Paralegal I (#MAFD01)
$35,721.00 Yearly Min / $44,651.00 Yearly Mid / $53,581.00 Yearly Max

Paralegal II (#MAFD02)
$40,446.00 Yearly Min / $50,558.00 Yearly Mid / $60,670.00 Yearly Max

Paralegal III (#MAFD03)
$45,798.00 Yearly Min / $57,248.00 Yearly Mid / $68,698.00 Yearly Max

Legal Services Administrator (#MAFD04)
$51,858.00 Yearly Min / $64,822.00 Yearly Mid / $77,786.00 Yearly Max

This class series uses four levels of work in the Administrative Services occupational group, Legal Services occupational series and describes paralegal work involving administrative and judicial proceedings regarding civil, regulatory, and/or criminal law. Work involves providing an agency's management staff or professional legal staff of legal support work. Work may include providing paralegal services to inmates as mandated by federal law. Activities include maintaining a law library and instructing inmates in the use of legal documents and resource material, legal document preparation, and research techniques.

Note:  This career ladder series incorporates levels I and II.  The I level is to provide entry for hiring new employees into the class series but does not preclude hiring new employees at the higher level.  Employees may be promoted through the career ladder in accordance with minimum qualifications and promotional standards. Promotional standards, a selection document under separate cover, sets forth the criteria that defines and describes the requirements that must be met at each level. Advancement of employees through the career ladder is dependent on an agency's/department's operational needs and distribution of work.

The Paralegal III and Legal Services Administrator levels, although not part of the career ladder, provide competitive opportunity for movement of employees.

Essential functions are fundamental, core functions common to all positions in the class series and are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all job duties for any one position in the class.  Since class specifications are descriptive and not restrictive, incumbents can complete job duties of similar kind not specifically listed here.

• Establishes and maintains case files.
• Reviews legal/court documents for completeness and accuracy.
• Compiles and evaluates facts to complete program, legal, and/or court documents.
• Provides administrative reports and recommendations for new/revised operating policies/procedures.
• Reviews state and federal codes, laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures to ensure compliance of legal actions/processes. 

Paralegal I

This is the first level of paralegal work.  

• Reports to a technical or administrative supervisor.  Receives technical guidance from the agency's legal staff, legal staff in the Office of the Attorney General and/or legal staff in the Office of the Public Defender.
• Performs the full range of Essential Functions.
• Identifies problems with legal/court documents and case files, alerts supervisor, and assists in correcting and locating required information, files, and necessary documents.
• Writes and places public notices in newspapers, notifies all involved parties of date and time for hearing, court appearances; attends public or court hearings, depositions, as part of job training.
• Gathers information to satisfy requests under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).  Reviews with technical superior prior to releasing.
• Acts in liaison capacity between superior and various interested parties and judicial and/or court staff, clients, defendants, plaintiffs, victims, witnesses, law enforcement agents, elected and/or appointed officials and the public to gather, clarify and provide information regarding case facts and status.

Paralegal II

This is the second level of paralegal work.

• Interviews involved parties to gather information for completion of various legal and/or court documents and evidence for case preparation. 
• Reviews law sources such as case law, judicial decisions, statute law, codes, regulations, and legal and subject matter articles to ensure issues are properly cited and provides superior with written details of similar cases including findings, judicial decisions, and memorandum/opinions of law.
• Assists with preparation of legal pleadings, e.g. briefs, motions, indictments, information and appeals.
• Maintains case files ensuring that the files contain complete and accurate information essential to each step of the proceedings from pre-hearing and/or pre-trial through trial and sentencing. 
• Follows-up to resolve problems, acquires missing information and completes required steps.
• Advises non-legal staff members on legal policies and procedures.
• Reviews and comments on proposed legislation and may draft legislation.
• May direct and coordinate the operation of a law library, assisting clients and establishing operating policies and procedures.
• May provide administrative and technical direction to support staff.
• Contacts include clients, defendants, plaintiffs, victims, witnesses, and law enforcement agents to gather information and/or evidence and advise and judicial and/or court staff for case scheduling and processing.

Paralegal III

This is the advanced level of paralegal work.

• Conducts case law research concerning precedents and past court decisions.
• Writes legal briefs and/or memoranda of law which sets out legal issues and   applications of law based on case facts.
• Conducts intake interview of investigating officers, interviews witnesses, clients and defendants on complex crimes usually involving multiple victims, defendants, and/or violations.
• Determines legal jurisdiction, how cases should be pursued, what additional information is necessary, who else should be interviewed, and what records must be searched. 
• Ensures procedural compliance through guidance and training to less experienced paralegal staff, law enforcement personnel, and agency administrators and/or managers.
• Assists legal staff at court proceedings to gather information, review applicable statutes, and various other discovery material.

