Legal Assistant

Legal Assistant 2The Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (Parks) is seeking a Legal Assistant 2 to join its small and collaborative team within its Office of the General Counsel. Parks oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, trails, beaches, pools, golf courses, and boat launches, among other recreational amenities, across New York State, and eleven distinct park regions, and is proud to have just celebrated the system's centennial. Every employee demonstrates a commitment to serving the public, to protecting natural, historic and cultural resources, to providing creative and innovative programs and services, and to excellence and professionalism.The Office of General Counsel provides legal advice, assistance, and guidance to Parks' programs and administrative support divisions. Parks' Program and divisions are as varied as its many parks and historic sites. They include Environmental Stewardship and Planning, Historic Preservation, Grants, Capital, Energy, Real Property, Finance & Contracts, Emergency Management, Health & Safety, Marine Services, Snowmobiles, Park Police, Concessions, and Partnerships, among others. The Office of General Counsel also manages the agency's Freedom of Information Law requests and other records access inquiries and collaborates with the Office of the Attorney General on both affirmative and defensive civil litigation matters.Working under the general supervision of the General Counsel and/or other senior attorney staff, the Legal Assistant 2 primarily support attorneys and administrative staff working on litigation and administrative proceedings, Freedom of Information Law responses, and procurement matters. The Legal Assistant 2 will:Assist attorneys with litigation and investigation proceedings, including by organizing witness files and documentary evidence; drafting subpoenas, notices, affidavits, stipulations, discovery requests, and other legal documents; coordinating document production and discovery responses; scheduling meetings, hearings, and witness interviews; maintaining case tracking and management systems; and tracking deadline and providing periodic status reporting;Assist Records Access Officer in responding to FOIL requests, including by reviewing records for responsiveness and identifying documents requiring attorney review; preparing document logs and assisting with document redactions; coordinating with agency program and regional staff to obtain responsive records; and tracking deadlines and providing periodic status reports;Assist attorneys with compliance review matters, including review of agency policies and guidance documents and regulatory reviews, and research and track legislative and regulatory updates affecting agency programs and operations;Assist attorneys and contract management staff with procurement reviews, bid protests, responsibility determinations, and procurement disputes;Conduct legal research of federal and state statutes, regulations, case law, administrative decisions and other sources to support attorneys;Assist with the development of training materials and legal presentations and standardized forms and templates;Maintain electronic and paper legal files, organize confidential legal records, track retention schedules and records disposition requirements, and support implementation of electronic records management system(s);Assist in other program areas or participate in special projects, as needed;Provide back-up support to office administrative staff;Perform other duties as may be assigned by the General Counsel or Supervising Attorney.Minimum QualificationsIf Civil Service Eligible list(s) exist, they will be canvassed. You may also apply if you are eligible for appointment or reinstatement by one of the following qualifications:Either 1: A bachelor's degree (or higher) in a paralegal/legal assistant program from a regionally accredited college or university, or college or university accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) or one approved by the American Bar Association (ABA); AND one year of subsequent full-time experience as a Paralegal/Legal Assistant.Or 2: An associate's degree (or higher) in a paralegal/legal assistant program OR a certificate in a paralegal/legal assistant program where either the degree or certificate was granted from a regionally accredited college or university accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) or one approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) AND two years of subsequent full-time experience as a Paralegal/Legal Assistant.Substitution: Graduation from an accredited (ABA approved) law school with a degree required by New York State Bar admittance will be accepted as meeting the educational requirements.Non-qualifying degrees include but are not limited to degrees in Criminal Justice, Legal Studies, Liberal Arts, Political Science, Business Administration and Business Management.Non-qualifying experience includes but is not limited to experience which is limited solely to general clerical or secretarial duties performed in a law office.Important: Non-degree certificates of completion or diplomas awarded by a training institution or company not regionally accredited or accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) or approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) are not qualifying.Preferred QualificationsHave knowledge of New York State government operations and administrative law.Be familiar with New York Civil Practice Law and Rules, State Finance Law, and/or Public Officers Law (including the Freedom of Information Law and Code of Ethics).Have proficiency with Westlaw, Lexis or equivalent legal research platforms and with Microsoft Office (include Word, Excel and SharePoint)Have experience supporting attorneys in one or more of the following areas: litigation, administrative law, labor and employment, government contracts and procurement, FOIL, environmental law, ethics, real estate.Have strong written and verbal communication skills, the ability to organize large volumes of records and evidence, strong analytic and critical thinking skills, and the ability to manage multiple priorities while meeting strict deadlines.Note on telecommuting: Employees are required to apply and obtain approval through management to telecommute according to the agency's Telecommuting Program Guidelines.To learn about our benefits, visit: