Title: Paralegal II

Department: DSS

Type: Full-time/Benefits

Salary Range: Grade 69

Location: Lexington

General Statement of Duties

Performs independent, responsible, and advanced administrative and clerical responsibilities of a legal nature. Primarily provides support to the DSS Attorneys in conjunction with another Paralegal II position, supporting Child Welfare, Child Support and Adult Protective Services as well as the department’s administrative team.

Distinguishing Features of the Class

Performs a range of substantive case-related duties. Prepares drafts of legal documents for attorney review and approval. Performs broad-based legal research. Compiles, analyzes, and summarizes data, which may include witness summarizations. Work is performed under the regular supervision of the Senior DSS Attorney.

Illustrative Examples of Work

- Prepares Juvenile Court documents including, but not limited to, juvenile petitions, notices of hearing, service documents, summonses, subpoenas, certificates of service, etc.

- Prepares Juvenile Court cases for hearing, including preparation of petitions and termination of parental rights trial exhibits.

- Prepares Juvenile Court orders for attorney review and approval.

- Schedules and conducts witness interviews.

- Drafts, proofs, and tracks legal notices for the department.

- Researches legal issues for District, Superior, and Appellate Court cases.

- Provides specific case information to the Court.

- Works with Court personnel in Davidson and surrounding counties.

- Files documents with Clerk’s Office.

- Retrieves documents and prepares information for trial.

- Attend court hearings and support attorneys during trial.

- Prepares, organizes, and maintains files for Child Protective Services and Adult Protective Services. Ensures that all necessary documents, legal and otherwise, are received, completed and distributed.

- Maintains and monitors deadlines and timeframes for the progression of court cases.

- Responds to subpoenas, including obtaining records, redacting records, and drafting and filing motions to quash.

- Drafts and issues subpoenas for child welfare, child support, and adult protective services.

- Prepare pleadings in appeals before the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court.

- Communicates, both orally and in writing, with law enforcement agencies regarding service of documents and subpoenas and their particular procedures and fees for service.

- Determines which method for service of documents is most appropriate.

- Schedules and coordinate hearings with Judges, Social Workers, and Guardians.

- Coordinates and attends meetings with DSS staff.

- Receives and responds to inquiries for DSS staff and the public.

- Performs clerical functions, such as processing mail, scheduling appointments, coordinating meetings, updating attorneys’ calendars, preparing correspondence, etc.

- Provides support and assistance to the DSS Attorneys regarding child welfare, child support, and adult service matters.

- Makes decisions regarding various circumstances which could have significant impact on the department and other persons.

- Works with a diverse population and personnel of various professional levels.

- Adheres to state, federal, county and department’s policy, rules, and regulations.

- Complies with mandatory emergency shelter duty should the need arise.

- Other duties as assigned.

Recruitment and Selection Guidelines

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

- Ability to work independently and with others.

- Ability to multi-task, set priorities and meet deadlines.

- Must have excelling writing skills.

- Ability to assess and determine the best method for various tasks.

- Must have excellent organizational skills.

- Ability to communicate clearly and logically in oral and written form.

- Ability to utilize technology in research and writing assignments.

- Ability to create spreadsheets to capture and analyze data.

- Considerable knowledge of judicial and quasi-judicial procedures

- Considerable knowledge of case, statutory and common law, particularly applicable to child welfare, child support and adult protective services.

- Ability to summarize facts and evidence and draft legal instruments..

- Ability to use a variety of research tools including, but not limited to, legal publications, internet and various websites, General Statutes, etc.

- Significant interpersonal skills, with the ability to establish and maintain working relationships with a diverse population and personnel of various professional levels.

- Must be flexible and adaptable to sudden changes in work environment due to deadlines and ever-changing client/agency needs.

- Ability to coordinate and/or conduct meetings, interviews, and hearing dates.

- Considerable knowledge of the following: North Carolina General Statutes; Federal law; State and Federal case law and common law; North Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure; Federal Rules of Evidence; North Carolina Administrative Code; and Local Rules of Court.

- All aspects of this position’s work require close visual attention and mental concentration to ensure legal documents are prepared correctly. The constant influx of work and emergency situations which require immediate attention, and the time restraints and deadlines can drastically change work requirements and keep the stress level high.

- Ability maintain a positive temperament and function in a professional manner under pressure.

Physical Requirements

- Must be able to physically perform the basic life operational support functions of seeing, fingering/typing, climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, reaching, standing, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting, grasping, feeling, talking, hearing and repetitive motions.

- Must be able to perform light work exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.

- Must possess the visual acuity to prepare and analyze data and figures, perform transcription, operate a computer and perform extensive reading of materials and to complete forms and generate correspondence.

- Mental concentration and accuracy are required in all duties of this position.

- Worker is subject to inside environmental conditions; protection from weather conditions but not necessarily from temperature changes.

- Worker is subject to outside environmental conditions; no effective protection of weather.

- Worker is not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions (such as in typical office or administrative work).

Education and Experience

Graduation from an appropriately accredited institution for paralegal training and two years of experience as a paralegal; or Bachelor’s degree from an appropriately accredited institution and two years of substantive paralegal experience; or High school or General Education Development (GED) diploma and six years of paralegal experience performing delegated, substantive legal work; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Additional Training/Experience: Maintenance of the requirements imposed by the North Carolina State Bar for continuing paralegal education.

Licenses and Certifications

• North Carolina Driver License.

- Must be a notary or e able to obtain a notary certification.