Legal Services Administrator
This level is responsible for overseeing legal services to inmates and the paraprofessional legal services and support to either the Department of Correction’s, Law Library, Inmate Disciplinary Hearing and Video Conferencing functions; OR the Department of State’s Board of Pardons functions.

• Reports to an administrative supervisor. 
• Supervision is exercised over at least two or more merit full time positions per the Merit Rules. The elements of supervision include planning, assigning, reviewing, evaluating, coaching, training, recommending hire/fire and discipline.  
• Supervises, directly and through subordinate supervisors, either the Department of Correction’s Law Library, Inmate Disciplinary Hearing, and Video Conferencing staff; OR Department of State’s review and processing of petitions for pardons and commutations of sentence. 
• Provides technical leadership, guidance and training to department paralegal staff statewide.  
• May provide support services to the Board of Pardons by administering and overseeing the petition process, researching and evaluating information, and facilitating the decision-making process. 
• May monitor all institutional law libraries statewide to ensure the availability of mandated legal services to inmates.  
• Develops and facilitates training for the department paralegal staff. May provide training to inmates, paralegals and others on available legal services or the pardons/commutation process. 
• Reviews policies and procedures to identify legal compliance issues or problems and drafts policies and procedures.  
• Researches and drafts legislation.  
• Serves as liaison between the Department of Justice, Department of Correction and/or the Board of Pardons and other related agencies, with regard to civil and criminal litigation or resolving issues with requests for pardons and commutations of sentence.  
• Manages, tracks and documents all litigation or hearings. 
• Assists the Attorney General's Office by investigating all lawsuits by inmates filed against the Department of Correction staff or in working with the Attorney General’s Office in preparation for hearings. Interviews department staff or victims, family members, treatment personnel, and other interested parties.  
• Prepares written reports/responses for trial/hearing preparation. May assist in witness preparation for trial.  
• Contacts may include Wardens, Deputy Wardens, security staff, Attorney General's Office staff, court officials, paralegal staff, members of the Board, victims, families, or treatment personnel.

The intent of the listed knowledge, skills and abilities is to give a general indication of the core requirements for all positions in the class series; therefore, the KSA's listed are not exhaustive or necessarily inclusive of the requirements of every position in the class.

• Knowledge of state and federal codes, laws, rules, and regulations applicable to assigned area or program.
• Knowledge of policies and procedures applicable to assigned area to include administrative hearings, public hearings, evidentiary hearings, and civil and criminal court proceedings.
• Knowledge of the methods and techniques of basic legal research.
• Knowledge of effective communications.
• Ability to set work and time priorities.
• Ability to recognize pertinent information and develop methods for attaining information.

In addition to the above knowledge, skills and abilities, the Paralegal II requires:  

• Knowledge of research sources and methods, legal and program specific.
• Knowledge of interviewing techniques.
• Knowledge of legal ethics ensuring attorney-client confidentiality.
• Ability to collect evidence through one-on-one interview of variously involved parties.
• Ability in office organization, leadership, and training.
• Ability to research, document, and summarize law sources.

In addition to the above knowledge, skills and abilities, the Paralegal III requires:

• Knowledge of the principles, concepts and methods of legal research, analysis, and summary preparation applicable to case development and documentation.
• Skill in legal research methods and techniques.
• Skill in the preparation of legal documents.
• Skill in gathering information through one-on-one interviews.
• Ability to write legal briefs and/or memoranda.

In addition to the above knowledge, skills and abilities, the Legal Services Administrator requires:

• Knowledge of applicable department policies, procedures, rules, regulations and legal agreements.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of management and supervision.
• Knowledge of library, inmate disciplinary hearing, and video court operations, practices and procedures or Board of Pardons rules, regulation, policies, and procedures.
• Skill in researching and drafting legislation.
• Skill in training staff.
• Skill in developing policies and procedures.
• Ability to analyze and interpret data collected during investigations or review of petitions for pardons and commutation of sentence.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with representatives of the Department of Justice, the Department of Correction, the Office of the Governor, police agencies, and other related agencies throughout the State.

JOB REQUIREMENTS for Paralegal III
Applicants must have education, training and/or experience demonstrating competence in each of the following areas:

1. Two years experience in preparing and maintaining legal documents and case files.
2. Two years experience in legal research such as researching statutes, regulations, case law and background information.
3. Two years experience in interpreting laws, rules, regulations, standards, policies, and procedures.
4. One year experience in drafting legal documents and such as legal briefs or memoranda of law including presenting facts, setting out and analyzing legal issues and applying legal precedents.
5. One year experience in interviewing using structured or unstructured interview techniques to obtain facts, explore issues and identify courses of action.