Senior Paralegal

Los Angeles Unified School District

1d

About The Position

We are LAUSD, at the forefront of innovation in public education, focused on a clear and inspiring vision for all our students. Our work directly contributes toward ensuring students graduate ready for college, career, and life. LAUSD is the second largest school district in the nation with nearly 575,000 students, serving 710 square miles with over 1,190 schools and educational centers, employing over 74,000 individuals. The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) of the Los Angeles Unified School District aims to be the best public law office in Los Angeles County, providing first-class legal service to teachers, supervisors, and administrators who support the District's students. The OGC's mission is to use specialized experiences, knowledge, and skills to support and advance LAUSD, providing effective and proactive legal advice and quality representation while creating an ethical environment for a high-quality learning experience for all students. The Senior Paralegal assists attorneys and other legal professionals with complex legal research, litigation, and transactional matters. Supervision is received from the General Counsel, the Deputy General Counsel, an Associate General Counsel, an Assistant General Counsel II, or other legal professional. A Senior Paralegal provides general supervision to Paralegals, secretarial, and other clerical staff.

Requirements

• Graduation from a recognized college or university with a bachelor’s degree.
• Certification as a Paralegal or an associate’s degree in paralegal studies from an accredited post-secondary institution, preferably by a program approved by the American Bar Association.
• A Juris Doctor degree or equivalent from an American or California Bar Association accredited institution can be substituted for all the above educational requirements.
• A bachelor’s degree or an advanced degree in any subject, a minimum of one year of law-related experience under the supervision of an attorney who has been an active member of the State Bar of California for at least the preceding three years or who has practiced in the federal courts of this state for at least the preceding three years, and a written declaration from this attorney stating that the person is qualified to perform paralegal tasks as required by the California Business and Professions Code 6450.
• Five (5) or more years experience as a paralegal in one or more of the following areas is required: a) construction/real estate; b) litigation; c) contracts/business services/information technology; d) labor and employment; e) special education/legal compliance; and f) school-district law.
• A valid California Driver License and the availability of private transportation, or the ability to use an alternative method of transportation.
• All Paralegals shall be required to certify completion every two years of four hours of mandatory continuing legal education in legal ethics.
• Every two years, all Paralegals shall be required to certify completion of four hours of mandatory continuing education in either general law or in a specialized area of law.
• At least three (3) years of experience as a paralegal with primary responsibility supporting civil litigation matters, including drafting and filing pleadings and motions in State and/or federal court; assisting in discovery and trial preparation; preparing deposition summaries; managing litigation calendars; and participating in court-related activities (for Litigation Selective Certification).
• At least three (3) years of experience as a paralegal with primary responsibility supporting transactional matters, business litigation and/or Public Records Act compliance, including reviewing agreements; conducting legal research; preparing memoranda; organizing and analyzing large volumes of records; and coordinating responses to internal or external information requests (for Business Transactions and Public Records Act Selective Certification).

Nice To Haves

• Has strong civil litigation experience and is comfortable drafting, formatting, and filing complex pleadings and motions in State and/or federal court.
• Understands court rules and procedures and knows that precision in formatting and deadlines matters.
• Has supported attorneys through discovery, depositions, trial preparation, and small claims matters.
• Can review opposition filings and prepare well-organized draft responses with minimal supervision.
• Demonstrates resilience and composure in high-pressure situations.
• Communicates clearly and professionally with attorneys, court personnel, outside counsel, and District stakeholders.
• Can analyze complex or ambiguous legal issues and organize information into clear, concise memoranda or document packages.
• Brings a strong work ethic and public service mindset, understanding the importance of accountability, resource stewardship, and teamwork in a public agency environment.
• Has experience supporting attorneys in transactional, contracts, or business services matters.
• Is skilled in drafting, reviewing, and organizing agreements, legal memoranda, and supporting documentation.
• Can manage and track multiple assignments simultaneously while meeting tight deadlines.
• Has experience reviewing and organizing large sets of documents for compliance, information requests, or records review.
• Is comfortable conducting legal research and summarizing findings clearly and concisely.
• Pays close attention to detail and ensures accuracy in document preparation and record management.
• Communicates effectively with internal clients and maintains professionalism when responding to requests.
• Is dependable, hardworking, and motivated by contributing to the effective operation of a public agency legal office.

Responsibilities

• Drafts and files complex litigation documents (e.g., pleadings, answers, title searches, proofs of service, demands for indemnity, and due diligence statements) in court.
• Reviews opposition filings and prepares draft responses with minimal supervision.
• Supervises, trains, and mentors paralegals, secretarial, and clerical staff.
• Manages a law office, including budget and financial data preparation.
• Assists attorneys and other legal professionals with complex legal research matters and case preparation by: Using law library facilities and resources to research assigned subjects.
• Assists attorneys and other legal professionals with complex legal research matters and case preparation by: Developing data and preparing pleadings, reports, or memoranda that are related to problems assigned to study.
• Assists attorneys and other legal professionals with complex legal research matters and case preparation by: Preparing fact analyses and assembling complicated packages of documents and other materials.
• Assists attorneys and other legal professionals with complex legal research matters and case preparation by: Preparing trial documents for federal and State court.

Benefits

• Paid premiums for your choice of several medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans.
• Membership in the California Public Employee Retirement System (CalPERS).
• Full-time employees earn up to two weeks of paid vacation to start. Three weeks after five years of year-round paid service.
• Up to 13 days.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees