Paralegal Specialist

Dallas College • Dallas, TX

7d • Onsite

About The Position

The Paralegal Specialist supports the legal team with case planning, development, and management, including legal research and drafting and analyzing legal documents. The role places significant emphasis on contract management and administration: drafting, reviewing, and negotiating contract terms and ensuring compliance with Dallas College policies and applicable laws and regulations. Under the direction of the legal team, the position also assists the Senior Paralegal Specialist with Texas Public Information Act (TPIA) requests and Dallas College election administration.

The position supports legal matters by preparing documents and research, tracking deadlines and formal requests, coordinating witnesses, and maintaining organized contract records and resources. It also helps coordinate TPIA responses across college divisions and supports the planning and administration of elections, including candidate and officer filings, public and governmental relations, outreach, and polling locations.

This is an on-site staff role with 40 weekly work hours. After six months, some positions may be eligible to apply for a hybrid arrangement, subject to job responsibilities, operational needs, supervisor approval, and Dallas College policy. Regular, predictable in-person presence is required to support the legal team, and on-site physical presence is required during an election cycle. The role requires completion of at least 19 professional development hours per academic year. The position is subject to a criminal background check; some positions may also be subject to a fingerprint check.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, such as Business Administration or Legal Studies; or an associate degree in paralegal studies; or a certificate of completion from an ABA-approved paralegal education and training program; or at least 60 semester hours of college credit toward a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Official transcripts are required.
• Three years of experience as a paralegal, including at least one year of specialized experience, education, or training related to handling open-records requests under the Texas Public Information Act and/or election administration.
• Experience, education, or training demonstrating the ability to perform some or all of the listed responsibilities, work in a deadline-driven environment, and apply skills needed to analyze factual and legal issues.
• Must currently possess and maintain Texas Notary certification, or demonstrate the ability and commitment to promptly obtain and maintain it.
• Must be reliable and available to work on-site during standard business hours and as needed by the legal department; on-site presence is required during election cycles.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, specifically Outlook, Word, and Excel.
• Knowledge of basic principles, concepts, and methods of legal proceedings and contract law.
• Legal acumen and experience drafting, reviewing, and interpreting legal documents.
• Ability to conduct legal research and draft legal documents.
• Experience managing information requests under the Texas Public Information Act.
• Working knowledge of Texas election laws and procedures, or ability to learn and understand them as they apply to the role.
• Knowledge of attorney-client relationships, legal writing, effective written and verbal presentation, and problem identification, analysis, and evaluation.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
• Experience with or knowledge of computerized information and database recordkeeping systems, such as Westlaw or LexisNexis.
• Comfort and experience working with contract lifecycle management platforms.
• Ability to work independently and manage a high-volume workload in a fast-paced environment with minimal guidance and oversight.
• Strong work ethic and a proactive approach to solving complex problems and intricate client requests.
• Exceptional attention to detail, accuracy, and consistency, including experience proofreading legal documents.
• Strong verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to tailor messages to diverse audiences and establish effective working relationships with Dallas College constituents and external partners.
• Ability to support the legal team and participate in inter-office meetings, requiring regular, predictable in-person presence.
• Must complete a criminal background check; some positions may require a fingerprint check.
• Position requires regular and predictable attendance.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in higher education or with a city, county, state, or other public or governmental entity.
• Bilingual or multilingual ability.

Responsibilities

• Conduct legal research and analysis to support attorneys in preparing legal opinions, briefs, and other documentation.
• Draft, review, and finalize legal documents, including forms, memoranda, policies, compliance reports, and other legal documents.
• Track, process, and respond to formal legal requests for documents, data, or testimony.
• Coordinate witness scheduling and assist attorneys with witness-related issues, exhibits, and note-taking.
• Manage relevant deadlines and keep attorneys informed of upcoming deadlines.
• Analyze records and disciplinary files and make recommendations to attorneys about file disposition, as needed.
• Prepare summaries of cases, depositions, court transcripts, and witness testimony, as needed.
• Assist with other Office of General Counsel duties assigned by attorneys, including monitoring and responding to communications on behalf of the legal team.
• Prepare and revise standard contract templates; review client or vendor contracts for standard legal terms and potential issues; and suggest revisions to protect Dallas College's interests.
• Coordinate with the General Counsel, Associate General Counsel, and Contract Specialist to create, update, organize, and maintain contract templates, forms, libraries, webpages, processes, workflows, and user guides.
• Maintain comprehensive, organized records of contracts and related correspondence and documents.
• Assist with analyzing and responding to TPIA requests, including communicating with requestors, reviewing and redacting documents, preparing letters and requests to the Attorney General’s Office, maintaining records, and tracking deadlines.
• Coordinate gathering requested information across Dallas College divisions and route requests to appropriate departments.
• Collaborate with Dallas College staff, including executive-level administrators, on time-sensitive TPIA matters to support timely, legally sound, and factually accurate responses.
• Assist in developing TPIA resources and training to promote consistent college-wide practices.
• Under the direction of the Senior Paralegal Specialist and legal team, assist in planning and overseeing Dallas College elections, including Board of Trustees elections, in accordance with applicable laws, rules, policies, and procedures.
• Process election, candidate, and officer filings.
• Meet and communicate with the public, candidates, and state and county departments; serve as the primary contact for the Dallas County Elections Department.
• Assist with election-related marketing and outreach, including website content, written materials, and notices.
• Assist with coordinating polling locations on Dallas College campuses.
• Review and analyze proposed election-related legislation and report its effects to the legal team, as needed.
• Complete at least 19 required Dallas College professional development hours per academic year.
• Perform other duties not listed as assigned.

What This Job Offers

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