Paralegal II

Introduction

The Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of Maryland. The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) has the general charge, supervision, and direction of the State’s legal business, acting as legal advisors and representatives of the major agencies, various boards, commissions, officials, and institutions of State Government. The OAG also protects the public by civil enforcement of antitrust, civil rights, consumer protection, and securities laws and regulations and by the prosecution of organized crime, Medicaid fraud, environmental crimes, insurance fraud, state tax evasion, and other statutorily assigned matters. As Maryland’s 47th Attorney General, Anthony G. Brown leads the Office with a critical focus on equity, justice, and fairness.\r\n

GRADE

\r\n12\r\n\r\n\r\nThis position offers a salary range of $51,580- $72,159, with potential for advancement up to $79,673 based on qualifications, equity, and hiring guidelines. Initial salary offers are determined by qualifications, experience, and available budget, and typically do not exceed $72,159.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

LOCATION OF POSITION

Office of the Attorney General\r\nCivil Litigation Division \r\nCorrection Litigation Unit \r\n200 St. Paul Place \r\nBaltimore, Maryland 21202\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Main Purpose of Job

\r\nThe\r\nOAG’s Civil Litigation Division defends the State and its employees in both\r\nstate and federal courts in the most significant civil cases the State\r\nconfronts, while also taking strategic legal action on behalf of the State. Beyond litigation, the Civil Litigation\r\nDivision also serves as a trusted resource – offering legal guidance,\r\ncoordination, and support to other divisions within the OAG. The Civil Litigation Division consists of\r\napproximately 30 attorneys across several units, including the Federal\r\nAccountability Unit, the Contract Litigation Unit, the Tort Litigation Unit,\r\nand the Correctional Litigation Unit.\r\n\r\n\r\nThe\r\nOAG is seeking a Paralegal in the Correctional Litigation Unit within the Civil\r\nLitigation Division to provide direct support to Assistant Attorneys General in\r\na fast-paced environment. The\r\nCorrectional Litigation Unit is comprised of a dedicated team of 12, including 10 attorneys, one\r\nparalegal, and one management associate.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe\r\nCorrectional Litigation unit plays a critical role in defending the State\r\nagainst federal lawsuits filed by current and former incarcerated individuals.\r\nThis team handles complex litigation brought pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 1983,\r\naddressing constitutional claims under the First, Eighth, and Fourteenth\r\nAmendments, as well as violations of federal statutes like the Americans with\r\nDisabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act, and the Religious Land Use and\r\nInstitutionalized Persons Act. Cases may also have ancillary State\r\nconstitutional claims and common law torts, adding depth and complexity to the\r\nwork.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

POSITION DUTIES

\r\nThe Paralegal will\r\nbe integral to the success of the Unit, performing duties that enable the\r\nattorneys to focus on more complex legal tasks and strategy. Building on\r\nfoundational paralegal experience, the Paralegal will:\r\n\r\n\r\n Assist\r\n trial attorneys in their preparation and processing of legal documents relating\r\n to civil litigation, i.e., motions and memoranda before the U.S.\r\n District Court for the District of Maryland, U.S. Court of Appeals for the\r\n Fourth Circuit, State trial and appellate courts, deposition and trial\r\n exhibits, discovery materials, expert witness reports, appellate briefs, MDEC\r\n and PACER electronic filings.\r\n Be\r\n responsible for establishing and maintaining an electronic document control\r\n system for e-discovery, as well as case file management, including the\r\n preparation, organization and maintenance of files containing documents\r\n produced during discovery, memoranda, correspondence, expert reports,\r\n deposition testimony, fact-witness diaries and personal records,\r\n attorney-client correspondence, attorney work-product, and pleadings. \r\n Perform\r\n legal and other research relating to civil litigation, as well as analyzing\r\n documents and selecting, summarizing and characterizing specific information\r\n pertaining to the issues in each case, including abstracting depositions,\r\n preparing medical chronologies, assembling fact-witness files, and preparing\r\n case chronologies. \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThis position\r\nrequires a strong working knowledge of legal and discovery procedures and\r\ndocumentation in both federal and state courts, as well as the ability to\r\nmanage multiple priorities with precision and efficiency. The ideal candidate will possess a keen\r\nattention to detail, strong organizational skills, and a proactive approach to\r\nproblem-solving.\r\n\r\n\r\nThe collaborative\r\nenvironment of the Correctional Litigation Unit encourages continuous learning\r\nand offers support from experienced legal professionals, making this a\r\nrewarding and challenging role for a dedicated Paralegal.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

