Paralegal I (Riverside) - Public Defender (Finance)

The County of Riverside Law Offices of the Public Defender is seeking to fill a Paralegal I position in Riverside. This is a full-time, in-office position and will have a 9/80 schedule.

As a Paralegal I, the incumbent will perform a broad range of paralegal duties for one or more attorneys engaged in administrative, civil or criminal law; assist in the preparation of cases for trial and hearing matters; prepare exhibits, witnesses and indexes documents for trial; and perform other related duties as required.

The department seeks candidates who have mental health court experience, experience working in a law office setting performing paralegal duties, and/or who are bilingual in English and Spanish.

Meet the Team!
It is the mission of the Law Offices of the Public Defender to provide the highest quality legal representation to any person unable to afford it for criminal, juvenile, or certain civil proceedings. The Public Defender strives to preserve human dignity in all cases where citizens' liberties are at stake. The Public Defender is dedicated to the principle that no citizen shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without competent, professional, and vigorous representation so that due process is implemented fairly, equitably, and without prejudice. The Public Defender is headquartered in Riverside, with additional offices providing support to residents in Banning, Blythe, Murrieta, and Indio.

Who May Apply
This recruitment is open to all applicants. Current employees of the County of Riverside and/or the County of Riverside Law Offices of the Public Defender may be considered before other applicants, depending on the volume of applications received. This recruitment may be used to fill current and future recruitments countywide.• Research and analyze law sources (i.e., statutes, ordinances, court decisions, criminal pleadings, police reports, legal documents and articles) for use in preparing legal documents (i.e., briefs, pleadings, contracts, deeds, opinions) for review, approval and use by an attorney.

• Interview witnesses, defendants and others in civil or criminal cases for pre-trial or pre-hearing declarations; respond to propounding discovery and discovery requests.

• Correspond with clients and witnesses; collect client background information; assist in the identification of rehabilitative placement resources; research and identify placement resources for alternative sentencing of clients and assist in the placement therein of clients.

• Draft motions, memoranda of points and authorities, interrogatories and answers, complaints and answers, cross-claims, affidavits, briefs, and declarations.

• Review legal documents and forms for completeness and conformance to specific requirements set forth in applicable legal codes; organize documents used in the prosecution or defense of suspects accused of major crimes.

• Review and process requests for criminal record background information in order to determine the existence or non-existence of prior convictions; obtain criminal record information and related documents and screens for legal sufficiency.

• Gather factual information and perform legal research not available through routine sources to assist an attorney in determining appropriate legal action.

• Perform preliminary analysis of legislative bills and research legislative histories.

• Summarize, organize and index prior opinions, testimony, depositions, and documentary material from interrogatories; organize and index trial documents; prepare exhibits and assist attorneys at trial by keeping track of exhibits, testimony and documents.

• May act as a liaison to County departments and outside agencies; may serve as an immediate assistant to a senior or supervising attorney and may assist in the training, selection and evaluation of lower-level paralegals.To be considered, you must upload a copy of your certificate(s), degree(s), transcript(s), and/or attorney written declaration, as an attachment to your application prior to submitting the application by the deadline.

Education: Successful completion of the education required by the State of California pursuant to the California Business and Professions Codes Chapter 5.6 Paralegals 6450 (c).

Education Options

(1) A certificate of completion of a paralegal program approved by the American Bar Association.

(2) A certificate of completion of a paralegal program at, or a degree from, a postsecondary institution that requires the successful completion of a minimum of 24 semester, or equivalent, units in law-related courses and that has been accredited by a national or regional accrediting organization or approved by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education.

(3) A baccalaureate degree or an advanced degree in any subject, a minimum of one year of law-related experience under the supervision of an attorney who has been an active member of the State Bar of California for at least the preceding three years or who has practiced in the federal courts of this state for at least the preceding three years, and a written declaration from this attorney stating that the person is qualified to perform paralegal tasks.

(4) A high school diploma or general equivalency diploma, a minimum of three years of law-related experience under the supervision of an attorney who has been an active member of the State Bar of California for at least the preceding three years or who has practiced in the federal courts of this state for at least the preceding three years, and a written declaration from this attorney stating that the person is qualified to perform paralegal tasks. This experience and training shall be completed no later than December 31, 2003.

Experience: None required. Previous mental health court experience and/or experience working in a law office setting performing paralegal duties is preferred.

Other Requirements

License: Possession of a valid California Driver's License.

Language: Spanish bilingual preferred, but not required.

Mandatory Continuing Legal Education: Must maintain a current paralegal certification or degree by certified completion of the mandatory continuing legal education (MCLE) post-employment standards. The Paralegal series is required to certify completion of MCLE credits every two years pursuant to the California Business and Professions Code Chapter 5.6 Paralegals 6450 (d).

Knowledge of: Principles of civil and criminal law and their application; legal research methods and techniques; preparation of briefs and opinions; resources available in a law library; trial and hearing procedures and rules of evidence; County government functions and legal responsibilities.

Ability to: Perform legal research; interview witnesses; analyze legal problems; prepare drafts of legal documents; present statements of fact and law; argue clearly and logically in written and oral form; interpret applicable state and federal codes, laws and statutes; work cooperatively with others.Contact Information

For more information regarding this position, please contact the recruiter, Stephanie Rodriguez, at (951) 955-5776 or via email at sterodriguez@rivco.org .