Paralegal (General Government)

General Statement The Paralegal, under general supervision of a North Carolina licensed attorney, provides legal assistance to the attorneys in drafting and reviewing legal documents to include contracts, legal memoranda, pleadings, and court filings. Spends a significant amount of time reviewing and drafting County contracts and other forms of agreement. Must have the ability to manage workflow and work under tight deadlines and other time constraints while responding to competing and shifting priorities. Essential Functions Drafts, edits, and reviews court documents, legal motions or pleadings, correspondence, and complex legal documents with substantive and detailed knowledge of legal procedures, legal terms, and legal rights and responsibilities. Drafts and prepares contracts, negotiates changes, and prepares related correspondence. Drafts and/or reviews for attorney review: legal memoranda, ordinances, resolutions, and other documents as assigned. Researches applicable laws, regulations, sources, citations, supporting case law, courthouse and Register of Deeds records. Completes necessary court filings, including the use of electronic court filing systems. Maintains with careful accuracy deadlines and due dates for court pleadings, court dates, subpoenas, projects, memoranda, and other legal and office matters to ensure adequate preparation and compliance. Collects, collates, and prepares responses to subpoenas and other discovery for attorney review. Ensures proper service of court filings. Records documents with Register of Deeds. Assists in reviewing documentation related to public records request responses. May assist in managing office budget, legal resources, legal records, and other administrative matters. Maintains documents in accordance with the document retention and disposition schedules as defined pursuant to North Carolina law; delegates administrative duties to a Legal Secretary as necessary. Performs other related duties as assigned. POSITION SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS General Government Reviews and researches building code, zoning, property records, easements, condemnation proceedings, appraisals, and health violations and applicable laws and regulations. Drafts, edits, and reviews notice of violation letters. Tracks violation matters and prepares data for internal status meetings. Tracks bankruptcy matters and prepares related internal notifications. Tracks court appearance and docket schedules, maintains and organizes legal filings and court books. Drafts and tracks litigation hold notices. Assists attorneys in preparing for hearings and trials. Prepares draft discovery and document production requests and responses. Monitors County Attorney’s Office mailbox at the Union County Judicial Center. Qualifications MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS High school diploma or an acceptable equivalency diploma (GED), and three (3) years of relevant experience in a law office or similar environment supporting areas of legal practice such as contract review, drafting and editing legal documents, litigation support, or law office administrative support. Licenses Or Certifications Must have a valid Driver's License and be able to maintain a safe driving history as defined by the Union County Vehicle Use Policy. Certified North Carolina Notary Public or the ability to obtain within the first year of employment. Special Requirements This position may be subject to a fingerprint background check. Per NC General Statute 153A-94.2(b), applicants for a position of employment required to work with children in any capacity will be required to electronically submit fingerprints to the NC State Bureau of Investigation for a state and national criminal history record. Preferred Qualifications Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or five (5) years of experience supporting attorneys in a law office environment. Licenses Or Certifications Certification equivalent to Paralegal. Certified North Carolina Notary Public. Must have a valid Driver's License and be able to maintain a safe driving history as defined by the Union County Vehicle Use Policy. Supplemental Information PHYSICAL DEMANDS Must be physically able to operate standard office equipment such as computers, printers, copiers, fax machines, scanners, CD Rom, calculators, programmable telephones, postage machines, etc. Must be physically able to operate a motor vehicle. Must be able to exert a negligible amount of force to move objects. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time, but may involve walking or standing for brief periods of time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met. WORK ENVIRONMENT Work is performed in a safe and secure work environment that may periodically have unpredictable requirements or demands. INSURANCE PROGRAMS HEALTH INSURANCE All full-time employees and their eligible dependents can participate on the first day of the first full month of employment. You must sign up for coverage within your first 30 days of employment or wait until the annual enrollment period. Preventative Care Coverage Prescription Coverage Health & Wellness Center available exclusively to Union County employees, spouses and dependents covered under the health plan. DENTAL INSURANCE All full-time employees and their eligible dependents can participate on the first day of the first full month of employment. You must sign up for coverage within your first 30 days of employment or wait until the annual enrollment period. LIFE INSURANCE Basic Term life Insurance in the amount of one times the annual salary is provided for all full-time and