Legal Assistant

Duties Description The Legal Assistant 1 performs the primary legal research concerning criminal history information (Rap Sheets) for bureau attorneys and the Principal Attorney/Director. Primary duties include: Contacting courts, district attorneys, parole officers and probation officers in order to complete, correct, and/or verify criminal history information Obtaining follow up information on the status of certain open criminal charges and convictions Answering questions from providers and prospective elderly healthcare employees Entering criminal charges and convictions into the electronic database Conducting a review of official court records and criminal charge disposition information on a daily basis and updating the status of those criminal charges in the CHRC Bureau electronic case file database Description Duties Description The Legal Assistant 1 performs the primary legal research concerning criminal history information (Rap Sheets) for bureau attorneys and the Principal Attorney/Director. Primary duties include: Contacting courts, district attorneys, parole officers and probation officers in order to complete, correct, and/or verify criminal history information Obtaining follow up information on the status of certain open criminal charges and convictions Answering questions from providers and prospective elderly healthcare employees Entering criminal charges and convictions into the electronic database Conducting a review of official court records and criminal charge disposition information on a daily basis and updating the status of those criminal charges in the CHRC Bureau electronic case file database Qualifications Minimum Qualifications Permanent Transfer Candidates: Current New York State Department of Health employee with permanent or contingent-permanent, competitive, status, as a Legal Assistant 1, SG-14 OR; a current New York State employee with one year of permanent or contingent-permanent, competitive, service in a title eligible for transfer under Section 70.1 of the NYS Civil Service Law to Legal Assistant 1, SG-14, Legal Assistant Trainee 1, NS. Non-Competitive Candidates Via NY HELPS Program Legal Assistant 1 : Two years* of full-time experience as a Paralegal/Legal Assistant (see “definition” below). Definition : a Paralegal/Legal Assistant is someone who applies knowledge of the law and legal procedures in rendering direct assistance to lawyers, clients, and courts; prepares and interprets legal documents and forms; researches, compiles, and uses information from legal materials to provide both written and verbal comments on their findings; and analyzes and handles routine procedural problems independently with minimal attorney oversight. Examples of non-qualifying experience: receptionist, records clerk, bookkeeper, office manager. Substitution: An associate degree (or higher) in Paralegal/Legal Assistant/Legal Studies or a certificate in a Paralegal/Legal Assistant program where the degree was granted from a regionally accredited college or university or one approved by the American Bar Association (ABA). OR An associate degree in any field where the degree was granted from a regionally accredited college or university or one approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) AND one year of full-time experience as a Paralegal/Legal Assistant. OR Graduation from an accredited (ABA approved) law school with a degree required for NYS Bar will be accepted as meeting the educational and experience requirements for this title. Legal Assistant Trainee 1 : * High school or high school equivalency diploma and one year of clerical, administrative, or paraprofessional experience. Substitution: An associate degree (or higher) in any field, where the degree was granted from a regionally accredited college or university, or one approved by the American Bar Association (ABA). Preferred Qualifications : An interest in a legal career that has a substantial investigative component. Such that while the CHRC workload is intense, each case is unique due to the underlying circumstances surrounding the criminal history record. Is able to work well independently but has a team mentality. Is able to adapt to a large workload efficiently. We handle a lot of cases and it takes someone who can work efficiently and not create a backlog. Is able and willing to learn a new skill in a short timeframe. Given the anticipated volume, pace and diversity of issues/tasks tackled daily, the ideal candidate would also be self-propelled, detail-oriented and possess consistent follow-through. Additional Comments When reviewing qualifications , omissions and vagueness cannot be interpreted in the candidate’s favor. Candidates are responsible for providing accurate and clear descriptions of their experience demonstrating how they meet the minimum qualifications. This position is part of the NYS HELPS program. No examination is required. We offer a work-life balance and a generous benefits package, worth 65% of salary, including: Holiday & Paid Time Off Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Pension from New York State Employees’ Retirement System Shift & Geographic pay differentials Affordable Health Care options Family dental and vision benefits at no additional cost NYS Deferred Compensation plan Access to NY 529 and NY ABLE College Savings Programs, and U.S. Savings Bonds And many more... The NYS Department of Health is committed to making New York a safer, healthier, and more equitable place to live. Understanding health equity, social determinants of health and health disparities is critical to accomplish our goal of eliminating health disparities. For more information on the NYS Department of Health’s Mission, Vision, Values and Strategic Plan, please visit: If you require reasonable accommodation to complete a job application, a job interview or to otherwise participate in the hiring process, please contact by phone View phone number on click.appcast.io or email View email address on click.appcast.io to make a request. The NYS Department of Health does not participate in E-Verify and does not sponsor visa applications. For new State employees appointed to graded positions, the annual salary is the hiring rate of the position (beginning of the salary range). Promotion salaries are calculated by the NYS Office of the State Comptroller in accordance with NYS Civil Service Law, OSC Payroll rules and regulations, and negotiated union contracts. #J-18808-Ljbffr