Paralegal - Public Improvement District

$53,988 - $53,988/Yr

Travis County - Austin, TX

Full-time - Entry Level

Austin, TX

Waste Management and Remediation Services

About the position

The Paralegal position within the Public Improvement District of Travis County is designed to provide essential legal research support under moderate supervision or under the guidance of an attorney. This role involves a variety of responsibilities that are crucial for the preparation and organization of case materials for both Criminal and Civil Courts. The paralegal will be responsible for screening, reviewing, analyzing, and organizing case-related materials that are necessary for court presentations and case settlements. The position requires drafting various legal documents, including agreed summary and default judgment motions, pleadings, discovery requests, motions, affidavits, and subpoenas. Additionally, the paralegal will coordinate the work of assigned secretarial support staff, ensuring that all tasks are completed efficiently and accurately. This classification is the first in a series of two paralegal-related job classifications within the Administrative Support job family. It is distinguished from the Paralegal Senior role, as incumbents in this position do not supervise other paralegals or serve as the primary agents in the research and drafting of substantive legal memoranda. Attention to detail and confidentiality are paramount, as the role involves significant customer and client contact, and may require work in secure facilities. The paralegal will prepare and organize pretrial case materials, retrieve information from various sources, and communicate with court personnel and other criminal justice agencies to gather necessary information for case prosecution. The position also involves drafting correspondence to various stakeholders, conducting legal research, and assisting attorneys in preparation for depositions, trials, and hearings. The paralegal will coordinate witness appearances, file documents with the court, and may appear in court to take notes and follow up on requested items. This role requires a strong understanding of legal terminology, the discovery process, and the ability to maintain effective working relationships with various participants in the civil justice system. The paralegal will also be responsible for maintaining personal time and billing records, statistical records, and preparing reports related to the cases they handle.

Responsibilities

• Prepares and organizes pretrial case materials.
• Retrieves information from computer to assist case documentation.
• Contacts office staff, Court personnel, and employees from other criminal justice agencies to obtain information needed for prosecution of cases.
• Reviews, screens, and analyzes case-related materials for assigned cases and provides summary of facts to assigned attorneys.
• Processes documents, including preparation, filing, and issuance of information.
• Obtains, indexes, and outlines criminal histories, offense reports, and all other relevant documents.
• Analyzes jury lists.
• Assists attorney(s) in preparation for depositions, trials, Court, and administrative hearings.
• Coordinates witness appearance in all Court proceedings.
• Investigates facts, files pleadings and orders.
• Drafts correspondence to victims, clients, attorney(s), governmental agencies, law enforcement agencies, and the general public regarding the status of cases, contracts, or opinions.
• Conducts legal research, prepares files, subpoenas, and other legal documents as required.
• Meets with respondent's or defendant's attorney(s) to provide case information or discovery.
• Negotiates agreed judgments with defense attorneys.
• Drafts judgments, orders, contracts, payment agreements, and other documents for assigned cases.
• May appear in Court with attorneys to take notes and follow up on items requested.
• Files documents with the court and appears on behalf of supervising attorney at Civil/District Court, and calls to obtain default judgments.
• Coordinates discovery, including drafting and calendaring of interrogatories, requests for disclosures, requests for production, requests for admissions, and other requests in accordance with local, state, federal, and administrative rules and procedures.
• Drafts discovery responses and objections in assigned cases.
• Coordinates and schedules Court appearances, trials, depositions, and meetings.
• Maintains Court settings for attorney's calendar.
• Responds to inquiries related to the cases pending and returns messages for assigned attorneys.
• Maintains personal time and billing records.
• Maintains statistical records and prepares reports.
• Communicates with office staff, adverse counsel and staff, Court Clerks and personnel, and other Travis County employees.
• Contacts witnesses and expert witnesses as required.
• Interviews witnesses and prepares summaries.
• Receives and responds to open records requests.
• May select, train, and supervise clerical support staff, including reviewing prepared files and documents.
• May locate and make contractual arrangements with foreign language interpreters.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Paralegal Studies, Public Administration, Business Administration, or a directly related field.
• Two (2) years of experience as a paralegal.
• Paralegal Certificate from a professionally recognized Paralegal/Legal Assistant program.
• Knowledge of Federal, State, Local, and County applicable laws, rules, regulations, and guidelines.
• Knowledge of law office management and administration.
• Understanding of open meetings laws and the Public Information Act.
• Familiarity with policies, practices, procedures, and legal terminology related to the Court system.
• Knowledge of the discovery process and current legal trends in the interaction of law and professional ethics.
• Proficiency in statistical and record-keeping applications, including databases and spreadsheets.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience in legal drafting and organizational skills.
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Ability to train and supervise clerical and administrative employees.

Benefits

• Full-time position with a salary of $53,987.92 per year.
• Flexible/Hybrid work hours from 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
• Opportunities for professional development and training.