Chief Paralegal

Location:

1 Hamilton County Square - Noblesville, Indiana, 46060

Hamilton County is one of Indiana’s fastest growing, highest educated and wealthiest counties in the state and the Midwest. Two-thirds of the workforce lives and works in the county -- a percent that has remained constant since 2010.  Hamilton County is continually recognized in rankings ranging from “Best Cities to Relocate To” and “Best City to Raise a Family” to “Healthiest County in Indiana” and “Happiest Suburbs in the Nation”.  Come be a part of all Hamilton County has to offer as we work together to serve the citizens of Hamilton County.

Job Description:

POSITION DESCRIPTION

COUNTY OF HAMILTON, INDIANA

POSITION: Chief Paralegal

DEPARTMENT: Board of Commissioners

WORK SCHEDULE: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., M-F

STATUS:  Full-time

FLSA STATUS:  Exempt

To perform this position successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function of the position satisfactorily.  The requirements listed in this document are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.  Hamilton County provides reasonable accommodations to qualified employees and applicants with known disabilities who require accommodation to complete the application process or perform essential functions of the job unless the accommodation would present an undue hardship.

Incumbent serves as Legal Department Chief Paralegal for the Board of Commissioners Legal Department responsible for managing administrative operations, supervising support personnel, managing projects, and providing paraprofessional and administrative support to the Legal Department.

DUTIES:

Supervises and directs support personnel, including, interviewing applicants, making hiring recommendations, orienting new staff, providing training and corrective instruction, establishing work goals, evaluating performance, determining significant changes in responsibilities, recommending personnel actions, including discipline as needed, keeping supervisor, and assigned staff informed of organization developments, and communicating and administrating personnel programs. Periodically plans, schedules, and conducts staff meetings.

Manages department projects. Oversees and conducts legal research including gathering information regarding laws, ordinances, regulations, court decisions, and similar materials. Reviews and periodically prepares summaries, oral and written reports, and presentations of research results and conclusions.

Reviews drafts of and periodically prepares County ordinances, resolutions, contracts, letters, pamphlets, handbooks, and legal documents.

Oversees pleadings filed with the court. Periodically drafts and files pleadings in court with the e-file management system.  Assists Court staff in coordinating County Attorney’s calendar for hearings and case deadlines including filing of all exhibits and documents needed for hearings and trials.

Responds to legal inquiries, serving notices of motion and orders, and preparing outgoing documents for mailing.

Oversees preparation of case calendars, exhibits, objections, discovery requests, interrogatories, requests for admissions, and deposition questions for the approval of the County Attorney Deputy County Attorney and/or Assistant County Attorneys.

Manages the standardization of the filing of pleadings with the court, including preparing and maintaining case tracking data, updating, and expanding form files and computerized forms for the approval of the County Attorney, Deputy County Attorney, or Assistant County Attorneys.

Audits and manages department budgeting (outside attorney’s fees, licensing fees, professional fees).

Manages real estate documents and transactions for right of way acquisition and condemnation proceedings. 

Serves as department systems administrator, including assisting and training department personnel with computer operation and software applications, monitoring system efficiency and workflow, researching manuals for problem solutions and new techniques to improve efficiency, performing routine maintenance, contacting service vendors or Information System Services Department regarding equipment and system problems, and periodically designing and updating standard forms and procedures.

Supervises and periodically performs various administrative tasks in assisting the Legal Department, such as drafting, typing, and proofreading correspondence and other documents, copying, filing and/or recording documents, maintaining calendar, and making telephone calls. Prepares and modifies documents including correspondence, reports, drafts, memos, and emails. Schedules and coordinates meetings, appointments, and travel arrangements.

Assists with municipal financing and the information contained in bond transcripts, official statements, and closing documents. 

Prepares, manages, and finalizes bond issues, including compiling all documents needed to manage the timeline, maintaining documents needed for the transcript, and recording all documents need for the closing. Assists with project equipment, materials, and professional services procurement for bond counsel.

Assists in processing department payroll, claims, and vouchers, including reviewing invoices and other documentation for accuracy, entering on computer, printing, and distributing various reports, and balancing with Auditor's records monthly.

Serves as administrative point of contact for set up and maintenance of office wide user information for various organizations and government databases.

Periodically attends interdepartmental meetings as directed by Department leadership.

Oversees proper maintenance of Department files and revises office procedures and operations as needed.

Maintains and updates department instructional manuals as needed for document preparation.

Maintains and updates detailed office equipment inventory on computer. Periodically works with vendors in selecting replacement and new equipment as needed.

Oversees annual destruction of obsolete Department files according to state requirements, including coordinating with appropriate Departments, delivering files to shredding site, and remaining until all Department files are shredded.

Maintains current knowledge of relevant issues, legislation, and technology by reading publications and periodically attending job-related seminars. Distributes seminar information to appropriate personnel and maintains records of seminar attendance and costs.

Manages inventory and ordering of office supplies, including unloading, and distributing.

Performs tasks such as organizing and setting up office related activities.

Performs related duties as assigned.

