Paralegal

Hall Booth Smith•Tifton, GA

About The Position

The Paralegal supports attorneys in litigation case preparation, management, and execution. The role involves gathering and analyzing case documentation, coordinating discovery and case activities, preparing and filing court documents, conducting legal research, and maintaining organized case files. The Paralegal is expected to follow applicable client guidelines precisely, enter billable time daily, and meet a minimum billing requirement of 140 hours per month and 1,680 hours per year. The billing requirement is not reduced by time off, mandatory training, or non-billable work. The role also includes non-billable contributions such as committee participation, seminar and presentation development, and mentoring or training new employees. The position is performed in a professional office environment with frequent interaction with attorneys, staff, clients, experts, courts, and other outside parties. Work may require more than 40 hours per week and travel to offsite locations for records collection, information gathering, or court filings. Physical tasks may include sitting, bending, stooping, keyboarding, continuous hand use, telephone contact, reading, and lifting 25 to 50 pounds or more; driving may also be required.

Requirements

Knowledge of legal principles and practices sufficient to support attorneys with case management and information gathering.
Knowledge of various courts, their rules, and filing requirements.
Interpersonal skills to communicate courteously, diplomatically, and tactfully with a diverse group of attorneys, staff, and clients.
Organizational, prioritization, and attention-to-detail skills to perform duties in a timely, effective, and accurate manner.
Ability to demonstrate impeccable integrity in confidential matters.
Accurate typing ability of 45 words per minute.
Comprehensive computer and office equipment experience.

Nice To Haves

Associate’s degree or certified paralegal education is preferred, or an equivalent level of knowledge of legal principles and practices.

Responsibilities

Obtain, review, analyze, and summarize legal documentation pertaining to cases.
Track document requests and follow up on their progress.
Review case files regularly and proactively work to move cases forward.
Document files and update clients regarding case status when necessary.
Participate in discovery and file or trial preparation as required by a supervisor.
Schedule depositions and meetings with clients, witnesses, experts, opposing counsel, court reporters, and others.
Make travel arrangements and provide attorneys with directions and other necessary information.
File documents with courts.
Research legal issues and precedents relevant to cases.
Draft legal documents such as answers, jury demands, interrogatories, and responses when needed.
Maintain an expert database and research opposing counsel’s experts.
Identify, locate, interview, and evaluate potential experts, and send expert packages to parties for review.
Perform clerical duties, including typing and filing, as needed to produce work product and organize case files.
Perform all functions in exact accordance with applicable client guidelines.
Enter billable time into the computer daily.
Meet the minimum billing requirement of 140 hours per month and 1,680 hours per year.
Perform non-billable work, including committee participation, seminar development, presentation production, and mentoring or training new employees.
Remain flexible in responding to requests for support outside the job’s stated scope and perform other duties as directed by the Management team.