Paralegal

POSITION SUMMARY:
This position provides specialized legal administrative support to the Corporation Counsel Office by conducting legal research, composing legal documents, investigating and gathering facts, and other administrative function to support the cases handled by the County’s attorneys.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
The following duties are normal for this position. These are not to be construed as exclusive or all-inclusive. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each duty satisfactorily. Other duties may be required and assigned.

• Assist in the research, development, and maintenance of various administrative directives including interpretation, reorganization and rewrites of the county ordinances, policies, and County Board Rules and Bylaws. 
• Uses assigned administrator rights in the County’s meeting management software to assist department heads and Board Supervisors in the preparation of Standing Committee and County Board legislation.  
• Supports upper management positions from county departments for review and action including but not limited to drafting and preparing legal opinions and memoranda, policies and procedures, ordinances, resolutions, records retention, open meetings, public records requests, contracts, and claims against the County.
• Conducts legal research and analysis to collaborate with county departments and managers and answers legal questions and to support legal arguments; gathers and writes memoranda for county departments and management, general legal inquiries, appellate cases, contested confidential proceedings regarding grievances, changes in laws, rules and regulations impacting policies and procedures.
• Responds to public inquiries; communicates with elected officials, department heads, social workers, legal and medical professionals, law enforcement personnel, witnesses, and provides interpretation of all County policies and procedures.
• Organizes and manages court case files; organizes pleadings, discovery, research and correspondence; prepares lists, exhibits, schedules and other information for court proceedings.
• Assesses evidentiary documents, reports and correspondence to evaluate case value or obtain information.
• Prepares Court of Appeals and Supreme Court documents.
• Prepares deeds, real estate transfer forms, leases and other documents regarding property transactions.
• Coordinates legal and/or County document signing and filing with Court and County officials.
• Performs functions of Legal Assistant during an absence, or as assigned.
• Other duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES  

• Knowledge, skill, and ability to understand and use legal terminology, legal format, and processes. 
• Knowledge of standard and legal office practices, procedures, and clerical techniques.
• Knowledge of Wisconsin Statutes and ongoing statutory changes, procedural changes, and form changes.
• Skill to take notes and accurately incorporate essential details in preparing legal documents. 
• Ability and skill to prepare Court documents in a timely and accurate manner. 
• Ability to perform detailed work accurately and independently in compliance with stringent time limits with minimal direction and supervision.
• Ability to prioritize duties to accomplish a high volume of work product while adapting to constant changes in priority.
• Ability to maintain accurate and legible notes.
• Ability to read and accurately interpret statutory language regarding administrative details of the legal process.
• Knowledge of County policies, procedures and practices.
• Knowledge of local government organization and its departmental operating requirements.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other local and statewide legal system agencies, law enforcement agencies, interdepartmental office personnel, media, other employees, attorneys, victims, witnesses, family members, and the general public.
• Considerable knowledge of modern office practices and procedures.
• Ability to analyze and prepare organizational and functional reports from research data.
• General knowledge of standard office procedures, practices, equipment and office assistance techniques.
• Knowledge of the use of a multi-line telephone system.
• Ability to type accurately at a reasonable rate of speed.
• Ability to operate standard office equipment and various software programs, such as Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat Pro, etc. 
• General knowledge of current office practices and procedures and knowledge of the operation of standard office equipment and software.
• Ability to work the allocated hours of the position.

LANGUAGE SKILLS  

• Ability to explain relevant information effectively to various audiences.
• Ability to communicate effectively with other members of the staff, supervisor, and the public. 
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely in both written and verbal form. 
• Must be proficient in workplace English and spelling.
• Ability to read County policies and procedures; written instructions, general correspondence; safety manuals, maps, etc.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

• Ability to calculate mathematical calculations. 

REASONING ABILITY

• Ability to understand and effectively carry out verbal and written instructions.
• Ability to develop, interpret and implement local policies and procedures; written instructions, general correspondence; Federal, State, and local regulations. 
• Ability to define problems and deal with a variety of situations.
• Ability to think quickly, maintain self-control, and adapt to stressful situations.
• Ability to maintain discretion regarding business-related files, reports and conversations, within the provision of open records law and other applicable State and Federal Statutes and Regulations.
• Organizational and time management skills needed to meet deadlines.
• Must have ability to work accurately with attention to detail.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Ability to prepare and maintain accurate and concise records and reports.
• Ability to analyze facts and to exercise sound judgment in arriving at conclusions.
• Ability to define problems and deal with a variety of situations.
• Ability to use good judgement and effectively solve problems.

PHYSICAL AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The physical and work environment characteristics described in this description are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions or as otherwise required by law.  Employees needing reasonable accommodation should discuss the request with the employee’s supervisor. 

• This work requires the occasional exertion of up to 10 pounds of force; work regularly requires sitting, frequently requires standing, speaking or hearing, using hands to finger, handle or feel and repetitive motions and occasionally requires walking, stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling and reaching with hands and arms.
• Work has standard vision requirements.
• Vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word.
• Hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels.
• Work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data and observing general surroundings and activities.
• Work has no exposure to environmental conditions.
• Work is generally in a moderately noisy location (e.g. business office, light traffic). 

    
WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Work is primarily in an office setting.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• Associates degree in paralegal.
• Minimum of three (3) years’ work experience in law or legal office.
• Must obtain Notary Public certification upon hire.