What are the responsibilities and job description for the Paralegal 1,2 position at State of Louisiana?
The Division of Administration/Office of General Counsel has a vacancy.
The Office of General Counsel provides professional legal services to the various offices within the Division of Administration. OGC’s trained team of attorneys, paralegals and support personnel also collaborate with legal representatives of other agencies, particularly in service areas provided by and through DOA.
This position provides an opportunity to work alongside attorneys on complex legal matters involving state government. The Paralegal will gain exposure to litigation, legal research, public records, contracts, construction and procurement law, property matters, and other areas of law while supporting multiple attorneys within the Office of General Counsel.
The Division of Administration is the state government’s management arm and the hub of its financial operations. Division offices perform a wide variety of activities including the following:
- Overseeing the state’s capital construction program
- Working to provide state and federal grants for community development
- Development of the state budget
- Providing technology services
- Giving agencies guidance in the state purchasing and contracting process as they seek goods and services
- Administering a program that provides federal funds to help Louisiana residents recover from a series of devastating hurricanes
Completion of an approved Paralegal or Legal Assistant program approved by the American Bar Association (ABA), or at an accredited college or university; OR
Possession of a Certified Paralegal (CP) certification issued by the National Association of Legal Assistants, Inc.; OR
A Juris Doctorate.
NOTE:
Disbarred attorneys and those who have permanently resigned from the practice of law in lieu of discipline may not be hired in any position in connection with the practice of law. Suspended attorneys or an attorney transferred to disability inactive status during the period of suspension may not be hired in any position in connection with the practice of law unless such hiring is first preceded by the submission of a fully executed registration statement to the Office of Disciplinary Counsel, on a registration form provided by the Louisiana Disciplinary Board and approved by the Louisiana Supreme Court. See Rule 5.5(e)(1) of the Louisiana Rules of Professional Conduct; In Re Davenport, 2021-01371 (La. 11/3/21) and 326 So.3d 882; In re Sharp, 2012- 2463 (La. 1/11/13), 106 So.3d 105. The hiring agency is responsible for conducting the necessary background checks prior to appointment.
The official job specifications for this role, as defined by the State Civil Service, can be found here.Job Duties:Possession of a Certified Paralegal (CP) certification issued by the National Association of Legal Assistants, Inc.; OR
A Juris Doctorate.
NOTE:
Disbarred attorneys and those who have permanently resigned from the practice of law in lieu of discipline may not be hired in any position in connection with the practice of law. Suspended attorneys or an attorney transferred to disability inactive status during the period of suspension may not be hired in any position in connection with the practice of law unless such hiring is first preceded by the submission of a fully executed registration statement to the Office of Disciplinary Counsel, on a registration form provided by the Louisiana Disciplinary Board and approved by the Louisiana Supreme Court. See Rule 5.5(e)(1) of the Louisiana Rules of Professional Conduct; In Re Davenport, 2021-01371 (La. 11/3/21) and 326 So.3d 882; In re Sharp, 2012- 2463 (La. 1/11/13), 106 So.3d 105. The hiring agency is responsible for conducting the necessary background checks prior to appointment.
- Provides support in matters and large, complex litigated cases involving the State in construction, procurement, public lands, leasing, contracts, group health claims administration, public records, and property before trial and appellate courts.
- Summarizes legal documents and requires meaningful legal knowledge in the areas of complex litigation management, administrative appeals, litigation, mediation, and pre-litigation involving Construction Law, Public Bid law, and the Public Works Act; Cooperative Endeavor Agreements; leasing, public lands administration, property management, contract law; Public Records Law; and the legislative process.
- Reviews and drafts legal documents, handles e-filing, and performs case management duties, scheduling, and trial preparation.
- Prepares the appropriate documents for signature and tracks and disseminates all documents for review until a final determination is made. This involves interaction with the Attorney General’s office.
- Responsible for OGC’s file room, including organizing and maintaining files. Responsibilities include identifying files ready for archival storage according to the OGC Records Retention Schedule, and boxing, indexing, and forwarding files for archival storage under the direction of the OGC Records Management Officer.
- Perform various duties for the Office of General Counsel on an as-needed basis at the direction of the Executive Counsel.
Position-Specific Details:
Appointment Type: This vacancy will be filled by new hire or by promotion of a current permanent status classified employee.
Career Progression: This vacancy participates in a career progression group and may be filled from this recruitment as a Paralegal 1 or Paralegal 2.
Compensation: The salary range listed on the job posting reflects the pay grade minimum and maximum for the Paralegal 1 job title. The salary range pay grade minimum and maximum for the Paralegal 2 of the career progression group can be viewed using the link below:
Paralegal 2
This position has a Special Entrance Rate (SER) as follows:
If filled as a Paralegal 1, the SER is $1,544.80 biweekly.
If filled as a Paralegal 2, the SER is $1,768.00 biweekly.
Louisiana is a "State as a Model Employer" for People with Disabilities.
How To Apply:
No Civil Service test score is required in order to be considered for this vacancy.
To apply for this vacancy, click on the “Apply” link above and complete an electronic application, which can be used for this vacancy as well as future job opportunities. Applicants are responsible for checking the status of their application to determine where they are in the recruitment process. Further status message information is located under the Information section of the Current Job Opportunities page.
* Information to support your eligibility for this job title must be included in the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education). Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completed education and experience sections on your application. Applications may be rejected if incomplete.
A criminal history check may be conducted on employees changing positions including promotions, demotions, details, reassignments and transfers. Also, prospective employees may be subject to pre-employment drug testing. New hires will be subject to employment eligibility verification via the federal government's E-verify system.
For further information about this vacancy, contact:
Danielle Martin
HR Analyst
Division of Administration/Office of Human Resources
Email: Danielle.Martin@la.gov
Salary : $3,127 - $6,136