Paralegal I

Work Type
Other

Position Number
89

Closing Date
July 29, 2021
Posted July 21, 2021


Agency Name
Carteret County Department of Social Services

Work County
Carteret

Job Contact
Teresa Baker HR Generalist Carteret County Government

Job Location
210 Craven Street
Beaufort
North Carolina
28516
Job Description

Paralegal I Hiring range is $39,472.72 - $43,414.00. Posting expires 7/29/2021. ​General Statement of Duties Performs intermediate skilled technical work providing specialized support to the agency attorneys, conducting legal research, compiling information, serving legal notices, presiding over hearings, preparing and maintaining legal documents, preparing and maintaining detailed and/or confidential legal records and files, and preparing reports. Distinguishing Features of the Class An employee in this class performs legal research, analyzes legal issues and/or policies, and prepares various legal documents. Work includes drafting court orders and motions, maintaining schedules of proceedings, scheduling hearings, preparing and sending notices of legal proceedings, preparing case files, and attending court with Attorneys. Work involves providing various levels of administrative support to the Attorneys. Work is performed under the limited supervision of the Attorney II and is evaluated by a review of records, reports, discussions, and by observation in terms of the overall accuracy and quality of the work.  Duties and Responsibilities Essential Duties and Tasks • Creates and prepares legal documents from descriptions and/or drafts of information to be contained within the document. • Performs research of legal precedents, laws, and statues; analyzes legal issues/policies that impact the delivery of services by the Agency. • Researches records maintained by agency staff members to prepare initial case outlines for trial preparation to ensure that the case merits legal action; determines appropriate witnesses necessary for the case. • Prepares court orders, motions, and other legal documents; maintains schedule of court proceedings; assists with preparing and sending hearing notices and associated requirements. • Assists with filing legal documents with the appropriate Court of Clerk.  • Reviews legal and court case files and prepares summaries of testimony, witness lists, discovery, and subpoenas. • Acts as liaison between outside agencies including judges, attorneys, and court personnel with the Agency; interviews potential witnesses and creates summaries to aid the Attorney; schedules witnesses. • Attends court and takes notes concerning testimony, respondents, parties, witnesses, etc. • Updates the Juvenile Court Order Tracking System. • Obtains judicial approval for all written orders and the filing of the court orders with the Clerk of Court. • Prepares a variety of reports and other types of correspondence; prepares and maintains legal files and records. • Assists eligibility workers with questions to assist them in making eligibility determinations for clients. • Researches property values, deed transfers, and estates so as to determine client’s eligibility to receive various types of public assistance from the agency.   • Responds and compiles records for outside records requests and subpoenas. • Performs criminal record checks, 911 checks, and civil court order location for various units within the department.   • Assists in obtaining DNA for paternity testing and compiling the necessary paperwork to submit for testing • Performs Notary Public Duties • Schedules Administrative or Fair Hearings; presides as the hearing officer as assigned; renders a decision within the mandated time frame in accordance with established guidelines. Additional Job Duties • Performs related duties as required including assisting in emergency shelter operations. Recruitment and Selection Guidelines Knowledge, Skills and Abilities • General knowledge of County and department policies, procedures, and manuals associated with programs. • General knowledge of legal terminology, spelling, and grammar.  • General knowledge of the NC General Statutes and Rules of Civil Procedure. • Comprehensive knowledge in operating standard office equipment and associated software (e.g. Lexis Nexis, Online NC General Statutes, etc.). • General knowledge of the principles, methods, and practices utilized in legal research. • Thorough knowledge in preparing reports and other types of correspondence. • Ability to summarize facts and evidence. • Ability to perform and organize work independently. • Ability to communicate effectively in oral and written form. • Ability to make arithmetic computations using whole numbers, fractions, and decimals. • Ability to compute rates, ratios, and percentages. • Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with County officials, supervisors, court employees, associates, and the general public. Physical Requirements • Work requires the exertion of up to 25 pounds of force occasionally to move objects. • Work regularly requires sitting, speaking or hearing, using hands to finger, handle, or feel, and repetitive motions and occasionally requires standing, walking, reaching with hands and arms, pushing or pulling, and lifting. • 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 and to receive detailed information through oral communications and/or to make fine distinctions in sound. • Work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data. • Worker is not subject to adverse environmental conditions. • Worker is subject to performing DNA Swab Tests. • Work is generally in a moderately noisy location (e.g. business office, light traffic). Desirable Education and Experience Graduation from a two-year college with a degree in paralegal technology and moderate experience in the legal field or court experience in a human services field, performing legal research, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Preference will be given to candidates that are North Carolina certified paralegals.  Special Requirements Possession of NC Bar Paralegal certification upon hire. Non-certified candidates must obtain North Carolina paralegal certification within 2 years of hire. Valid North Carolina driver’s license.
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