Paralegal I, II, or III

Minimum Qualifications
Paralegal I:
Education and/or Equivalent Experience:

• Graduation from an accredited high school or equivalent, plus five (5) years of direct legal support or comparable experience.
• Successful completion of either an American Bar Association approved paralegal training program, or a paralegal training program conducted by an accredited college or university may substitute for the required experience.

Licenses and Certifications Required:
None.

Paralegal II:
Education and/or Equivalent Experience:

• Graduation from an accredited high school or equivalent, plus two (2) years of experience as a paralegal.
• Successful completion of an American Bar Association approved paralegal training program or a paralegal training program conducted by an accredited college or university.
• Graduation from an accredited college with a Bachelor’s degree in a related field may substitute for an accredited paralegal training program.

Licenses and Certifications Required:
None.

Paralegal III :

• Graduation from an accredited high school or equivalent, plus seven (7) years of experience as a paralegal.
• Successful completion of an American Bar Association approved paralegal training program, paralegal training program conducted by an accredited college or university.
• Graduation from an accredited college with a Bachelor’s degree in a related field may substitute for an accredited paralegal training program.

Licenses and Certifications Required:
None.

Notes to Applicants

The mission of the Law Department is to provide quality legal services to the City of Austin so that it can govern lawfully with the highest level of integrity and serve the community effectively. As the chief legal advisor for the City, the Law Department provides legal advice and representation to the Mayor, City Council, City Officers, City Manager, city departments, boards, and commissions of the City.

The City Attorneys’ Office is committed to providing excellent, timely, and cost-effective legal advice to our clients to support their efforts to serve the citizens of Austin. The Law Department is organized into seven legal practice divisions. Although the department’s attorneys are assigned to practice in a specific division, they are trained to have a general knowledge of municipal law practice because many legal issues cross practice areas. The Law Department has a diverse staff of talented professionals with the expertise to provide comprehensive legal services for the wide variety of legal issues facing our city.

Working with the City of Austin provides a number of health and welfare benefits such as low-cost medical, dental, vision, paid leave time, a highly competitive retirement plan, training opportunities, and more. Please click HERE for more information.

Division Overview
The Litigation group defends the City of Austin and its employees in all civil litigation cases in both federal and state district courts and all appellate courts. The types of cases managed by the Litigation Division include civil rights, contract disputes, personal injury, employment, and land use matters. The Division also handles lawsuits filed on behalf of the City on legal areas that include Fair Housing, Code Compliance, breach of contract and financial collections. Commensurate

When completing the City of Austin employment application:

• Please be sure to detail on the application all previous employment that you wish to be considered as part of your qualifications.
• A detailed, complete employment application is required. It helps us to better evaluate your qualifications and will be used to determine salary if you are selected for this position.
• Be sure to provide job titles and employment dates for all jobs you wish to be considered. A resume is required, but will not substitute for a complete employment application.
• Please do not use the phrase “see resume” or refer to other documents to complete your application.
• Do not leave the “Duties and Responsibilities” sections blank. These will be considered incomplete applications. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
• Please include contact information from previous employers.

If you are selected for hire:

• Verification of your education (which may include high school graduation or GED , undergraduate, and/or graduate degrees) is required. You must provide proof of education from an accredited organization or institution. You must also provide proof of your professional licenses or certifications.
• If you are in the military or are a military veteran, you will need to provide a copy of the Member 4 page of your DD-214 prior to confirming a start date.

Pay Range
Commensurate
Hours
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.; Monday - Friday (hours may vary based on departmental needs and may require time in the office).
Job Close Date 07/24/2024 Type of Posting External Department Law Regular/Temporary Regular Grant Funded or Pooled Position Not Applicable Category Professional Location City Hall, 301 West 2nd Street, Austin, Texas 78701 Preferred Qualifications

• Fluency in a variety of legal databases and software include e-discovery, adobe acrobat, Westlaw and Microsoft suite.
• Highly developed organizational abilities.
• Advanced legal research and cite-checking skills including jury verdict research for case assessment.
• Effective communication skills to interact with legal counsel, staff, and clients.
  
  

Duties, Functions and Responsibilities
This position is posted at multiple levels. Please select the appropriate job description. Essential duties and functions, pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following. Other related duties may be assigned.

Paralegal I
Paralegal II
Paralegal III

Responsibilities - Supervisor and/or Leadership Exercised: None.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
This position is posted at multiple levels. Please select the appropriate job description. Must possess required knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience and be able to explain and demonstrate, with or without reasonable accommodations, that the essential functions of the job can be performed.

Paralegal I
Paralegal II
Paralegal III
Criminal Background Investigation This position does not require a Criminal Background Investigation EEO/ADA
City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you require reasonable accommodation during the application process or have a question regarding an essential job function, please call (512) 974-3210 or Texas Relay by dialing 7-1-1.

The City of Austin will not discriminate against any applicant or employee based on race, creed, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, age, religion, veteran status, disability, or sexual orientation. In addition, the City will not discriminate in employment decisions on the basis of an individual’s AIDS , AIDS Related Complex, or HIV status; nor will the City discriminate against individuals who are perceived to be at risk of HIV infection, or who associate with individuals who are believed to be at risk.
Information For City Employees: If you are an employee within the department, are in good standing and meet both the minimum and preferred qualifications, then you will receive an initial interview.

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).
* This position requires graduation from an accredited high school or equivalent,plus five (5) years of direct legal support or comparable experience. Successful completion of either an American Bar Association approved paralegal training program, or a paralegal training program conducted by an accredited college or university may substitute for the required experience. Do you meet these minimum qualifications?

• Yes
• No

* How many years experience do you have conducting legal research?

• 0 - 1 year
• 1 - 3 years
• 3 - 5 years
• 5 - 10 years
• more than 10 years

* Describe your experience working for a municipality.
(Open Ended Question)
* Describe your civil litigation experience.
(Open Ended Question)
* What online legal research services do you have experience using?
(Open Ended Question)


Optional & Required Documents

Required Documents Cover Letter Resume Optional Documents

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