Civil Paralegal

Do you have exceptional and advanced technical and paralegal skills with experience independently performing broad and complex duties?  Are you interested in a meaningful job where you are engaged in social concerns and the betterment of the Kent community through work on issues impacting the environment, safety of area residents, Kent's economic vitality, and efficient and accountable government? Are you tired of tracking and billing hours? Do you desire an easier commute, free parking, and a work location that is close to bus and train lines? If so, then Kent's Civil Paralegal position may be just what you're looking for! The Kent City Attorney's Office is looking for an experienced paralegal who enjoys exercising initiative and collaborating with others to join its team and to provide advanced paralegal support to its Civil Division. We offer competitive pay, a sound retirement system, and excellent medical benefits.

**A cover letter and resume are required with your online application in order for your application to be considered complete.  Uploading your resume to auto-fill portions of the application does not automatically attach it to your application.  Incomplete applications will not be considered for this position.  Please note that you cannot attach documents to your application after it has been submitted.  If you have any questions or concerns regarding your online application, please call our office at (253) 856-5270 and we will do our best to assist you.**

There is one (1) full-time, benefited position that will be filled by this recruitment process.  This is a non-represented position.  The City may establish a non-ranked applicant pool for this classification that would be in effect for up to 12 months.

The selection process to fill this vacancy may consist of both a written exam and a panel interview.  This position is open until filled; assessments and/or interviews will be scheduled as needed.

SALARY:

$6,061.00- $7,376.00 monthly (2023 salary range); depending on experience

For a listing of benefits, please visit the following link: Employee Benefits | City of Kent (kentwa.gov)

GENERAL PURPOSE:

Under the direction of the Deputy City Attorney, perform duties of an experienced paralegal for the Office of the City Attorney as authorized by state law and court rules and as delegated by an attorney or the Paralegal and Policy Analyst.

The Civil Paralegal position is distinguished from the Criminal Paralegal position given the significant, substantive, and independent legal work required of the position across a number of different fields within the law, which is often performed under limited supervision where the supervisor sets the overall goal but the Civil Paralegal generally determines the steps necessary to achieve that goal, where the Criminal Paralegal classification is more process-oriented, repetitive, and responsive to specific and direct requests of Prosecutors.

Work is characterized by confidential, and advanced paraprofessional level duties in researching, writing, reviewing, and preparing information and documents as they relate to court cases, public records, contracts, and other legal matters involving the City of Kent; support duties ranging from simple to complex and specialized, such as organizing office activities, communicating with representatives in other departments, outside agencies, and the general public; preparing, drafting, processing and maintaining legal documents, forms, correspondence, contracts, legal memoranda and related files and records; and performing a variety of other paralegal duties. This is an experienced-level classification in which the incumbent performs broad and complex duties, usually under short deadlines and on an independent basis, that require extensive legal, technical, and administrative knowledge and skill. Incumbent is also required to exercise a substantial amount of tact, independence, good judgement, and initiative, and must possess the skills necessary to independently prioritize work and complete it accurately and timely according to guidelines provided by the incumbent’s supervisor.

Work of the Civil Paralegal is performed under limited supervision. Supervisor sets the overall objectives and resources available. Incumbent and supervisor work together to develop the deadlines, projects, and work to be completed. Incumbent is responsible for the work, plans, and carries out the assignment, resolves most conflicts that arise, coordinates work with others, and interprets policies on own initiative in terms of established objectives. Incumbent keeps supervisor informed of progress, potentially controversial matters, or far-reaching implications. Work is reviewed in terms of feasibility, compatibility with other work, or effectiveness of results.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Provide a variety of paralegal and clerical, technical, and administrative support duties to the department’s attorneys and Paralegal and Policy Analyst, ranging from simple to complex and specialized. While the position does require the incumbent to perform some simple tasks, other tasks require the incumbent to possess advanced paralegal skills that will allow them to perform substantive legal work accurately and timely. This includes an ability to perform research, review and comprehend legal precedent, synthesize the results of that research and convey those results orally and in writing in a succinct and accurate manner.

Serve as liaison between the attorneys and the public, outside attorneys, and other City departments and their employees; reply to residents by providing answers to questions and information regarding legal and court procedures; resolve complaints and make referrals as necessary and appropriate.

Provide legal research and obtain information to assist attorneys; prepare draft opinions for attorney review; and organize materials necessary for attorney implementation.

Prepare and independently draft original documents, including contracts, letters, memoranda, legal opinions, and other documents.

Research and prepare documents such as ordinances, resolutions, committee and council motions and supporting documents or presentations for council and committee agendas; prepare meeting minutes.

Prepare legal documents relevant to administrative and court proceedings, such as notices of appearance, affidavits, declarations, subpoenas, notices of deposition, answers, motions to dismiss, orders, etc. for review and revision by attorneys; assist in the preparation of appellate level motions and briefs; properly and timely file legal documents with courts and administrative boards and commissions; ensure that court and administrative documents conform to court or administrative rules and are filed in a timely manner; schedule all deadlines for court proceedings and ensure deadlines are met.

