Paralegal

City of New Haven•New Haven, CT

About The Position

Internal only Open only to current employees of the City or Board of Education meeting minimum requirements. Internal candidates under consideration. This is a professional, legal assistance position requiring the ability to work under the supervision of attorneys; to understand and solve given legal problems; to conduct investigations for a variety of cases as requested by attorneys. The job will require legal research skills and a willingness to work independently once given a problem. This position involves performing legal research and writing, preparing draft trial pleadings, contractual documents, and agreements, responding to trial discovery, coordinating fact-gathering activities in a variety of cases, and organizing, monitoring and maintaining case files and other assignments under the direction and supervision of attorneys. The Paralegal is expected to exercise independent, professional judgment to maintain client confidences and to perform work assignments within established time frames. The work will be under the direct supervision of the Corporation Counsel and other staff attorneys.

Requirements

Graduation from a four-year college or university with a major in a Legal Studies/Paralegal program approved by the American Bar Association
One to three years’ experience in a law office, performing tasks such as legal research, document drafting and memoranda writing, or any equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the following knowledge, skills, and abilities.
Knowledge of legal research techniques, understanding case law and statutory materials.
Knowledge of principles and practices of civil law.
Knowledge of legal documents, pleadings, and litigation procedures.
Proficiency in using legal software and applications for research, document preparation, and case management.
Proficiency in utilizing office software, including Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, and Zoom.
Ability to understand legal issues and to do statutory and case law research.
Ability to communicate effectively with individuals to enhance investigative work assigned by staff attorneys.
Ability to maintain confidentiality of case files for investigative purposes.
Ability to express ideas clearly both orally and in writing.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees and the public.
Must possess strong organizational skills to effectively prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, and manage multiple assignments simultaneously.
Must demonstrate high ethical standards, maintaining confidentiality and upholding professional integrity in all interactions.
All applicants must have current authorization to work in the U.S. without employer-sponsored visa support.

Responsibilities

Prepares draft legal pleadings, including appearances, answers, motions, and memoranda under the direction and supervision of staff attorneys.
Maintains case documents in proper order, both in paper files and digital database.
Maintains and updates office digital databases, ensuring accurate and organized case information for easy retrieval.
Prepares drafts of simple contracts for review and revision by attorneys.
Conducts investigations as assigned by attorneys by asking employees and/or department heads, as witnesses, a variety of questions relevant to the case in question; prepares accurate reports of such investigations upon request.
Schedules and coordinates depositions, ensuring all parties are informed and necessary documents are prepared.
Interviews witnesses as requested by attorneys.
Schedules & notices public meetings; prepares meeting agendas & minutes; posts minutes to City website in compliance with public meeting laws; and provide other support to attorneys as requested.
Schedule meetings & webinars for attorneys using current approved technologies.
Provides administrative support for attorneys.
Performs related work as required.