Posted in General Business 23 days ago.
Type: Full-Time
Location: Riverside, California
ABOUT THE POSITION
The Riverside County Office of The District Attorney is accepting applications for Paralegal I and Paralegal II to support their Major Crimes Unit located in Riverside. These positions perform a broad range of paralegal duties for one or more attorneys engaged in criminal law assigned to the S pecialized Criminal Prosecution Unit, including but not limited to homicide, sexual assault, gangs, and domestic violence; assist in the preparation of cases for trial and hearing matters; prepare exhibits, witnesses and indexes documents for trial; receive and disseminate discovery from police agencies and other law enforcement partners; author basic briefs, motions, and court docs; interface with defense attorneys, attorney staff, and court personnel; and perform other related duties as required.
Competitive candidates will possess experience writing motions; paralegal experience working for a District Attorney, Public Defender, or criminal law office; experience communicating with defense attorneys, attorney staff, and court personnel; and proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite. Ideal candidates will be sharp, motivated, and quick learners.
The level at which the position will be filled is at the discretion of the department.
SALARY RANGE
Paralegal I
$27.87 - $37.69 Hourly
$4,831 - $6,534 Monthly
$57,974 - $78,408 Annually
Paralegal II
$29.49 - $40.74 Hourly
$5,112 - $7,062 Monthly
$61,349 - $84,740 Annually
The Paralegal I is the first working level classification in the Paralegal series and typically reports to an attorney or supervising attorney and may receive lead oversight by a Senior Paralegal in collaboration with an attorney. Incumbents are expected to perform basic and routine duties where the majority of the duties can be learned in a brief period of time, are clearly defined and have established guidelines which required minimal interpretation. Incumbents are responsible for performing work that is of substantive legal impact under the direction and technical review of an attorney. Depending on assignment, incumbents may be expected to promote to the journey level Paralegal II classification after acquiring the necessary experience and training and demonstrating satisfactory job performance.
The Paralegal II is the journey level classification in the Paralegal series and typically reports to an attorney or supervising attorney and may receive lead oversight by a Senior Paralegal in collaboration with an attorney. Incumbents perform the full range of paralegal duties requiring a greater legal knowledge and skill in support of complex administrative, civil or criminal cases and perform work that is of substantive legal impact under the direction and technical review of an attorney.
Meet the Team!
The District Attorney of Riverside County , as the public prosecutor acting on behalf of the People, vigorously enforces the law, pursues the truth, protects those victimized by crime, exonerates the innocent, and safeguards the rights of all to ensure that justice is done on behalf of our community. The office's staff of over 700 is comprised of prosecuting attorneys, sworn investigators, victim-witness advocates, paralegals, investigative technicians, forensic analysts, and a wide range of information technology and supporting staff all committed to excellence and integrity in public service. We are, and we seek to maintain, a diverse workforce to match a diverse county.
EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL DUTIES
• Research and analyze law sources (i.e., statutes, ordinances, court decisions, criminal pleadings, police reports, legal documents and articles) for use in preparing legal documents (i.e., briefs, pleadings, contracts, deeds, opinions) for review, approval and use by an attorney.
• Interview witnesses, defendants and others in civil or criminal cases for pre-trial or pre-hearing declarations; respond to propounding discovery and discovery requests.
• Correspond with clients and witnesses; collect client background information; assist in the identification of rehabilitative placement resources; research and identify placement resources for alternative sentencing of clients and assist in the placement therein of clients.
• Draft motions, memoranda of points and authorities, interrogatories and answers, complaints and answers, cross-claims, affidavits, briefs, and declarations.
• Review legal documents and forms for completeness and conformance to specific requirements set forth in applicable legal codes; organize documents used in the prosecution or defense of suspects accused of major crimes.
• Review and process requests for criminal record background information in order to determine the existence or non-existence of prior convictions; obtain criminal record information and related documents and screens for legal sufficiency.
• Gather factual information and perform legal research not available through routine sources to assist an attorney in determining appropriate legal action.
• Perform preliminary analysis of legislative bills and research legislative histories.
• Summarize, organize and index prior opinions, testimony, depositions, and documentary material from interrogatories; organize and index trial documents; prepare exhibits and assist attorneys at trial by keeping track of exhibits, testimony and documents.
• May act as a liaison to County departments and outside agencies; may serve as an immediate assistant to a senior or supervising attorney and may assist in the training, selection and evaluation of lower-level paralegals.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education (both levels): Successful completion of the education required by the State of California pursuant to the California Business and Professions Codes Chapter 5.6 Paralegals 6450 (c) :
(c) A paralegal shall possess at least one of the following:
(1) A certificate of completion of a paralegal program approved by the American Bar Association.
(2) A certificate of completion of a paralegal program at, or a degree from, a postsecondary institution that requires the successful completion of a minimum of 24 semester, or equivalent, units in law-related courses and that has been accredited by a national or regional accrediting organization or approved by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education.
(3) A baccalaureate degree or an advanced degree in any subject, a minimum of one year of law-related experience under the supervision of an attorney who has been an active member of the State Bar of California for at least the preceding three years or who has practiced in the federal courts of this state for at least the preceding three years, and a written declaration from this attorney stating that the person is qualified to perform paralegal tasks.
(4) A high school diploma or general equivalency diploma, a minimum of three years of law-related experience under the supervision of an attorney who has been an active member of the State Bar of California for at least the preceding three years or who has practiced in the federal courts of this state for at least the preceding three years, and a written declaration from this attorney stating that the person is qualified to perform paralegal tasks.
***Be sure to upload a copy of your certificate of completion or degree of a paralegal program as an attachment and include any required documents as listed above to your Government Jobs account at the time of application.
Experience:
Paralegal I:None required.
