PARALEGAL SERIES (Labor & Employment Division)

State of Maryland•Baltimore City, MD

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Maryland Office of the Public Defender (MOPD) is seeking a highly motivated, detail-oriented, and discreet Paralegal I/II to support the Chief of Labor & Employment. This role provides advanced legal research, factual investigation, document administration, and high-level legal support on matters involving agency workforce policy, labor union relations, internal misconduct/workplace investigations, state and federal administrative complaints, and employee grievance proceedings. The position leverages modern workplace tools and technologies, including agency-approved AI resources, and operates with a strictly high level of confidentiality, professional ethics, data security, and sensitivity.

Requirements

Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.
Paralegal I: Two years of experience as a legal assistant or legal secretary performing legal research or preparing legal documents on behalf of an attorney.
Paralegal II: Three years of experience as a legal assistant or legal secretary performing legal research or preparing legal documents on behalf of an attorney.
Understanding of state and federal employment statutes (FLSA, FMLA, ADA, Title VII), COMAR regulations, paralegal research methods, and strict legal confidentiality rules.
Strong legal research, factual synthesis, drafting, digital tool adoption, and document management skills.
Ability to maintain absolute confidentiality on sensitive personnel issues; exercise sound judgment in evaluating and using modern legal tech/AI resources ethically; maintain calm under tight statutory deadlines; and communicate empathetically and professionally with diverse internal and external stakeholders.

Nice To Haves

Prior paralegal or legal support experience specializing in Labor & Employment Law, state administrative law, or public-sector labor relations.
Direct experience handling confidential workplace investigations, employee grievances, or administrative agency filings (EEOC/MCCR).
Advanced proficiency in using Westlaw/LexisNexis, Adobe Acrobat Pro (redactions), and Microsoft Office 365 (Excel, Word, Teams).
Demonstrated proficiency with, or a strong willingness to learn and adopt, agency-approved Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to enhance legal research efficiency, data management, and document workflow.
Demonstrated commitment to maintaining strict ethical boundaries, data privacy, and confidentiality when employing legal software or AI resources.
Strong commitment to public defense values, civil rights, workplace fairness, and mission-driven public service.
Thirty credit hours or a certificate in paralegal studies from an accredited college or university may be substituted for the required experience.
Thirty credit hours from an accredited law school may be substituted for the required experience.
Additional years of experience as stated above may be substituted on a year-for-year basis for the required education.
Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a non-commissioned officer in paralegal specialist classifications or paralegal specialist specialty codes in the legal and kindred field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.
Employees in this classification may be required to travel occasionally to regional MOPD offices throughout the State of Maryland. A valid driver's license may be required.
Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operator’s license valid in the State of Maryland.

Responsibilities

Gather, organize, redact, and review documentary evidence, personnel records, electronic communications, and witness statements for sensitive internal workplace investigations and employee grievance matters.
Assist the Chief of Labor & Employment in drafting investigative reports, legal memoranda, settlement agreements, responses to EEOC/MCCR charges, and formal disciplinary notices.
Schedule, coordinate, and attend investigative interviews, grievance steps, and depositions; record detailed, objective interview summaries.
Maintain and update tracking systems for labor grievances, arbitration cases, and internal workplace complaints.
Perform legal research utilizing Westlaw, Lexis, the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR), federal statutory labor frameworks (FLSA, FMLA, ADA, Title VII), and relevant labor and employment case law.
Utilize and adapt to approved agency technology and secure AI tools to assist in legal research summarization, document organization, and workflow efficiency in compliance with agency ethical standards and confidentiality rules.
Assist the Chief in drafting, revising and auditing agency policies, employee handbooks, and operational guidelines to ensure full compliance with evolving state and federal standards.
Compile comparative salary, benefits, and labor metric data to support collective bargaining negotiations and consultations with union representatives.
Establish and maintain secure, locked, and encrypted physical/digital filing systems for sensitive employee files, litigation holds, and legal advice files.
Assist in processing Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA) requests or administrative subpoenas related to employment/personnel records, ensuring statutory redaction of confidential identifiers.
Manage calendar, hearing dates, and statutory deadline tracking (statute of limitations, appeal windows, union response timelines) for the Chief.
Prepare hearing exhibit binders/digital files, issue witness subpoenas, and coordinate logistics for administrative hearings before the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) or State Hearing Officers.
Assist with the preparation of training presentations on anti-harassment, ethics, and workplace policy compliance.