What are the responsibilities and job description for the Paralegal II position at Harris County Sheriff's Office?
A paralegal II provides assistance within the legal department under the direct supervision of the Paralegal Manager. [Paralegals are not authorized to give legal advice].
Duties and Responsibilities
This job operates primarily in professional office or classroom environments, with some opportunities to deliver services in the field.
Physical Demands
This role is sedentary, however, the ability to lift and carry up to 10 pounds is necessary to lift files and/or boxes of files, documents, etc.
Equal Opportunity Statement
Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, genetic information, or any other protected class in accordance with applicable federal and state laws.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Assisting with TPIA, Subpoena requests, Disciplinary Letter Drafting, or handling appeals, depending on which division the paralegal is assigned (TPIA, Subpoenas, or Disciplinary)
- Assisting with CAO discovery requests, preparing Grand Jury Letters
- Performing Legal Research
- Reviewing and redacting documents
- Entering data into various Legal Services databases
- Gathering legal documents, and records from various HCSO bureaus/departments
- Assisting with other legal requests as directed by the supervisor
- Continuing legal education
- Performing other assignments and duties as required and/or necessary to support the needs of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office
- Associate degree in paralegal studies OR
- Certificate of completion from paralegal certification program of education and training
- Three years of paralegal experience
- Previous knowledge of or ability to learn how to use Harris County Justice Information Management System (“JIMS”), HCSO mugshot database, EXCEL, ACCESS, GovQA, IAPro, Superion, SIRS, CAD, and LexisNexis or Westlaw is preferable
- HCSO Policies and Procedures
- Full understanding of all services provided by HCSO Legal Department
- Knowledge of Texas Rules of Civil and Criminal Procedures, TPIA, and Texas laws in general
- Proficient with Microsoft Office, specifically Outlook, Word, and Excel
- Proficient in the use of office equipment including, but not limited to, computer terminal, copier, calculator, printer, and fax machine
- Possession of exceptional language skills so that written and oral communications can be presented with proper grammar, spelling, punctuation, diction, and clear understanding
- Able to comprehend verbal, written, and electronic communications; able to articulate verbal, written, and electronic communication in proper form and where others can comprehend
- Must be highly organized and self-motivated
- Train in all aspects of Legal Services and step in as needed
- Work independently as well as in a team environment
- Interact effectively with co-workers and the public
- Interact professionally with inmates
- Distinguish legal forms
- Draft exceptional letters
- Handle confidential information
- Work overtime and/or varying duty hours as deemed necessary; with an excellent attendance record
- Function effectively in a fast-paced environment
- Five years of paralegal experience with a background in processing subpoenas and responding to discovery.
This job operates primarily in professional office or classroom environments, with some opportunities to deliver services in the field.
Physical Demands
This role is sedentary, however, the ability to lift and carry up to 10 pounds is necessary to lift files and/or boxes of files, documents, etc.
- Physical activities include but are not limited to, stooping, kneeling, lifting, standing, walking, pushing, pulling, finger dexterity, grasping, feeling, talking, hearing, and repetitive motions
- Light duty with an occasional requirement to move lightweight objects
- Must have professional office etiquette and adhere to dress code
- Applicant submission of the Job Request Packet does not guarantee an interview
- To qualify for this position, the required experience, education, and skills must be clearly stated on your application's employment history
- Resumes are welcome, but we do not use any information provided on your resume for qualifications
- Experience obtained while in the military must also be included as part of your employment history on the application
Incomplete applications will not be considered
Equal Opportunity Statement
Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, genetic information, or any other protected class in accordance with applicable federal and state laws.
Due to a high volume of applications positions may close before the advertised closing date if sufficient applications have been received