benefitted part-time employees. Additional coverage for Life Insurance (Accident, Cancer, Long Term and Short Term) is available for purchase through payroll deduction for the employee and eligible dependents. FINANCIAL PROGRAMS RETIREMENT Membership in the North Carolina Local Government Employees Retirement System is a requirement for all full-time and benefitted part-time employees. Employees contribute six percent (6%) of their annual compensation before it is taxed. If you leave County service before retirement, you may withdraw your retirement contributions or elect to freeze your contributions in anticipation of future local government employment. If you have five (5) years of service, you are 100% vested in the NCLGERS. NC401(k) The NC401(k) supplemental retirement program is available to full-time and benefitted part-time employees. The County establishes this 401(k) account for each eligible employee and makes a five percent (5%) contribution based on biweekly earnings. Employees may elect to make voluntary contributions through payroll deduction. 457 DEFERRED COMPENSATION The 457 Deferred Compensation program is available to all employees through payroll deduction. Deferred compensation is a voluntary investment plan to supplement retirement income and to defer taxable income. FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNTS Options are available to regular full-time and benefitted part-time employees who wish to use pre-tax dollars for eligible medical, pharmacy, dental, vision, and daycare expenses. The Flex Debit Card program gives you instant access to your account funds. Health Care Spending Account -- Section 125 of the IRS Code allows yearly voluntary enrollment to set aside pre-tax dollars for eligible health care expenses. Dependent Care Spending Account -- Section 125 of the IRS Code allows yearly voluntary enrollment to set aside pre-tax dollars for eligible dependent care expenses. DIRECT DEPOSIT Deposit of your paycheck will be made to checking or savings accounts in a bank of your choice. TRUIST No Overdraft Fees $100 Negative Balance Buffer Online and Mobile Banking with Bill Pay LEAVE PROGRAMS VACATION LEAVE Vacation leave is accrued based on creditable years of service in the Local Government Employees Retirement System. SICK LEAVE For full-time County employees, sick leave accrues at eight (8.0) hours per month. Benefitted part-time employees accrue prorated sick leave based on a percentage of the full-time rate. Your unused sick leave balance can be applied as creditable service toward a service retirement under the guidelines of the NCLGERS. SICK LEAVE TRANSFER FROM OTHER AGENCIES Unused sick leave earned from another North Carolina Governmental Agency and/or entity, will be accepted and transferred to the County as follows: twelve (12) sick leave days will be transferred and added to the employees active sick leave balance after completion of six (6) months of employment. The remaining balance of sick leave documented for transfer at the time of employment will be recorded in the employees permanent personnel file. On the fifth anniversary of employment with the County, the remaining balance of transferred sick leave will be added to the employees active sick leave balance. HOLIDAYS There are 13 County recognized holidays (includes 3 days for Christmas) per year with 1 floating holiday available. MILITARY LEAVE Annual Training - 10 paid workdays granted. Active Duty - 20 paid workdays granted. CIVIL LEAVE Paid leave is provided to full-time or regular part-time County employees called for jury duty or as a witness of the court for the federal or state government, or a subdivision thereof. FAMILY & MEDICAL LEAVE ACT Federal law provides job protection and continuation of existing paid health insurance during 12 weeks of leave, paid or unpaid, to an eligible employee for qualifying events. These events can include birth or adoption, and serious illness of an immediate family member, or of the employee. PAID PARENTAL LEAVE Parental Leave provides the employee paid leave for the first eight weeks of approved FML for the birth of a son or daughter, or placement with the employee of a son or daughter for adoption or foster care. ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE Educational Leave is available to regular full-time and benefitted part-time employees when participating in a job-related, short course, such as an update, not to exceed ten (10) consecutive working days. VOLUNTEER TIME OFF Volunteer Time Off will provide employees with 16 hours of paid time per calendar year to volunteer at approved Union County community partner agencies. OTHER PROGRAMS EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM The Employee Assistance Program is open to all employees and their dependents. It is a confidential service provided at no cost to the employees of the County. EAP provides certified counselors who administer assessment and brief therapy to employees who want help with a variety of personal and work-related issues such as stress, parenting concerns, grief, alcohol/drug use, family problems, financial concerns, and work-related problems. AQUATIC AND FITNESS CENTER We believe that staying healthy is more than just exercising regularly and eating well. Individual and family discount membership and monthly dues are available to full-time and benefitted part-time employees through payroll deduction. NATIONAL COLLEGE SAVINGS PROGRAM The National College Savings Program is open to all employees. The Program is designed to provide certain tax advantages, encourage and facilitate saving to pay the costs of attending eligible institutions. #J-18808-Ljbffr Union County, NC