PARALEGAL II

at City of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois, United States

Job Description

Description:

JOB/BID ANNOUNCEMENT

Paralegal II

Civilian Office of Police Accountability

Number of Positions: 1 (Additional vacancies possible pending budget approval)

Salary: $64,668 (Non-negotiable)

This position is open to the public and all current city employees covered under the City’s Collective Bargaining Agreement with AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE, COUNTY, AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES (AFSCME) – BARGAINING UNIT 1, 3, 4 & 5. Only employees in City job titles in this bargaining unit are eligible to bid.

BID INSTRUCTIONS: Apply on the bid site: https://chicago.taleo.net/careersection/103/jobsearch.ftl?lang=en AND

1. Check the box on your profile titled “Currently employed by the City of Chicago”

2. Enter your employee ID (located on your pay stub labeled ‘payee/employee number’)

3. Select your correct bargaining unit

FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS WILL RESULT IN A REJECTED BID APPLICATION

Under supervision, this position with the Civilian Office of Police Accountability functions at the senior level, providing paraprofessional legal and administrative support to attorneys and investigators, and performs related duties as required

ESSENTIAL DUTIES :

+ Assists attorneys in anticipation of litigation

+ Collects and organizes information and legal documents to respond to subpoenas and requests for information to prepare for motions, trials, and depositions

+ Reviews and examines legal digests such as Lexis Nexis and Westlaw to conduct legal research for attorneys

+ Researches and analyzes statutes, judicial decisions, and legal codes at it pertains to information requests

+ Prepares and summarizes legal documents (e.g. summonses, motions, subpoenas)

+ Prepares subpoenas, as directed by attorneys; Prepares and writes documents for answers and discovery

+ Indexes court documents and depositions for record keeping purposes

+ Prepares and maintains documents for motions, pleadings, and claims

+ Prepares exhibits and documents to support investigations and in preparation for legal proceedings; Attends court proceedings on behalf of agency

+ Delivers legal or proprietary documents to offices, personnel, and courtrooms, as required

+ Coordinates and oversees routine legal functions of subordinate staff, as required

+ Responds to legal inquiries, distributes notices of motion and orders, and prepares outgoing documents for mailing

+ Notarizes documents

NOTE: The list of essential duties is not intended to be exhaustive; there may be other duties that are essential to particular positions within the class

Location : 1615 W. Chicago Ave, 4 th floor, Chicago, IL 60622

Days: Monday – Friday

Hours: 9:00am to 5:00pm

THIS POSITION IS IN THE CAREER SERVICE

Qualifications:

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s degree, and a paralegal certificate from a paralegal training program accredited by the American Bar Association, or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience

SELECTION REQUIREMENTS

This position requires applicants to complete an interview which will include a written exercise and/or a skills assessment test as part of the interview. The interviewed candidate(s) possessing the qualifications best suited to fulfill the responsibilities of the position, based on the oral and written parts of the interview will be selected.

Preference will be given to candidates possessing the following

· Bachelor’s degree or higher

· Previous experience as a paralegal in criminal or civil litigation

· Previous work experience as a paralegal

· Previous work experience researching and responding to information request

such as discovery and subpoenas

· The ability to read, write and speak any language other than English

Application Evaluation: Initial evaluation will be based on information provided on the application and the documents submitted. Department of Human Resource staff will review applications after the final posting date. Staff will follow any and all required Employment/Hiring Plan provisions, federal, state and local laws, and Collective Bargaining Agreements when applicable. Staff will apply hiring preferences as required by the municipal code. Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications will be placed on an eligibility list in lottery order. Placement on an eligibility list is not an offer or guarantee of an interview nor employment with the City of Chicago.

Education & Employment Requirements and Verification: You must provide information about your educational background and work experience including job titles, dates of employment (month/year), and specific job duties on your resume and/or application as it relates to the qualifications of the position for which you are applying. ‘Acting Up’ cannot be considered for current City employees. Please attach all applicable transcripts, diplomas, licenses, and/or certificates as outlined on the job posting for the position you are applying for. The initial evaluation will be based on information provided and documents submitted with the application. Applications must be submitted by the individual applicant. Employment applications lacking the required documentation will not be considered. For information regarding the required attachments, please review the description section of the job posting. Please be advised that if you are selected to be hired you must provide, upon request, adequate information regarding your educational and employment history. If you have received your degree internationally, you will be required to provide a Foreign Credential Evaluation. If the City of Chicago cannot verify this information, any offer extended to you will be withdrawn and you will not be hired.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY: To further our commitment to hiring applicants with diverse experience the City of Chicago has adopted the following ordinances 2-74-020 and 2-74-075. The ordinances provide a preference to applicants who meet minimum qualifications to be referred to departments for consideration. Hiring preferences do not apply to bidders, as Collective Bargaining Agreements define the hiring process for bidders. For positions covered by a collective bargaining agreement, bidders will be considered before external candidates.

To honor the commitment of our veterans, the City of Chicago has amended city ordinance 2-74-020 to bolster the hiring preference for individuals who have served in the United States Armed Forces and were discharged or released therefrom under Honorable Discharge or General Discharge (Under Honorable Conditions). The City of Chicago further recognizes an individual who has completed the term of their initial contract as a Reservist or member of the National Guard and is actively serving in good standing. Veterans who claim Veteran’s preference must submit the following at the time of onboarding: DD214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty that must show the Veterans’ character of service upon discharge. If an individual is still in the Reserve or National Guard, a letter from the Commanding Officer, Unit Representative, or Personnel Staff Officer (S-1) stating the individual is serving in “good standing” and has completed their first term of their initial contract. In order to receive the veterans preference, candidates must answer “yes” to the question on the online application that asks, "Have you been discharged or released therefrom the United States Armed Forces under Honorable Discharge or General Discharge (Under Honorable Conditions) OR have you completed the term of your initial contract as a Reservist or member of the National Guard and are actively serving in good standing AND do you wish to be considered for a Veteran’s preference in hiring