Paralegal II:One year equivalent to a Paralegal I with County of Riverside or in a law office performing paralegal duties that demonstrates possession of the knowledge and abilities relevant to the specific assignment (details to be reflected on your application/resume) .
Other Requirements (both levels):
License:Possession of a valid California Driver's License may be required.
Certificate: Must maintain a current paralegal certification or degree by certified completion of the mandatory continuing legal education (MCLE) post-employment standards. The Paralegal series is required to certify completion of MCLE credits every two years pursuant to the California Business and Professions Code Chapter 5.6 Paralegals 6450 (d).
Knowledge of: Principles of civil and criminal law and their application; legal research methods and techniques; preparation of briefs and opinions; resources available in a law library; trial and hearing procedures and rules of evidence; County government functions and legal responsibilities.
Ability to: Perform legal research; interview witnesses; analyze legal problems; prepare drafts of legal documents; present statements of fact and law; argue clearly and logically in written and oral form; interpret applicable state and federal codes, laws and statutes; work cooperatively with others.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
Veteran's Preference
The County has a Veteran's Preference Policy. Upload a copy of your (or your spouse's) Member-4 Form DD-214 indicating dates of service, and a copy of your spouse's letter of disability (if applicable) with your application. For privacy reasons, it is recommended that you remove your social security information from the document(s). A Human Resources Representative will review the materials and determine if you qualify for veterans' preference. See the policy here .
Reasonable Accommodations
The County of Riverside is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). Qualified individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should contact the recruiter for the position noted above. For additional information and/or to obtain the appropriate form for requesting a reasonable accommodation, please visit the Disability Access Office web page located at: http://dao.rc-hr.com/ .
What's Next?
This recruitment is open to all applicants. Applicants who are current employees of theRiverside County District Attorney's Officeand/or County of Riverside employees may be considered before other applicants depending on the volume of applications received.
Qualified applicants may be considered for future vacancies throughout the County.
Application Period
BASED ON THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS RECEIVED, THIS POSTING MAY CLOSE WITHOUT NOTICE.
Applications received prior to the closing date will be considered based on the information submitted.Changes or alterations cannot be accepted.All applicants must submit a complete application by the close date of the recruitment. No late applications will be permitted.
Experience and Education Verification
Applicants who fail to provide information demonstrating they possess the position requirements may not be considered further in the application process. A description of job duties directly copied from the job classification or job posting will not be considered.
Competitive experience/education must be reflected on your application/resume. Applicants who fail to provide information demonstrating they possess the position requirements may not be considered further in the application process.
If using education to qualify, upload a copy of your education documents (degree/transcripts) to your Government Jobs profile at the time your application is submitted.Official or unofficial transcripts will be accepted.
*Prior to submitting your application , upload a copy of any license(s), official/unofficial transcript(s), degrees, and/or related employment documents to your Government Jobs account. *** If your education was completed outside of the United States, you will need to provide a copy of your Foreign Education Equivalency evaluation from a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or Academic Credentials Evaluation Institute (ACEI).
Contact Information
For more information regarding the position, please contact the recruiter Letisia Jimenez at (951) 955-5787 or via email at ltjimenez@rivco.org .
GENERAL APPLICATION INFORMATION:
Please read and follow any special application instructions on this posting. Click the 'Apply' link located on this page to submit your application. For instructions on the application process, examinations, Veteran's preference, pre-employment accommodation or other employment questions, please refer to our web site, www.rc-hr.com . A pre-employment physical examination and background check may be required.
MEDICAL/DENTAL/VISION INSURANCE: A choice of different medical, dental and visions plan are available to elect. The County provides a Flexible Benefit Credit contribution as governed by the applicable SEIU Memorandum of Understanding to contribute towards the cost of these plans.
Note: Employees on assignment through the Temporary Assignment Program (TAP) receive different benefits. See the list here .
MISCELLANEOUS RETIREMENT: County of Riverside has three retirement Tiers through the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS).
Contribution rates are subject to change based on the County of Riverside annual actuarial valuation.
Note:
This summary is for general information purposes only. Additional questions regarding retirement formulas can be sent to retirement@rivco.org or by calling the Benefits Information Line at (951) 955-4981,
Option 2.
If you have prior service credit with another CalPERS agency or within agencies, please contact CalPERS at (888) 225-7377 to determine which retirement tier would be applicable to you. CalPERS is governed by the Public Employees' Retirement Law. The Retirement Law is complex and subject to change. If there's any conflict between this summary and the law, the law will prevail over this summary.
DEFERRED COMPENSATION: Voluntary employee contribution with a choice between two 457 deferred compensation plan options.
VACATION ACCRUAL (Bi-Weekly Accrual):
0< 3 year = 80 Hours (10 Days)
4< 9 years = 120 Hours (15 Days)
10 or more years = 160 Hours (20 Days)
Maximum Vacation leave accumulation is 480 hours.
SICK LEAVE: Four (4) hours Sick Leave accrual per pay period with unlimited accrual.
HOLIDAYS: Normally 12 paid holidays per year.
BEREAVEMENT LEAVE: Allowed 5 days (3 days are County paid; 2 additional days can be taken from accrued Sick Leave balance).
BASIC LIFE INSURANCE: Equal to one times annual base salary not to exceed $50,000 of term life coverage. Premiums are paid by the County. Additional Supplemental Life plan is available for employee purchase.
DISABILITY: Short-term Disability benefit pays up to a maximum of $461.54 weekly, payable up to a maximum of 52 weeks.
POST RETIREMENT MEDICAL CONTRIBUTION: A monthly contribution is made by the County towards retiree health insurance offered through the County as governed by the applicable SEIU Memorandum of Understanding.
OTHER: There may be other benefit provisions as specified in the applicable Memorandum of Understanding. Please contact the recruiter listed on the job posting directly for more information.