I.  JOB REQUIREMENTS:

Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice, business, or related field, and five (5) to ten (10) years of relevant experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience. Prior experience as a legal secretary and/or formal paralegal training preferred.

Possession of and ability maintain Paralegal Certification.

Possession of or ability to obtain and maintain notary public within specified period.

Thorough knowledge of, procedures and legal terminology, and ability to apply such knowledge to a variety of interrelated processes, tasks, and operations.

Practical knowledge of local, state, and federal legal developments. Attends training seminars and continued professional education opportunities.

Practical knowledge of standard accounting practices and procedures with ability to accurately prepare related reports, reconcile and balance account records, ensure accurate maintenance of Department records, and resolve discrepancies as needed.

Working knowledge of standard practices and policies of County Departments and local operations, with ability to apply appropriate procedures accordingly.

Working knowledge of Federal, State, and local laws governing County Departments, and ability to apply a broad range of legal operations concerns related to County operations and personnel.

Working knowledge of standard English grammar, spelling and punctuation, and ability to prepare correspondence, detailed reports, and process documents.

Ability to meet all hiring and retention requirements, including passage of a drug test.

Ability to assist in supervising support personnel, including, interviewing applicants, making hiring recommendations, orienting new staff, providing training and corrective instruction, establishing work goals, evaluating performance, determining significant changes in responsibilities, recommending personnel actions, including discipline as needed, keeping supervisor and assigned staff informed of organization developments, and communicating and administrating personnel programs. Periodically plans, schedules, and conducts staff meetings.

Ability to attend required advanced training provided by Indiana Prosecuting Attorney Counsel, the Indiana Supreme Court and or any other federal or state agencies.

Ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing with co-workers, other County Departments, news media, and the public, including being sensitive to professional ethics, gender, cultural diversities, and disabilities.

Ability to properly operate a variety of standard office equipment, including computer, printer, telephone, and copier.

Ability to understand, memorize, retain and follow oral or written instructions and present findings in oral or written form. Ability to appropriately respond to constructive criticism.

Ability to work independently to accomplish tasks and projects and with others in a team environment with minimum supervision often under pressure, and on several tasks at the same time. Ability to complete assignments effectively amidst frequent distractions and interruptions.

Ability to competently serve the public with diplomacy and respect, including occasional encounters with irate or hostile persons.

Ability to provide public access to or maintain confidentiality of Department information and records according to state requirements.

Shall interpret, implement, and comply with all employer and Department personnel policies and work rules, procedures, job tasks, including, but not limited to, attendance, safety, drug-free workplace, and personal conduct.

Ability to count, compute and calculate and perform basic arithmetic operations.

Ability to plan and layout assigned work projects.

Ability to compile, classify, analyze data, and make data-driven decisions.

Ability to compare or observe similarities and differences between data, people, or things and to coordinate, place, make determinations, and take action based on data analysis.

Ability to maintain appropriate, respectful interrelationships with co-workers.

Ability to occasionally work extended hours, weekends, and evening hours, and occasionally travel out of town sometimes overnight for training and occasionally respond to emergencies on 24-hour basis.

II.  DIFFICULTY OF WORK:

Incumbent performs a broad array of complex duties for the Board of Commissioners Legal department. Incumbent operates within general guidelines and rules, and exercises discretion and independent judgment in selecting the appropriate guidelines and/or rules to apply to specific cases or circumstances.

III. RESPONSIBILITY:

Incumbent performs duties within general guidelines where desired results are indicated. Incumbent is responsible for addressing unusual problems and/or circumstances and may discuss these with supervisor. Incumbent’s decisions have a substantial impact on departmental operations. Work product is periodically reviewed for soundness of judgment and overall adherence with departmental policies.

IV.  PERSONAL WORK RELATIONSHIPS:

Incumbent maintains frequent contact co-workers, other County Departments, , news media, and the public for purposes of exchanging information, explaining, and interpreting policies and procedures, resolving problems, coordinating office operations, and supervising personnel.

Incumbent reports directly to the Deputy County Attorney. Incumbent operates within and is subject to the administrative, fiscal, and operational framework of the Legal Department overseen by the Chief Compliance and Administrative Officer.

V.  PHYSICAL EFFORT AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Incumbent performs duties in a standard office environment involving sitting for long periods, sitting and walking at will, lifting/carrying objects weighing less than 25 pounds, hearing communication, speaking clearly, keyboarding, close and far vision, reaching, bending, depth and color perception, and handling/grasping/fingering objects, and exposure to potentially violent or hostile persons.

Incumbent is occasionally required to work extended hours, weekends, and evening hours, and occasionally required to travel out of town sometimes overnight for training and occasionally required to respond to emergencies on 24-hour basis.

APPLICANT/EMPLOYEE ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The job description for the position of Legal Department Chief Paralegal for the Board of Commissioners Legal Department describes the duties and responsibilities for employment in this position.  I acknowledge that I have received this job description, and understand that it is not a contract of employment.  I am responsible for reading this job description and complying with all job duties, requirements and responsibilities contained herein, and any subsequent revisions.

Hamilton County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We participate in E-Verify.