Paralegal I

The Office of the County Attorney is seeking a highly motivated and detail-oriented paralegal to join our dynamic legal team. Serving as in-house counsel to the Board of Supervisors, the County Executive and county agencies, boards, authorities and commissions, our office is widely recognized across Virginia for its excellence. The position offers the opportunity to work closely with multiple attorneys across divisions, supporting meaningful work that directly impacts the community every day. This role provides hands-on assistance to the attorneys in their day-to-day work.

Key responsibilities include:• Drafting a variety of legal documents including legal memoranda, motions, pleadings, legal items, etc.

• Organizing and tracking case files, pleadings, correspondence
• Drafting, serving and tracking requests for subpoena and subpoena duces tecum
• Assisting in trial or hearing preparation including compiling exhibits, trial notebooks and witness materials
• Arranging for court reporters and coordinate deposition logistics
• Conducting basic factual and legal research using a variety of programs including CLEAR, Westlaw, CPAN, PACER, and FullCourt
• Verifying citations and factual information in memoranda, briefs, legal items and other legal documents ensuring accuracy and conformity to court rules, the Bluebook and office policy and procedures.
• Utilizing Office case management system, Prolaw for case management
• E-filing in various courts and administrative offices
• Using programs such as Foxit or Adobe to manage, view and edit pdf documents
• Opening and closing assignments and litigation in case management system

This position requires strong organizational skills, the ability to thrive in a collaborative, team-oriented environment, and a proactive approach to managing assignments. The selected applicant must be capable of handling multiple tasks simultaneously, adapting to shifting priorities, and meeting tight deadlines with efficiency and accuracy. The position may also require reviewing visual or written material of a sensitive or graphic nature in the course of supporting litigation and case preparation.

The position requires an in-office presence and serves as backup to other paralegal and administrative staff. Some teleworking may be granted after a training period has been completed. Teleworking is subject to the demands of the workload and office needs.(The illustrative duties listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list. A complete list of position duties and unique physical requirements can be found in the position job description.)

Performs legal and factual research, verifies citations in legal memoranda, briefs and ensures proper formatting in accordance with local, state and federal rules; Assists in the preparation and filing of lawsuits and the defense of lawsuits, appeals or other legal matters, including drafting, organizing, and filing pleadings, discovery, exhibits, and trial or hearing notebooks; Schedules court reporters and interpreters; tracks receipt of deposition, hearing or trial transcripts; and manages details related to witness appearances, including issuing and tracking subpoenas and maintaining a trial calendar; Assists attorneys in analyzing witness testimony by summarizing deposition testimony and corroborating statements research of documentation, depositions court records and related materials; Manages the secure transfer of data, including large volume document productions, utilizing approved methods such as encrypted hard drives and county-approved cloud-based file sharing platforms; Maintains compliance with all county, state and federal regulations regarding data privacy and transmission; Compiles/assembles tax account and assessment data for real estate, personal property and business taxes, initiates processes to seize accounts/assets of delinquents, files law suits and follows up on judgements to ensure payment of taxes owed; Researches County records on all bankruptcies filed and files notice of claim to secure County claims for taxes owed; Reviews/monitors time-sensitive documents such as parties at interest affidavits filed in connection with zoning/land use actions for proper disclosure to insure compliance with local ordinances and the Virginia Code and makes revision recommendations as appropriate; Reviews certificates of incorporation, operating agreements, corporate resolutions, wills, and powers of attorney for proper format, appropriate signage, etc.; Prepares presentations on legal issues for various boards, commissions and other departments.(The knowledge, skills and abilities listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list.)

Knowledge of the methods, sources of information and materials of legal research; Knowledge of the principles and practices of substantive and procedural law; Knowledge of federal, state and administrative court procedures; Knowledge of County legal procedures and requirements related to basic legal work in a variety of areas such as criminal, local taxation, code compliance, eminent domain, personal injury, civil rights, employment law, FOIA, workers compensation, family services, real estate and the County's grievance procedure; Knowledge of systems and software technology to manage, track or organize information/data; Ability to perform factual and legal review/research; Ability to use online legal research services and tools as well as the internet to perform legal review and research; Ability to interview witnesses and to assist attorneys in preparing witnesses for deposition or trial, exercising judgement in determining the relevance of information to be provided; Ability to compile and analyze data and create accurate and complete reports and charts; Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of individuals, including the general public, members of the legal and business community, and department staff; Ability to express oneself effectively, both orally and in writing; Ability to work with short deadlines.MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to the following: (Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for "Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to")Graduation from an accredited college or university with an associate’s degree; Plus, one year of experience providing paralegal or other legal support, and/or legal research. Completion of a Paralegal Certificate Program may substitute for one year of the education and/or experience requirement. CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED: Notary Public for the State of Virginia (Required within 3 months) NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: The appointee to the position will be required to complete a criminal background check to the satisfaction of the employer. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:• Experience working in a legal setting such as a law firm or court.

• Experience drafting or reviewing pleadings, discovery, subpoenas, or other legal documents signed by an attorney.
• Experience using legal research software such as Lexis or Westlaw.
• Strong technical skills, including in the use of Sharefile, Microsoft Office and Foxit or Adobe.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: Duties are performed in a fast paced, stressful environment. Employee may be required to lift up to 10 pounds. Job is generally sedentary in nature, however, visual acuity is required to read data on computer monitor, incumbent must be able to operate keyboard driven equipment. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations. SELECTION PROCEDURE: Panel interview and may include a practical exercise. Fairfax County is home to a highly diverse population, with a significant number of residents speaking languages other than English at home (including Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and many others.) We encourage candidates who are bilingual in English and another language to apply for this opportunity. Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce. Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. TTY 703-222-7314. [email protected]. EEO/AA/TTY. #LI-AL1 #LI-NW1 Requisition 26-01524