Paralegal/Hearings Administrator

Commonwealth of Massachusetts • Boston, MA

1d • $65,000 - $80,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission is an independent agency that oversees law enforcement departments and officers throughout the Commonwealth. The Commission is charged with establishing certification standards, determining if standards are met, developing regulations and policies, decertifying or sanctioning officers for misconduct, maintaining and disseminating law enforcement information, and conducting investigations, adjudicatory proceedings, and public hearings. The Commission is looking for an individual to join the Legal Division as a Paralegal/Hearings Administrator. Working under the direction of the Commission’s General Counsel, the individual will predominantly work on legal, policy, and administrative matters related to hearings and other aspects of the Commission’s adjudicatory process. The position will substantially, if not principally, involve facilitating the process through oral and written communications, managing dockets and records, and serving as the administrative contact for proceedings.

Requirements

• A Bachelor’s degree and/or related experience as a paralegal in litigation, administrative law, regulatory matters, records disclosure or management, or another relevant field.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent judgment in handling confidential and sensitive information.
• A strong work ethic and commitment to producing work at the highest levels of quality.
• Outstanding organizational skills and attention to detail.
• The ability to take ownership of, prioritize, and complete multiple projects under time constraints and with available resources.
• Strong project and case management skills.
• An ability to work independently, efficiently, and creatively in an evolving environment.
• Excellent interpersonal skills; an appreciation for teamwork and collegiality; and an ability to interact diplomatically with people at all levels within the Commission, stakeholders, outside counsel, outside vendors, and members of the public.
• A willingness to perform routine administrative and clerical duties, as needed.
• A proficiency with computers and the MS Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) and willingness to learn state- and Commission-specific electronic systems.
• A working knowledge of reference and related sources available for legal research (Westlaw, Lexis/Nexis).
• An appreciation for the mission of the Commission.
• A commitment to performing ethically.
• A commitment to ongoing professional development and satisfying any internal continuing education requirement.
• An appreciation of the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion; and the importance of interacting respectfully and sensitively with people of different backgrounds.
• A commitment to adhere to the "Residency and Work Location" requirements stated above.

Nice To Haves

• Public sector law.
• The Massachusetts Open Meeting Law, the Conflict of Interest Law, Public Records Law or Administrative Procedure Act.
• Legal research, writing, or editing.
• Court case management, clerk’s offices, or operations.
• Supporting judges or other adjudicators.
• Civil or criminal litigation.
• Administrative agency adjudications or informal hearings.
• Professional licensure or discipline.
• Policy development.
• Building a new entity.
• Training or compliance initiatives.
• Conference or event planning.
• Handling confidential information in accordance with privacy or security protocols.
• Electronic document management systems.
• Virtual hearing platforms.
• Digital content creation and electronic system development.
• Salesforce technology systems.

Responsibilities

• Providing various forms of legal, technical, and administrative support to the members of the Commission’s Legal Division and its Hearing Officers, working closely with other parts of the agency.
• Developing a familiarity with key sources of law governing the Commission’s work and the different divisions of the Commission.
• Assisting in the preparation, review, and dissemination of Commission meeting materials and minutes.
• Assembling large sets of documents; redacting them in accordance with law; and developing tables of contents, indexes, and privilege logs in connection with litigation, administrative adjudications, and public records requests.
• Supporting the promulgation of regulations, such as by organizing public hearings, managing the solicitation and processing of public comments, and filing papers with the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Office.
• Helping organize internal training programs.
• Maintaining and organizing policies, protocols, and advisories adopted by the Commission and its Legal Division.
• Developing and maintaining adjudicatory dockets and case management systems, and other electronic file management systems.
• Preparing and filing reports, certifications, and other official documents with government offices.
• Organizing remote and in-person adjudicatory proceedings, public hearings, and conferences.
• Providing other Commission personnel with technological instruction and assistance.
• Managing the administrative aspect of the Commission’s adjudicatory system.
• Developing and updating standard operating procedures, protocols, forms, notices, and templates.
• Coordinating with parties to proceedings regarding scheduling, filings, exhibits, technology, accommodations, and procedural questions.
• Providing administrative and legal support to presiding officers before, during, and after adjudicatory proceedings.
• Preparing administrative documents including notices, scheduling orders, witness lists, exhibit lists, and other documents associated with the adjudicatory process.
• Ensuring that the Commission records receipt of meetings and hearings documents, marks and identifies documents and exhibits, retains those documents for the required time period, and compiles those documents into an administrative record.
• Developing policies and guidelines that improve hearing procedures.
• Assisting with regulatory development, legal compliance, public records, and other legal initiatives of the Commission.

Benefits

• Outstanding suite of employee benefits that add to the overall value of your compensation package.
• Work experience that supports you, your loved ones, and your future.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level