Learn, understand, and apply the laws relating to Washington’s Public Records Act;  receive, review, and prepare the department’s records, and at times other departments’ records, in response to requests; review documents subject to public disclosure and properly apply public records exemptions; prepare exemption logs; prepare five-day letters and letters documenting responses to requests and the withholding of exempt records; assist other departments in the City’s efforts to comply with the Public Records Act; develop, implement and monitor the department’s records retention schedule.

Assist with highly sensitive personnel and labor issues maintaining strict confidentiality; maintain confidential labor and personnel files for the Office of the City Attorney and other departments.

Receive and monitor all bankruptcies where the City is named as a creditor and prepare Proof of Claims for filing.

Maintain an accurate, up-to-date, well-organized, and complete filing system for the civil division files, including Lawbase.

Receive, sort, and distribute incoming mail and ensure outgoing mail is timely processed; prepare and arrange for the personal service of process and documents.

Answer telephones and assist callers and attorneys by answering questions, taking messages, routing, and screening information as needed.

Edit and proofread legal documents and correspondence, including attorney work, to ensure correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, legal terminology and citations, and format.

Maintain the law library; update books, legal resources, and supplements.

Order and receive office supplies and multimedia requests for the department.

Process timesheets and payroll for the department; process invoices through the City’s accounts payable system.

Organize and coordinate office activities to assure efficient work flow; determine time constraints and maintain deadlines; cross train with other department staff on all departmental functions; provide work direction and training to new employees and temporary staff under the direction of the supervisor.

May monitor and track Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits for attorneys, as assigned, and ensure that WSBA licenses are timely renewed.

Actively support and act in accordance with the vision, mission, values, and goals of the department and the City.

PERIPHERAL DUTIES:

Fill in for and assist other office personnel as assigned.

Perform related duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

KNOWLEDGE OF:

• Legal terminology, documents, and procedures relevant to court and administrative proceedings

• Applicable local, state, and federal laws, codes, regulations, and ordinances, policies, and procedures related to municipal operations

• Municipal government organization, operations, structure, policies, and objectives

• Principles, practices, and procedures of civil and administrative law, including administrative and court procedures and rules

• Budgeting procedures including accounts payable, accounts receivable, monitoring, transfers, and reporting

• Record and file keeping and organizational techniques

• Modern office practices, procedures, and equipment; municipal and legal software; Microsoft Outlook, Word, Teams, and Power Point; Adobe

• Organizational techniques for computer file directories, templates, form banks, etc.

SKILLED IN:

• Electronic legal research, analysis, organization, and evaluation of case facts and legal precedents; concise expression of written communications

• Extensive writing skills, including preparation and drafting of legal memoranda, opinions, legal documents, briefs, findings of fact and conclusions of law, other legal correspondence, and reports

• Advanced writing skills using correct English grammar, spelling, punctuation, and vocabulary as it pertains to the job

• Effectively using interpersonal skills in a tactful, patient, and courteous manner

• Working in a team environment and taking initiative

• Maintaining, in an organized fashion, voluminous complex files and records and implementing electronic filing processes

• Advanced document preparation using the Microsoft suite of programs

ABILITY TO:

• Read, interpret, apply, and explain documents such as applicable rules, laws, regulations, and policy and procedures manuals

• Speak and effectively present information and respond to questions from attorneys, adverse parties, residents, City staff, or representatives of outside agencies

• Provide effective paralegal and administrative support

• Analyze situations accurately and adopt an effective course of action

• Effectively plan and organize work to meet schedules, timelines, and set priorities

• Respond to diverse assortment of inquiries

• Complete work with many interruptions

• Coordinate projects with multiple departments, outside agencies, and residents

• Exemplify personal and professional etiquette appropriate to a professional, respected law office

• Establish and maintain effective and cooperative working relationships with others

• Provide excellent customer service in a timely and pleasant manner

• Work confidentially and with discretion

• Make decisions within set parameters and take responsibility for such decisions

SKILLS FOR THE POSITION MAY BE GAINED THROUGH EDUCATION, CERTIFICATION, RELEVANT JOB EXPERIENCE or a COMBINATION, SUCH AS:

Education:   High school diploma or equivalent supplemented by either two (2) years of college level course work in paralegal/legal assistant education/training or the completion of a formal paralegal or legal secretary education/training program; and

Experience: Three (3) years of increasingly responsible paralegal experience.

LICENSES AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

• Notary Public License or ability to obtain within six (6) months of employment

• Paralegal certification preferred

• Multilingual desirable

• Completion of position relevant background check

MACHINES, TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT USED:

Typical business office machinery and equipment including, but not limited to, personal computer, the Microsoft suite of programs, legal research software, document imaging systems, printers/copiers, telephone, fax machine, and calculator.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

While performing the duties of this job, the incumbent is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; talk; and hear. The incumbent frequently is required to reach with hands and arms. The incumbent is occasionally required to stand; walk; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The incumbent is occasionally required to lift and/or move up to 25 pounds with or without assistance.

Specific vision abilities required by this job include close, distance, color, and peripheral vision; depth perception; and the ability to adjust focus.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Work is performed in an indoor office environment subject to frequent interruptions by residents, employees, telephone calls, and inter-office activities; may be required to occasionally attend evening meetings or travel to off-site meeting locations; incumbent may be exposed to individuals who are irate or hostile; noise level in the work environment is moderate to high.