Paralegal

About The State University of New York :

The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY's 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the state's only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.1 billion in fiscal year 2022, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit www.suny.edu.

Job Description:

About the Office of General Counsel

The Office of General Counsel (OGC) provides legal services and support to the Board of Trustees, the Chancellor and senior officers for the State University of New York (SUNY) at SUNY System Administration at Albany, New York, and the presidents and administrators of the campuses within the System. Under the leadership of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs and General Counsel, the SUNY Office of General Counsel is responsible for providing legal services to the System and the 29 State-operated campuses. The OGC consists of more than 45 experienced higher education attorneys, paralegals and support staff located in Albany at the System Administration headquarters and in campus-based offices at the four University Centers, Health Science Centers, and various SUNY colleges.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

The State University of New York System Administration, located in Albany, New York invites applications for the position of Paralegal. This position requires discretion and the handling of highly confidential information. Duties and responsibilities will include:

• Pro-actively coordinate with the OGC attorneys in preparing and proofreading a variety of legal documents for content, clarity, and grammar;
• Assist attorneys in all aspects of administrative proceedings including reviewing, scheduling, drafting, and submission of answers/responses, briefs, statements of fact, witness statements, evidentiary materials, and binders while ensuring timely submission of all materials and providing other support as assigned by supervising attorney;
• Maintain legal matters in OGC filing system - primarily responsible for inputting new Court of Claims filings, administrative hearings, and other litigation-related matters;
• Assist with running reports/searches/queries using the legal matter management system;
• Create and maintain various templates, databases, clause library and spreadsheet files as requested by attorneys or OGC leadership within OGC's case management system;
• Use reference materials to conduct basic legal research and resolve routine law questions under the guidance of attorneys;
• Provide OGC attorneys with litigation support including E- file set-up and maintenance, document and fact gathering, review and preparation of discovery materials, and coordination of work through outside counsel;
• Review, prepare and process affiliation agreements, and assist with contract editing and review;
• Compose correspondence and memoranda in connection with existing client matters;
• Maintain positive and professional relationships with client business units to facilitate cooperation in carrying out responsibilities;
• And other duties as assigned.

Requirements:

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree and/or paralegal degree or certification.
• Effective oral, written, and non-verbal communication skills.
• Excellent organizational skills, with the ability to handle a variety of projects simultaneously and prioritize effectively while paying attention to details.
• Active listening, judgment, and decision-making skill.
• Knowledge of modern office standard practices and procedures.
• Proficiency in using various Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, Access, Power Point and Outlook.
• Ability to learn other office technology and databases.
• Strong analytical skills.
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information.

Preferred Qualifications:

• At least two to three years of paralegal or similar experience in a legal department, law firm or similar setting.
• Ability to function effectively in a fast-paced environment with multiple and changing priorities and objectives.
• Notary public licensure.
• Ability to work effectively with internal staff and outside counsel.
• Experience with establishing and maintaining complex filing systems.
• Ability to organize and analyze large volumes of information and documents.
• Ability to manage a heavy workload and prioritize multiple projects.
• Ability to work independently while functioning well in a team environment.

Additional Information:

Salary is dependent on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, experience, education, training, and certifications. The range for this position is $60,000-$72,000.

Excellent Benefit Package which includes: NYS health insurance, free dental and vision coverage, competitive retirement options, tuition assistance, parental leave at full pay, and generous vacation, sick, and holiday time.

This position is located in Albany, New York.

Management/Confidential appointments work under the leadership and discretion of the appointing authority and are not represented by a union.

Offers of employment may be contingent upon successful completion of a pre-employment background check and verification of degree(s) and credentials.

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.

Application Instructions:

Interested candidates are invited to apply online. Please submit a cover letter, resume and four professional references when applying. The review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

State University of New York System Administration is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, creed, age, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, familial status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, criminal conviction, or retaliation.

Pursuant to Executive Order 161, no State entity, as defined by the Executive Order, is permitted to ask, or mandate, in any form, that an applicant for employment provide his or her current compensation, or any prior compensation history, until such time as the applicant is extended a conditional offer of employment with compensation. If such information has been requested from you before such time, please contact the Office of Employee Relations at (518) 474-6988 or via email at info@oer.ny.gov.

