Paralegal

City of Newport • Newport, OR

13d • Hybrid

About The Position

The City of Newport is seeking a highly skilled, detail-oriented, and adaptable Paralegal to support the City Attorney’s Office. This role offers flexibility, with nearly 100% remote work, while requiring occasional onsite presence in Newport for meetings, hearings, trainings, and other essential activities. Oregon-based residents preferred. If you thrive in an environment where no two days look exactly the same, enjoy complex legal problem-solving, and excel at juggling multiple priorities, we encourage you to apply. You will play a critical role in supporting the City Attorney through a wide range of legal, analytical, and administrative responsibilities.

Requirements

• Experience working within an Oregon-based public agency or municipal law environment.
• Strong knowledge of legal terminology, procedures, and document formats.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct detailed legal research and synthesize complex information.
• Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading skills with a focus on clarity and accuracy.
• Ability to work independently in a remote environment while maintaining strong communication with the City Attorney’s Office.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple deadlines and shifting priorities.
• Proven ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information appropriately.
• Proficiency with legal research tools, electronic filing systems, and standard office software.
• A collaborative mindset and the ability to build strong working relationships across departments.
• Flexibility to work occasionally onsite in Newport for required meetings, hearings, trainings, or special projects.
• Any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience that provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the work.
• An Associate of Applied Science in Paralegal Studies or Legal Support, Political Science, Public Administration, or related field; AND three (3) years of progressively responsible paralegal, legal assistant, or legal office support experience OR five (5) years of legal office administrative experience.
• Principles and practices of legal research, analysis, and documentation.
• Civil procedure; legal terminology; court filing practices, case file preparation and maintenance; and records retention practices.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft 365 applications (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive) and/or similar software, case-management databases, and electronic filing systems.
• Professional standards for English, spelling, punctuation, grammar, and formatting standards for legal correspondence.
• Oregon public contracting, public ethics, public meetings, and records law.
• Attorney-client privilege protections.
• Strong research, writing, editing, and proofreading skills.
• Ability to synthesize legal information and prepare summaries for attorney review.
• High accuracy, attention to detail, and document-management proficiency.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including tact and professionalism in sensitive situations.
• Strong time-management, organization, prioritization, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to maintain absolute confidentiality and safeguard privileged legal materials.
• Interpret and apply laws, rules, regulations, and procedures.
• Exercise sound judgment in following established policies and procedures.
• Communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders at all levels.
• Learn and adapt to City processes, policies, and legal systems.
• Work independently while exercising sound judgment.
• Manage multiple tasks under deadlines and interruptions in a fast-paced environment.
• Prepare written documents that are clear, concise, and legally accurate.
• Multi-task and work under steady pressure in an intense work environment with numerous interruptions and conflicting demands with frequent interruptions.
• Ability to read, understand, and review documents for accuracy and relevant information.
• Apply applicable laws, regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Ability to make accurate arithmetic calculations, compose correspondence, and compile and arrange data in a readable and comprehensible manner.
• Ability to understand and follow instructions, operate office equipment including computers and supporting word processing, spreadsheet, database applications, and cloud-based systems.
• Ability to type and enter data at a speed necessary for successful job performance.
• Ability to honor the confidentiality required of this position.
• Ability to maintain regular and constant attendance.
• Physical ability to perform the essential job functions.

Nice To Haves

• Degree in government, public policy, public administration, political science, legal or related field.
• Certified Paralegal credential (e.g., NALA – CP/ACP or NFPA CRP).
• Experience working within a public agency or municipal law environment.

Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive legal research across case law, legislative history, administrative rules, agency guidance, and city policies.
• Draft, review, and edit complex legal and administrative documents, including pleadings, contracts, leases, ordinances, resolutions, easements, intergovernmental agreements, memoranda, staff reports, and presentations, under the supervision of the City Attorney.
• Ensure documents are accurate and properly formatted.
• Serve as a strategic thought partner to the City Attorney by analyzing facts, identifying issues, and assisting in developing strategies and legal solutions.
• Support litigation preparation, including filing documents using electronic court filing systems.
• Stay current on relevant laws, regulations, and legal standards impacting city operations.
• Organize and maintain office files; assist with records retention and destruction in compliance with state law and city policy.
• Track and calendar key deadlines, hearings, and events.
• Communicate with city departments, courts, external parties, and the public to coordinate and obtain necessary information.
• Manage billing records and assist with expense tracking and reporting.
• Perform a variety of administrative tasks such as scheduling meetings, proofreading, generating reports and spreadsheets, copying, printing, scanning, mailing, and filing.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Excellent Health, Dental, and Vision coverage for you and your family
• Access to City-funded retirement benefits
• Employee Wellness Program with resources to support physical and mental health
• Free Recreation Center and Aquatic Center membership for you and your family to stay active and connected to the community
• Generous paid leave, training opportunities, and career development
• Short-term housing - a furnished apartment with a partial rent subsidy for your first three months (depending on availability)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree