Paralegal Specialist

State of Connecticut • Hartford, CT

4d • Hybrid

About The Position

The State of Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP), Office of Legal Counsel, is hiring a full-time Paralegal Specialist to support the Commissioner and legal team, with a focus on the Environmental Conservation Branch. This branch includes the Bureaus of Natural Resources (Wildlife, Fisheries, and Forestry) and Outdoor Recreation (Parks, Environmental Conservation Police, and Boating). DEEP’s Office of Legal Counsel advises the Commissioner and the Department on legal matters across its Environmental Quality, Environmental Conservation, and Energy and Technology Policy branches. The Transactional and Regulatory Affairs unit also supports all three branches, the Bureau of Central Services, and programs in the Commissioner’s Office.

The position provides advanced paralegal support in a highly complex legal unit, including technical leadership, research, consultation, preparation of draft legal documents and decisions, and support regarding case procedures, processes, and timelines. The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 40 hours per week, in a hybrid work environment. Some work supporting the Environmental Conservation Police Division may involve reviewing graphic or disturbing images and materials, including incident reports and body-worn or vehicle dash-camera footage.

Requirements

• Meet one of the following general-experience pathways: a bachelor’s degree in legal studies and one year of experience providing paraprofessional legal assistance to an attorney; an associate degree in legal studies and three years of such experience; an American Bar Association-approved paralegal or legal assistance certificate and three years of such experience; a paralegal or legal assistance certificate consisting of at least 24 semester hours from an accredited college or university and four years of such experience; a certificate from a business school approved by the Connecticut Office of Higher Education and four years of such experience; or a law degree from an accredited law school.
• Considerable knowledge of legal processes and procedures, legal terminology and forms, and legal research techniques.
• Knowledge of relevant agency policies and procedures and ability to interpret and apply applicable state and federal laws, statutes, regulations, and legislation.
• Interpersonal, oral communication, and written communication skills.
• Skill in fact-finding techniques, including interviewing clients and compiling evidence.
• Ability to evaluate facts, cases, and evidence; compile legal data; compose correspondence; and draft legal documents.
• Ability to understand complex laws and related reports and utilize computer software.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working as a paralegal for two or more attorneys in a governmental agency, law firm, or corporation.
• Experience with Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook, Teams, and SharePoint.
• Experience developing standardized procedures to streamline data organization.
• Experience working with confidential information, contracts, or grants.
• Experience processing documents for litigation.
• Experience producing written communications without typographical or grammatical errors.
• Experience communicating with multiple stakeholders and coordinating stakeholder engagement.

Responsibilities

• Work with Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) liaisons and legal team members to address FOIA requests for the Environmental Conservation Branch, including reviewing and redacting incident reports and body-worn and vehicle dash-camera footage.
• Support the Environmental Conservation Police Division in complying with the Police Accountability Act and its statutory requirements, including assisting with policies and general orders, managing records, and supporting discovery for litigation before the Office of the Claims Commissioner or Judicial Branch.
• Track Public Utility Regulatory Authority (PURA), Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), and Siting Council dockets that may affect forestry, fisheries, or wildlife.
• Assist with preparation for licensure and enforcement hearings before DEEP’s Office of Adjudications.
• Advance regulations in the e-Regs system.
• Perform other administrative work to support Environmental Conservation Branch programs and the Office of the Commissioner.
• Interpret complex state statutes, federal regulations, court rules, and agency policies relevant to legal records and documents.
• Prepare and review legal documents, conduct legal research and analysis, assist with discovery, and respond to case-information requests.
• Monitor court deadlines and maintain case records, pleadings, policy manuals, and filing systems.
• Act as a liaison among the agency, courts, attorneys’ offices, and the public, and provide staff assistance or training on relevant procedures.
• Analyze complex cases; develop positions and strategies for settlement or litigation; gather evidence and documentation; and support case presentation at hearings.
• Prepare legal and administrative reports, correspondence, memoranda, and draft legal documents.

Benefits

• Professional growth and development opportunities.
• A healthy work/life balance.
• State employee benefits; the posting directs applicants to the State Employee Benefits Overview page.

What This Job Offers

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