Administrative Technician-Office of Law, Paralegal

Salary : $54,714.00 - $105,506.00 Annually

Location : Ellicott City, MD

Job Type : Full Time

Job Number : 25-00193

Department : Office of Law

Opening Date : 09 / 12 / 2024

Closing Date : Continuous

POSITION SUMMARY / CLASS DESCRIPTION

Howard County :

Conveniently located in the heart of central Maryland between Baltimore and Washington, Howard County offers the charm of a historic past mixed with the excitement of a cosmopolitan community.

Howard County Government :

Howard County Government is a leader in innovation, best practices and sustainability. It is consistently ranked as one of the best places to live and work in the country. In 2024, Howard County Government received a record-breaking 63 Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo) - the most awards in the state of Maryland, and the fifth highest in the nation, as compared to more than 3000 counties. NACo Achievement Awards are the premier national honor to recognize innovative and transformative programs that provide new services for county residents, improve existing programs, upgrade working conditions, and enhance citizen participation and public policy making.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for outstanding individuals to join our team and contribute to excellence in Howard County operations.

What you'll like most about working at Howard County Government :

• We are committed to workplace excellence in every area of County government.
• We have a highly talented, diverse, and inclusive workplace. Your input will not only be heard, but it will be encouraged!
• We offer competitive compensation and great benefits including medical, retirement, and wellness programs.
• As a member of the Howard County Government team, you'll be helping drive our culture and directly impact what makes us an amazing place to work.

POSITION SUMMARY :

Performs paraprofessional legal work in the Office of Law by assisting teams of transactional and litigation attorneys.

STARTING SALARY HIRING RANGE :

26.31 - $32.46

54,714 - $67,513

CLASS DESCRIPTION :

Performs senior secretarial or routine paralegal work, which may include supervisory responsibility, under general supervision from an administrative or technical superior. Work typically involves independent and confidential secretarial work as the appointed secretary toa Circuit Court Judge; or work may involve writing briefs, conducting research and providing other paralegal support to a legal staff.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Include the following. Other related duties may be assigned.

Under supervision and review by an attorney, identifies problems of law or fact, researches and locates cases, statutes, regulations and other laws on assigned topics using print materials, electronic services like Westlaw and other resources.

Proofreads legal memoranda, including checking citations for conformity with Bluebook style, checking case references and quotations for correctness, and using Shepard's or similar resource to validate cited cases, proposed deeds and contracts, including for accuracy, completeness and grammatical errors.

Assist multiple transactional attorneys handling wide variety of transactions for Howard County Government, including, but not limited to : Real Estate Transactions; Financing Transactions; Land Development Agreements & Easements; Grant Applications and Grant Agreements for federal, State, and County grants; Purchasing Agreements with vendors; and Memoranda of Understanding and other agreements with governmental agencies and third-parties.

Review and proofread proposed deeds, plats, contracts, etc. for accuracy, completeness, and grammatical errors. Research records in State and Federal databases, including but not limited to databases for the State Department of Assessments and Taxation, land records, MDEC, Maryland Case Judiciary, and PACER.

Assists litigation attorneys in preparing for trial, including preparing exhibits, organizing files, copying documents, drafting discovery requests and responses, preparing deposition summaries, and attending and assisting at trial as necessary.

Travel and retrieve records on file with circuit court, government agencies, and third-parties.

Open, organize, maintain, and close files.

Maintain Office of Law databases.

Prepare and organize all documentation required for litigation matters and transactional deals, including litigation and closing binders.

Handle bankruptcy and collection claims, including case work-up; communications with debtor and court; service of court process; and under supervision and review of an attorney, file suit and other court papers and enforce judgments, etc.

Under supervision and review of an attorney, handles collection matters and civil citation matters.

Interacts and communicates with the public, employees, officers and officials of County, state and federal governments and court systems.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES :

This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

MINIMUM REQUIRED EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE

Associates Degree and three (3) years related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

PREFERRED EDUCATION, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES :

Paralegal certificate or degree from program certified by the American Bar Association, is preferred.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Excellent organizational skills.

Strong analytical skills.

Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook, etc.

Attention to detail.

Ability to work well under pressure and meet competing time demands.

Ability to work independently and collaboratively with a team.

Ability to communicate, cooperate, and work well with a wide variety of individuals, including office co-workers, County personnel, court personnel, members of the public, other parties to County transactions and their attorneys, civil litigation defendants and their attorneys, etc.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT :

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to sit. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, and use hands to finger, handle, or feel. The employee must occasionally lift and / or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and depth perception.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

LANGUAGE SKILLS, MATHEMATICAL SKILLS AND REASONING ABILITY :

Ability to read and interpret legal and technical documents, statutes, regulations and case law.

Ability to draft legal documents reports and correspondence.

Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.

Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages.

Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions.

Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION :

TO APPLY : You must complete an employment application online to be considered for this recruitment. Resumes cannot be substituted for completion of the job application work history. No paper applications will be accepted.

