepare documents to assist the attorney staff. Considerable discretion and independent judgment are exercised in the conduct of legal research and writing in order to prepare legal memoranda, opinions, pleadings, legislative documents, briefs, graphic aids, leases, and contracts. This is legal professional work assisting the attorney staff in the County Attorney's Office. Employees in this class manage complex legal tasks to include in-depth legal research, fact investigation, and advanced document preparation; and acts in a leadership role as mentor and guide to junior paralegals and support staff in their procedural and law-related administrative responsibilities. Considerable discretion and substantial independent judgment are exercised in the performance of tasks, which demands a thorough understanding of legal procedures, detailed case management, complex legal documents, and strict document and data management. MISSION: To provide efficient, effective legal representation to the Board of County Commissioners, its agencies, advisory boards and staff based on the preventative law model. The County Attorney is appointed by and reports to the Board of County Commissioners. The County Attorney acts as legal advisor and representative of the County Commission, County Administrator and county departments. According to Charlotte County’s Home Rule Charter “The Office of County Attorney shall be responsible for the representation of county government, the Board of County Commissioners, and all other departments, divisions, regulatory boards, and advisory boards of county government in all legal matters relating to their official responsibilities. The Office of County Attorney shall prosecute and defend all civil actions for and on behalf of county government and shall review all ordinances, resolutions, contracts, bonds and other written instruments.” All County Attorney positions are required to assist with emergency support functions in the event of a declared emergency and/or any other emergency duties as assigned.

Requirements

High school diploma supplemented by course work in legal studies or similar legal office practices; and at least four (4) years of relevant legal secretarial or legal office work experience.
Associate's degree or equivalent education/training with focus on Legal Assistant I Paralegal studies
Three (3) years of experience as a Paralegal or equivalent
Associate's degree or equivalent education/training with focus on Legal Assistant I Paralegal studies
Florida Certified Paralegal (FCP) or Florida Registered Paralegal (FRP)
Seven (7) years of relevant experience as a Paralegal or equivalent
Considerable knowledge of legal secretarial practices and procedures, legal terminology, business English and business Math.
Considerable knowledge of Florida Court System; knowledge of organizational structure of county government.
Knowledge of applicable laws, ordinances, and general regulatory codes.
Knowledge of basic legal forms and documents.
Thorough knowledge and proficiency with modern office practices, procedures, systems, and equipment.
Ability to transcribe dictation type at a speed sufficient to perform job duties.
Skill in the use of standard office computers and equipment; proficient in Microsoft Office applications.
Ability to make minor administrative decisions in accordance with office procedure, ordinances and departmental rules.
Ability to organize and prioritize legal data received from professional legal staff and other departments.
Ability to proofread, perform accurate computations and prepare/maintain accurate reports from records and other source data.
Ability to establish and effective working relationships.
Ability to maintain confidentiality in working with high level, sensitive issues of significant importance.
Ability to handle multiple tasks and work well under pressure.
Ability to make recommendations and to use resourcefulness and tact in solving new problems.
Ability to prepare effective correspondence on routine matters and to perform routine functions without referral to supervisor.
Ability to ascertain priorities and meet deadlines and objectives.
Excellent written and oral communication skills; ability to follow written and oral instructions.
Knowledge of the principles, methods, materials, and practices of legal research.
Knowledge of federal, state and local statutes and ordinances, the common law, and administrative rules and regulations, basic legal forms and documents.
Considerable knowledge of Florida Court System as well as local government law.
Extensive writing skills, including the ability to prepare legal memoranda, opinions, documents, briefs, resolutions, ordinances, and other legal correspondence.
Enhanced communication skills, including the ability to follow instructions, interview witnesses, coordinate with other agencies and law offices, and discuss complete legal issues with attorney staff.
Must be sensitive to meeting court or attorney timeframes and attention to detail.
Ability to grasp factual issues.
Ability to use the computer to perform legal research and title searches.
Considerable knowledge of legal terminology, business English and business Math.
Knowledge of organizational structure of county and state government.
Knowledge of personal computers and word processing.
Ability to type 60 CWPM.
Ability to make minor administrative decisions in accordance with office procedure, ordinances and department rules.
Ability to organize and prioritize legal data received from professional legal staff and other departments.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with the general public, co-workers, elected and appointed officials and members of diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds regardless of race, religion, age, sex, handicap or political affiliation.

Responsibilities

Serves as legal assistant to the attorneys in the County Attorney's office.
Assists in the preparation and filing of lawsuits. appeals, and the prosecution/defense of such suits.
Prepares case files and maintains docket sheets on pending litigation; maintains daily calendars for assigned legal staff.
Prepares and completes legal notices, acknowledgments, basic legal forms and documents using word processing and personal computers.
Receives, screens and routes incoming mail and telephone calls, responds to inquiries, organizes and manages conference calls.
Prepares and edits correspondence, emails, facsimiles, forms, reports, presentations, memos, articles and other data, often of a highly confidential nature.
Reviews typed documents for clarity and grammatical and mathematical accuracy.
Establishes and maintains a comprehensive filing system.
Inputs and retrieves data from computerized systems and applications/software.
Organizes and assembles material needed for meetings conferences, public hearings, etc.
Assists with special projects and work overflow as required.
Performs basic administrative duties including preparation of reports, memorandums, letters, and electronic correspondence, and interaction and communication with outside attorneys, County Offices and Courts personnel, vendors, and general public.
Conducts extensive legal research relating to complex problems and projects and prepares memoranda and/or opinions containing recommended courses of action and/or solutions.
Conducts investigations and interviews with County employees and others in order to gather information relating to particular legal issues and/or litigation and verifies facts through independent investigation.
Provides assistance to various County departments relating to responses to legal problems and/or preparation of legal documents.
Prepares drafts of resolutions, ordinances, responds to legislative requests, leases, and contracts.
Assists the County Attorney and/or Assistant County Attorneys in preparing responses to requests for legal opinions.
Prepares drafts of initial pleading, discovery documents, motions, briefs, and other legal pleadings and papers relating to litigations.
Performs analysis of pleadings and motions, etc., filed by opposing parties.
Prepares graphic aids, tables, slides, and other audio/visual devices.
Assists attorney staff with trial preparation, the formulation of legal strategy and other matters within the County Attorney's purview.
Establishes and maintains a document management system, i.e., fully indexed and cross-referenced bank of briefs, memoranda, and other research documents previously produced by the office.
Assists in the preparation and filing of lawsuits and appeals.
Prepares case files and maintains docket sheets on pending litigation; maintains a daily calendar for assigned legal staff.
Prepares and completes legal notices, acknowledgments, basic legal forms and documents using personal computers.
Receives, screens and routes incoming mail and telephone calls.
Provides guidance to junior level Paralegals and Legal Assistants and various County departments relating to responses to legal problems and/or preparation of legal documents.
Establishes and maintains a document management system, i.e., fully indexed and cross-referenced bank of briefs, memoranda, and other research documents previously produced by the office; oversees the organization of case-related documents, evidence, and exhibits for hearings and trials.
Prepares case files and maintains docketing system on pending litigation; maintains case calendar system for all court deadlines and procedural requirement.