\r\nEducation: Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.\r\n\r\n\r\nExperience: Three years of experience as a legal assistant or legal secretary performing legal research or preparing legal documents on behalf of an attorney.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nNotes: \r\n1. Thirty credit hours or a certificate in paralegal studies from an accredited college or university may be substituted for the required experience.\r\n\r\n2. Thirty credit hours from an accredited law school may be substituted for the required experience.\r\n\r\n3. Additional years of experience as stated above may be substituted on a year-for-year basis for the required education. \r\n4. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a non-commissioned officer in paralegal specialist classifications or paralegal specialist specialty codes in the legal and kindred field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.\r\n \r\n\r\n

DESIRED OR PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

\r\nPreference will be given to applicants who possess the following preferred qualification(s). Include clear and specific information on your application regarding your qualifications.\r\n\r\n\r\n Associate’s\r\n degree or higher from an accredited college or university.\r\n Five\r\n years of experience as a paralegal or legal assistant, to include legal\r\n research and preparing legal documents, preparing discovery materials, and verifying\r\n legal citations and references. \r\n Experience\r\n with e-discovery platforms.\r\n Experience\r\n with civil case management.\r\n Experience\r\n with MDEC and PACER filing systems.\r\n Knowledge\r\n of the rules and procedures of Maryland state and appellate courts, as well as\r\n federal courts.\r\n\r\n\r\n

LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS

Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operator’s license valid in the State of Maryland.\r\n

SELECTION PROCESS

Applicants who meet all the minimum and preferred qualifications will be included in further evaluation. The evaluation may be a rating of your application based on your education, training and experience as they relate to the requirements and preferred qualifications of the position. Applications must be submitted by the closing date. Information submitted after this date will not be added. \r\n\r\n\r\nIncorrect/incomplete application forms will not be accepted. It is essential that you provide complete and accurate information on your application to include all related education, experience, and employment dates. Please answer supplemental questions with complete answers. Clearly indicate your college degree and major on your application, if applicable\r\n\r\n\r\nFor education obtained outside the U.S., any job offer will be contingent on the candidate providing an evaluation for equivalency by a foreign credential evaluation service prior to starting employment (and may be requested prior to interview). \r\n \r\nIf applicable, successful candidates will be placed on the eligible list for at least one year. The resulting certified eligible list for this recruitment may be used for similar positions.\r\n

BENEFITS

STATE OF MARYLAND BENEFITS\r\n\r\n\r\nThe successful candidate will be eligible for subsidized health benefits (medical, prescription, dental and vision coverage) and life insurance; leave, including annual (vacation), personal, sick, and paid parental leave; and will be eligible for participation in a contributory defined benefit pension plan in which they are vested after ten years. State employees are eligible to participate in two supplemental retirement plans: the 457 Deferred Compensation Plan and the 401(k) Savings and Investment Plan. The State also offers a free mass transit benefit for local bus and express bus services.\r\n

FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS

\r\nOnline applications are STRONGLY preferred. Please upload a resume in addition to the on-line application. If the online application process is not available, please send your paper application and supplemental questionnaire to careers@oag.maryland.gov. TTY Users: call via Maryland Relay.\r\n\r\n\r\nIf you have specific questions about recruitment, email careers@oag.maryland.gov \r\n\r\n\r\nThe Office of the Attorney General is an equal opportunity employer that encourages all interested persons to apply regardless of race, color, religion or belief, ancestry, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, disability, pregnancy, family or parental status, veteran status, genetic information, or any protected category prohibited by local, State or federal laws.\r\n\r\n\r\n