Selected candidates may be subject to drug screening, background screening, and reference checks.

At time of application, please submit a copy of any college degree, coursework, licenses, or certifications that you have referenced on your application. Applicants who have education obtained outside of the U.S. may need to provide proof of the equivalent U.S. education as determined by a foreign credential evaluation service, such as the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (http : / / www.naces.org) or World Education Services : International Credential Evaluation (https : / / www.wes.org / ).

Howard County Government is not sponsoring employees in application of the H-1B Visa or providing an extension of an existing H-1B Visa. All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States under the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.

Howard County is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, and we are committed to a workplace that values diversity, equity, and inclusion. The County prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, ancestry, creed, national origin, disability status, genetics, marital status, military service, sexual orientation, gender identity / expression or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. Applicants requiring accommodations during the hiring process should contact the Office of Human Resources directly at . Requests for accommodations should not be attached to the application.

The following is a summary of the benefits available to Howard County employees who hold full-time benefit-eligible positions. Employees in positions covered by a bargaining agreement should consult their union contract for other specific benefits. Additional details are also available in the Employee Manual and in summary plan descriptions which are available in the Office of Human Resources or at

FLEXIBLE BENEFITS PLAN : Under the County's flexible benefits plan called CountyFlex, employees may elect to enroll in medical insurance plans, dental insurance plans, optional life insurance, dependent life insurance, and healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts. Employee contributions to these benefits are made on a pre-tax basis. Information concerning enrollment options, plan rates and a benefits comparison chart are available in the Office of Human Resources.

GROUP TERM LIFE INSURANCE : Employees receive a group term life insurance benefit equal to 2 times their annual salary at no cost. Accidental death and dismemberment coverage is included. The County pays the entire cost for this benefit. Employees may purchase additional coverage under the CountyFlex benefits plan.

PAID LEAVE BENEFITS : Annual and Disability Leaves are accrued over 24 pay periods each year. Personal leave is credited on January 1st each year. Use of Annual, Disability and / or Personal Leave requires supervisory approval.

ANNUAL LEAVE : During the first 5 years of employment, employees accrue the equivalent of 13 days per year. From years 6 through 10, the accrual is the equivalent of 16 days per year. From years 11 through 20, the accrual is the equivalent of 19 days per year. From year 21 on, the accrual is the equivalent of 21 days per year. Annual leave may not be used during the first 6 months of employment. A maximum of 40 days may be carried over from one fiscal year to the next.

DISABILITY LEAVE : Employees accrue the equivalent of 1 day per month (12 days per year). There is no maximum accrual. This leave may be used for the disabling illness / injury of the employee, spouse or minor child or for a serious medical condition approved under F.M.L.A. Absences of over 3 days must be substantiated by a physician's certificate.

PERSONAL LEAVE : Employees receive 6 personal leave days each calendar year to be taken during the calendar year. Employees hired after April 30th receive 4 days of personal leave that year; those hired after August 31st receive 2 days; and those hired after November 30th receive no personal leave for that year. Personal leave may not be carried over.

HOLIDAYS : Employees are paid for the following holidays : New Year's Day; Martin Luther King Day; President's Day; Good Friday; Memorial Day; Juneteenth; Independence Day; Labor Day; Columbus Day; Veteran's Day; Thanksgiving Day; Friday after Thanksgiving Day; Christmas Day.

OTHER PAID LEAVE : Other paid leave will be granted for approved jury duty, military leave, bereavement leave and official leave. Unpaid leave will be granted in accordance with the Family and Medical Leave Act.

RETIREMENT : Howard County sponsors a defined benefit plan for its employees. participation in the plan is mandatory. Employees are required to make contributions to the plan, which are taken on a pre-tax basis. Contribution rates are dependent upon the plan in which the employee participates (general plan, or police and fire plan). The County contributes an additional percentage sufficient to ensure that each plan is adequately funded. Complete details are available in the summary plan descriptions which are available in the Office of Human Resources.Howard County Retirement Plan : Employees contribute 3% of salary to the plan. Sheriff Deputies hired after 7 / 1 / 2021 contribute 8.5% of salary to the plan. All eligible Corrections Employees must enroll in the Corrections Employees Enhanced Benefit and must contribute 8.5% of salary to the plan.Howard County Police and Fire Employees' Retirement Plan : Sworn police officers and career firefighters must participate in this plan. Police employees contribute 11.6% of salary and Fire employees contribute 7.7% of salary to the plan.

SOCIAL SECURITY : Participation is mandatory. Employees contribute at the current established rate.

457(b) DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN : Employees are eligible to participate in an IRS 457(b) deferred compensation program. This plan allows employees to defer a portion of their income on a pre-tax basis. Contributions are invested at the employee's direction on a tax deferred basis.

EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM : Employees experiencing problems that affect their personal lives and job performance may take advantage of confidential assessment and referral services.

EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE : Employees may apply for reimbursement for tuition costs after completion of 6 months of employment. Prior course approval is required. The maximum annual reimbursement is $2500 contingent upon County funding.

PAID PARENTAL LEAVE : Employees who have worked for the county for at least twelve (12) months are eligible for twelve (12) weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the qualifying birth of a child, or the placement of a child with an employee for adoption or foster care. Leave must be used within the 12 months following the birth or placement.

LONG TERM DISABILITY BENEFITS : Employees who have completed 6 months of service are enrolled in the LTD plan. After 6 months of disability, plan may pay 60% of base monthly pay up to $2500 per month. The County pays the entire cost of this benefit.

DISABILITY LEAVE BANK : Employees have established a Disability Leave Bank to which employees may donate disability leave in order to be eligible to receive salary and benefit protection when they are absent due to a serious disabling illness or injury and have exhausted all accrued leave. Employees are eligible to join the Bank after having completed 1 year of employment. Administration of the Bank, including the review and approval of claims for grants of time, is handled in accordance with the Bank's Rules and Regulations which are available in the Office of Human Resources.

VOLUNTARY BENEFIT OPTIONS : Employees may elect to enroll in long term care insurance, critical illness insurance, short term disability income protection, and universal life insurance.

CREDIT UNION : Employees may participate in the Tower Federal Credit Union through payroll deductions. Loans are also available to qualified applicants.

Your application, which includes any associated supplemental questions, must be complete at the time of submission and must clearly articulate the required work experience relevant to the position for which you are applying. The submitted electronic document must outline accurate dates to include (month and year) in association with each work history entry. Vague descriptions of experience will not be considered. Please include all pertinent experience in your application to include, full or part time, volunteer, military, acting capacity, or any other such work history that is applicable to the position for which you wish to be considered. Descriptions of duties that state "see resume" will negatively impact your candidacy as resumes cannot be substituted in lieu of a completed application. Applicants will not be contacted for clarification or additional information.

Are you willing to accept a salary offer within the salary hiring range commensurate with applicable experience / qualifications? $54,714 - $67,513

Do you possess an Associate's Degree or greater and three (3) years of related transactional paralegal experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience?

If you possess three (3) years of related transactional paralegal experience, please explain where you acquired this experience include your employer, position title, dates of employment, and position responsibilities. Be advised that "See Resume" is not an adequate response.

Do you possess experience reviewing proposed deeds, plats, contracts for accuracy and completeness?

If you possess experience reviewing proposed deeds, plats, contracts for accuracy and completeness, please explain where you acquired this experience include your employer, position title, dates of employment, and position responsibilities. Be advised that "See Resume" is not an adequate response.

Do you possess experience handle bankruptcy and / or collection claims?

If you possess experience handle bankruptcy and collection claims, please explain where you acquired this experience include your employer, position title, dates of employment, and position responsibilities. Be advised that "See Resume" is not an adequate response.

Do you possess experience preparing exhibits, drafting discovery requests and responses, as well as preparing deposition summaries?

If you possess experience preparing exhibits, drafting discovery requests and responses, as well as preparing deposition summaries, please explain where you acquired that experience include your employer, position title, dates of employment, and position responsibilities. Be advised that "See Resume" is not an adequate response.

Do you possess experience reading and interpreting legal and technical documents, statutes, regulations and case law?

If you possess experience reading and interpreting legal and technical documents, statutes, regulations and case law, please explain where you acquired this experience include your employer, position title, dates of employment, and position responsibilities. Be advised that "See Resume" is not an adequate response.

Please describe any customer service or public contact you experience specifically relating to the general public, officers and officials, State and Federal government as well the Court Systems. If you do not possess any experience, please state N / A (Not Applicable) in the space provided below. Be advised that "See Resume" is not an adequate response.

Do you possess experience maintaining a high level of confidentiality in a professional setting?

If you possess experience maintaining a high level of confidentiality in a professional setting, please explain where you acquired this experience include your employer, position title, dates of employment, and position responsibilities. Be advised that "See Resume" is not an adequate response.

How did you hear about this position?

If you indicated "Job Fair" or "Other" in the previous question, please indicate which job fair you attended and specifically how you became aware of this position. Otherwise, indicate "N / A" (Not Applicable).

Do you possess a certificate in Paralegal studies?

Which of the following best describes your level of proficiency with Microsoft Office?

I understand I am responsible for maintaining the accuracy of my contact information, including my street address, my e-mail address, and my contact telephone numbers. My failure to maintain accurate contact information may result in my not receiving information regarding this job announcement and / or may result in my not being further considered for this employment opportunity. To update this information visit www.governmentjobs.com, click on the "career seekers" link, and follow the prompts.

I certify that the information submitted in this application is true and correct to the best of my knowledge. I understand that providing false, erroneous, and / or misleading information may result in elimination from the hiring process and termination of employment if hired.

Required Question

Salary : $54,714 - $105,506