Paralegal

Otero County, Colorado
is seeking a

Full-Time Paralegal

• This individual will support the County Attorney and the

Otero County Department of Human Services’ Attorneys.

• The ideal candidate will have a paralegal certificate, County

Government experience (minimum of five years preferred), strong writing skills, and highly organized and detail-oriented. Must be familiar with Word, Excel, Outlook, and Adobe products.

• Starting salary at $40,817.00. Otero County offers competitive compensation commensurate with experience together with generous benefits including health insurance, dental, vision, life insurance, cafeteria plan, 401a contributions, and paid vacation and sick leave. Flexible schedule available.
• A more detailed job description and application can be found on the county's website.
• Please send your cover letter, application, and resume to

Amy White-Tanabe, County Administrator at 13 W 3rd St., Suite 212, La Junta, CO 81050, FAX to (719) 383-3090, or call for the email to send. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, but those received by March 17th, 2022, will be given priority.

OTERO COUNTY

PARALEGAL

DESCRIPTION OF WORK

General Statement of Duties:

Performs administrative, paralegal, and legal secretary functions for the County Attorney's

Office and DHS Attorney’s Office.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

Works under the general direction of the Board of County Commissioners, the County Attorney, and the Department of Human Services (DHS) Attorneys.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED

None.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1) Prepares pleadings and other legal documents for filing with the Court as required by the

County Attorney; prepares a variety of correspondence, agreements, memoranda, resolutions, ordinances, real estate documents, and other materials as required by the

County Attorney; obtains signatures and notarizes legal documents; produces and distributes documents to the Court, counsel, and other personnel; ensures proper service of parties according to the statute.

2) Composes general correspondence and routine litigation correspondence.

3) Drafts Court pleadings and documents under the supervision of the DHS attorneys, including orders for the Judges’ and Magistrates’ signatures.

4) Assists in trial preparation. Organizes case files, secures and organizes exhibits, prepares trial notebooks, and schedules witnesses.

5) Performs County Government and DHS legal research.

6) Performs other special projects as requested by the Board of County Commissioners, the

County Attorney or DHS Attorneys.

7) Prepares and maintains County Resolutions and Ordinances.

8) Maintains calendar of court appearances, filing dates, and expiration dates for the County

Attorney and DHS Attorneys.

9) Maintains “tickler system” and provides reminders as required.

10) Establishes and maintains litigation and administrative filing systems and records.

11) Prepares documents related to CDBG (Revolving Loan Fund) loans and conducts the closing.

12) Assists Assessor’s Office with BAA matters.

13) Assists Land Use Office with 1041 matters.

14) Provides backup administrative support to the County Commissioners' office upon request.

15) Performs other related duties as required.

OTERO COUNTY

PARALEGAL

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience

a) Graduation from a high school or GED; specialized training as a Certified Legal Assistant

(CLA) or Certified Paralegal (CP), CLA/CP preferred. b) Minimum of five (5) years experience with increased responsibility, experience working with local government and/or DHS preferred.

Necessary Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

1) Knowledge of legal terminology and legal research methodology.
2) Knowledge of procedures used in preparing legal documents.
3) Establish and maintain effective working relationships with other employees, attorneys, government officials, representatives of the court system, and the general public.

4) Advanced working knowledge and ability with personal computing applications – specifically Microsoft Office Suite (e.g., Word, Excel, Outlook), Adobe products (e.g.,

Reader, Professional)

5) Thorough knowledge of office practices and procedures, excellent clerical skills.
6) Thorough knowledge of standard office machines, equipment, and computer.
7) Excellent organizational skills and ability to prioritize workload.
8) Work independently and exercise mature judgment.
9) Communicate effectively, orally, and in writing.
10) Word processing skills.
11) Knowledge of county government operations.
12) Must be familiar with the Court of Appeals Rules and Water Court Rules.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Must possess a valid Colorado driver's license or have the ability to obtain one prior to employment.

Notary Public license or have the ability to obtain the training and certification.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described herein are representative of those that must be met by an

employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable

accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential

functions.

Work is performed mostly in the office environment requiring normal physical effort. Requires sitting for extended periods of time, and occasional walking. Requires dexterous use of both

OTERO COUNTY

PARALEGAL
hands. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus. Ability to lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderately quiet. May require some travel to gather information and perform other duties.

POLICY REQUIREMENTS

Formal application, rating of education and experience; oral interviews and references check; job-related tests may be required.

Employment is contingent upon the applicant passing a post-offer employment medical physical, and a mandatory post-offer employment drug screen.

Verification on any combination of driving record, criminal history, and/or workers' compensation history.

No medical inquiries will be made or workers' compensation information gathered until after a conditional job offer has been given to the applicant.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $40,817.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Education:

• Bachelor's (Preferred)

Experience:

• Microsoft Office: 1 year (Preferred)

Work Location: One location