Paralegal

Paralegal

The Hennepin County Attorney's Office (CAO) is seeking a Paralegal to join their Child Protection Legal Writing Unit and to create a list for future vacancies across the department. Legal Writer Paralegals are responsible for preparing Emergency and Permanency Petitions for children who are in need of protection services. As a Paralegal with the CAO, you will be a key player in supporting certain responsibilities of the chief prosecutor for Hennepin County. Other paralegals assist in representing the county government in civil lawsuits, child support matters, and child protection actions. Position may also assist in providing legal counsel to the Board of Commissioners and all county departments. Your day-to-day tasks may include supporting these missions by performing client and witness interviews, researching cases, or appearing at trials taking notes of testimony.

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 the employee referral page. Find us here at upcoming career fairs!

Location and hours: This position is hybrid and will be performed both on-site at the Hennepin County Government Center, 300 South 6th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55487 and remote as job duties require. Work hours will be 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. Click here to view the job classification specification.

In this position, you will:

• Legal Writing Unit:

  • Prepare, review edit, file and/or serve legal documents, including emergency or permanency petitions, letters, motions, affidavits, court orders, subpoenas, and other legal documents.
  • Organize, index, assemble and/or summarize files, facts, records, pleadings, exhibits and other relevant documents for case preparation; prepare legal documents and other case materials.
  • Identify, collect, review and evaluate information to assist attorneys in the determination of appropriateness of legal action, development of legal issues and preparation of cases.

• General Paralegal:

  • Identify, collect, review, and evaluate information to assist attorneys in the determination of appropriateness of legal action, development of legal issues, and preparation of cases.
  • Prepare, file and/or serve legal documents, including letters, motions, affidavits, court orders, subpoenas, stipulation and discovery requests, depositions, interview summaries, and trial notebooks.
  • Summarize, organize, and assemble facts, records, pleadings, exhibits and other relevant documents for case preparation.
  • Conduct research for attorneys on current cases and issues of concern.
  • Gather information from clients and witnesses through interviews and from documents.
  • Monitor case files to ensure compliance with appropriate rules and procedures.
  • Appear at trial or other court proceedings to assist attorney with referencing and accessing pertinent documents, taking notes of testimony, witness assistance, exhibit coordination, etc.

Need to have: One of the following:

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

Nice to have:

• Experience: Working as a paralegal. In legal document drafting and summarizing, including the ability to identify essential information and rewrite it clearly and concisely while preserving the intended meaning. Preparing files/cases/assignments. Working in a public law office. Working with police reports, medical records, substance use records, or comparable documentation, including collecting, organizing, and summarizing information. Working directly with witnesses, social services and care providers.
• Effective interpersonal and organizational skills, accuracy, and attention to detail.
• Skill using: Microsoft Office products, including Access, Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and SharePoint. Case management systems including Minnesota Government Access (MGA) and Westlaw with the ability to conduct electronic research.
• Ability to: Work under pressure during periods of high-volume activity. Provide prompt, polite, and respectful customer service to all persons requesting service. Communicate verbally and in writing in an organized, concise, and accurate manner. Work independently with minimal supervision and effectively in a team environment. Problem solve and think critically.

About the department: The Hennepin County Attorney's Office is a fierce advocate for justice and equity, pursuing holistic community safety and providing quality legal services through evidence-informed practices and collaborative problem solving. We prosecute crimes with fairness and integrity. We advocate for victims of crime by seeking meaningful accountability and supporting healing. We use preventive and restorative approaches to address the complex root causes of crime and violence. We engage with partners to pursue system accountability. And we provide proactive and innovative legal services in the areas of mental health, child support, child protection, and civil legal representation for Hennepin County to advance the County's efforts to reduce disparities and enhance the quality of life of our community.

About Hennepin County: Hennepin 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 competitive 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 (login as 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. Your future. Made here. This posting may be used to fill current and future vacancies.