Paralegal
About The Position
Serves as a paralegal for the Juvenile Public Defender under the supervision of Assistant Juvenile Public Defenders. Provides routine legal research support and screens, reviews, analyzes, and organizes case-related material for court presentations. Drafts motions, orders, pleadings, discovery, affidavits, and subpoenas. This is the first of two paralegal-related classifications in the Administrative Support job family. Unlike a Paralegal Senior, this role does not supervise other paralegals or serve as the primary agent for researching and drafting legal memoranda on substantive and procedural legal topics. The position requires attention to detail, confidentiality, and contact with customers and clients, and may require work in secure facilities.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Paralegal Studies, Public Administration, Business Administration, or a directly related field and two years of experience as a paralegal; alternatively, an equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to perform the job duties.
- Paralegal Certificate from a professionally recognized Paralegal/Legal Assistant program.
- Knowledge of applicable federal, state, local, and county laws, rules, regulations, and guidelines; law office management and administration; court-system policies, practices, procedures, and legal terminology; discovery; legal trends related to law and professional ethics; databases and spreadsheets; and business writing, grammar, punctuation, and report preparation.
- Ability to acquire, maintain, organize, analyze, and summarize case evidence; understand legal terminology and English grammar; examine case files for documentation accuracy; operate a computer and modern office equipment; communicate verbally and in writing; accurately summarize legal information; perform legal research; and maintain effective working relationships with justice-system participants, County employees and officials, outside agencies, and the public.
- May be required to develop knowledge of and adhere to federal and state laws governing confidential handling of certain health information.
- Physical ability to lift or carry up to 20–50 pounds occasionally and perform the listed physical activities and office tasks.
Responsibilities
- Prepares and organizes pretrial case materials and retrieves computer information to assist with case documentation.
- Coordinates discovery and other requests; drafts discovery responses and objections in assigned cases.
- Reviews and analyzes case-related materials for assigned cases and summarizes facts for assigned attorneys.
- Processes documents, including preparing, filing, and issuing information; assists with sealing clients' records.
- Assists attorneys in preparing for depositions, trials, court appearances, and pretrial hearings.
- Coordinates witness appearances in court proceedings; contacts and interviews witnesses and expert witnesses and prepares summaries.
- Investigates facts, files pleadings and orders, and prepares correspondence, legal research, case files, subpoenas, and other legal documents.
- May appear in court with attorneys to take notes and follow up on requested items.
- Files documents with the courts and responds to case-related inquiries, including returning messages for assigned attorneys.
- Communicates with office staff, prosecutors and their staff, court clerks and personnel, probation staff, and other Travis County employees.
- Receives and responds to open records requests.
- Performs other job-related duties as assigned.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
