Job Description

Posting number: 26ARS867LV21

Department: Adult Representation Services

Job classification: Paralegal, Senior

Posting type: Open

Categories: Court Administration, Legal, Attorney

Summary

The Adult Representation Services (ARS) department is seeking a Paralegal or Paralegal, Senior to assist attorneys in a variety of civil proceedings across all practice areas, such as parents in child protection cases, tenants in evictions proceedings, non-custodial parents in child support contempt proceedings, persons subject to guardianship, and individuals facing civil commitment.

ARS provides high-quality, holistic representation to clients experiencing poverty in certain civil matters where appointment of counsel is necessary to protect a fundamental right or to further the county’s mission of reducing disparities and promoting the stability of residents. Paralegals work alongside attorneys and social service staff to support the department’s mission of an equitable defense.

Current Hennepin County employees who refer a candidate hired into an open competitive position may be eligible for a $500 referral bonus. For more information visit employee referral program.

Salary range based on qualifications:

Paralegal: $58,941.42 - $88,412.13 Annually

Paralegal, Senior: $64,982.91 - $97,474.38 Annually

Location and hours:

This position is hybrid and will be performed both on-site in downtown Minneapolis at the Health Services Building located at 525 Portland Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55415, and remote as job duties require. Work hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. While this position is designated as hybrid, based on current requirements hires must reside in or relocate to Minnesota or Wisconsin. New Employee Orientation (NEO) for all new benefit-earning employees is in-person in downtown Minneapolis. Details about NEO will be provided upon hire.

About the position type:

This is a full-time, benefit-earning position.

This position is internally classified as a Paralegal or Paralegal, Senior.

Click here to view the Paralegal job classification specification.

Click here to view the Paralegal, Senior job classification specification.

In the Paralegal position, you will:

• Identify, collect, review, and evaluate information to assist attorneys in the development of legal issues and preparation of cases.
• Prepare, file and/or serve legal documents.
• Conduct research for attorneys on current cases and issues of concern.
• Summarize, organize and assemble facts, records, pleadings, exhibits and other relevant documents for case preparation.
• Monitor case files to ensure compliance with appropriate rules and procedures.
• Appear at trial or other court proceedings to assist attorney.

In the Paralegal, Senior position, you will perform the above duties, as well as:

• Provide specialized assistance for training or workgroups.
• Serve as a lead worker and mentor to paralegals.

Need to have:

For hire as a Paralegal, one of the following:

• Associate's degree or higher in paralegal studies, certification from an accredited legal assistant program, and two or more years of experience performing legal work.
• Related education and/or experience to total four years.

For hire as a Paralegal, Senior, one of the following:

• Associate's degree or higher in paralegal studies, certification from an accredited legal assistant program, and five or more years of experience performing legal work.
• Related education and/or experience to total seven years.

Nice to have:

• Strong interpersonal and organizational skills, accuracy, and attention to detail.
• Experience:
• Working as a paralegal.
• Working as part of a team that serves clients who are experiencing poverty.
• Preparing complex cases for litigation/trial.
• Using court filing and data systems such as Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO), Minnesota Government Access (MGA), Minnesota Digital Exhibit System (MNDES), and Electronic Filing and Service System.
• Managing electronic case files.
• Documenting client and case information.
• Knowledge of:
• Microsoft Office Suite products, specifically OneNote, OneDrive, Outlook, Teams, and SharePoint.
• Juvenile, civil, social service, and/or criminal justice systems; sources for relevant information; the role of lawyers and paralegals; legal protocol, vocabulary, document indexing, and filing methods.
• Ability and willingness to:
• Work effectively and independently under time constraints.
• Learn new legal areas.
• Communicate verbally and in writing in a concise, accurate, and organized manner.
• Collaborate as part of a team.

About the department:

The Adult Representative Services department is part of the Law, Safety and Justice line of business in county administration. The division make-up of employees includes a director, principal attorneys, senior attorneys, attorneys, paralegals, investigators, legal services specialists, case management assistants, Information Technology, as well as office and administrative support staff. Our vision is to ensure equal access to justice and achieve equitable outcomes for our clients.

About Hennepin County:

Hennepin County is the largest county government organization in Minnesota. Our employees work every day to improve the health, safety and quality of life for our residents and communities. All of our jobs align with our mission to serve residents through transformative services that eliminate disparities, eliminate inequities, and create opportunity for all and our vision of a community where all people are healthy, all people are valued, and all people thrive.

Our employees receive a combination of generous benefits and positive workplace culture not found at other organizations. This includes meaningful work that impacts our community, competitive pay, work-life balance, a variety of benefits and opportunities to grow. Learn more at The Bridge (select Guest).

Hennepin County envisions an organization where our commitment to diversity and the elimination of disparities is fundamental in providing excellent service to our community.

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Invitations to interview will be based upon an assessment of education and experience. Final candidates may be required to complete a criminal background check.

If you have questions, please contact:

Lidy Vu

Lidy.Vu@hennepin.us