About The State University of New York :

The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY's 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the state's only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.1 billion in fiscal year 2022, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit www.suny.edu.

Job Description:

About the Office of General Counsel

The Office of General Counsel (OGC) provides legal services and support to the Board of Trustees, the Chancellor and senior officers for the State University of New York (SUNY) at SUNY System Administration at Albany, New York, and the presidents and administrators of the campuses within the System. Under the leadership of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs and General Counsel, the SUNY Office of General Counsel is responsible for providing legal services to the System and the 29 State-operated campuses. The OGC consists of more than 45 experienced higher education attorneys, paralegals and support staff located in Albany at the System Administration headquarters and in campus-based offices at the four University Centers, Health Science Centers, and various SUNY colleges.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

The State University of New York System Administration, located in Albany, New York invites applications for the position of Paralegal. This position requires discretion and the handling of highly confidential information. Duties and responsibilities will include:

• Pro-actively coordinate with the OGC attorneys in preparing and proofreading a variety of legal documents for content, clarity, and grammar;
• Assist attorneys in all aspects of administrative proceedings including reviewing, scheduling, drafting, and submission of answers/responses, briefs, statements of fact, witness statements, evidentiary materials, and binders while ensuring timely submission of all materials and providing other support as assigned by supervising attorney;
• Maintain legal matters in OGC filing system - primarily responsible for inputting new Court of Claims filings, administrative hearings, and other litigation-related matters;
• Assist with running reports/searches/queries using the legal matter management system;
• Create and maintain various templates, databases, clause library and spreadsheet files as requested by attorneys or OGC leadership within OGC's case management system;
• Use reference materials to conduct basic legal research and resolve routine law questions under the guidance of attorneys;
• Provide OGC attorneys with litigation support including E- file set-up and maintenance, document and fact gathering, review and preparation of discovery materials, and coordination of work through outside counsel;
• Review, prepare and process affiliation agreements, and assist with contract editing and review;
• Compose correspondence and memoranda in connection with existing client matters;
• Maintain positive and professional relationships with client business units to facilitate cooperation in carrying out responsibilities;
• And other duties as assigned.

Requirements:

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree and/or paralegal degree or certification.
• Effective oral, written, and non-verbal communication skills.
• Excellent organizational skills, with the ability to handle a variety of projects simultaneously and prioritize effectively while paying attention to details.
• Active listening, judgment, and decision-making skill.
• Knowledge of modern office standard practices and procedures.
• Proficiency in using various Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, Access, Power Point and Outlook.
• Ability to learn other office technology and databases.
• Strong analytical skills.
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information.

Preferred Qualifications:

• At least two to three years of paralegal or similar experience in a legal department, law firm or similar setting.
• Ability to function effectively in a fast-paced environment with multiple and changing priorities and objectives.
• Notary public licensure.
• Ability to work effectively with internal staff and outside counsel.
• Experience with establishing and maintaining complex filing systems.
• Ability to organize and analyze large volumes of information and documents.
• Ability to manage a heavy workload and prioritize multiple projects.
• Ability to work independently while functioning well in a team environment.

Additional Information:

Salary is dependent on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, experience, education, training, and certifications. The range for this position is $60,000-$72,000.

Excellent Benefit Package which includes: NYS health insurance, free dental and vision coverage, competitive retirement options, tuition assistance, parental leave at full pay, and generous vacation, sick, and holiday time.

This position is located in Albany, New York.

Management/Confidential appointments work under the leadership and discretion of the appointing authority and are not represented by a union.

Offers of employment may be contingent upon successful completion of a pre-employment background check and verification of degree(s) and credentials.

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.

Application Instructions:

Interested candidates are invited to apply online. Please submit a cover letter, resume and four professional references when applying. The review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

State University of New York System Administration is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, creed, age, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, familial status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, criminal conviction, or retaliation.

Pursuant to Executive Order 161, no State entity, as defined by the Executive Order, is permitted to ask, or mandate, in any form, that an applicant for employment provide his or her current compensation, or any prior compensation history, until such time as the applicant is extended a conditional offer of employment with compensation. If such information has been requested from you before such time, please contact the Office of Employee Relations at (518) 474-6988 or via email at info@oer.ny.gov.