Legal Assistant II & III

AgUpdate; Honolulu (HI); On-site; USD 53,000 - 69,000; Full time

Job summary

State of Hawaii seeks qualified paralegals to support attorneys in a statewide civil service program. The role includes conducting legal research, preparing drafts and summaries, and providing preliminary legal consultation to department staff.

Level II and III responsibilities include building evidence, developing cases, and communicating complex legal information. Opportunities exist for advancement and training within a structured government office.

Qualifications

• Paralegal experience with knowledge of evidence, rules of procedure and legal research.
• Ability to write clear and comprehensive reports and documents.
• Strong reading comprehension of complex legal material and ability to follow instructions.

Responsibilities

• Performs paralegal work to support attorneys and provide preliminary legal consultation to staff.
• Establishes evidence, develops cases, performs legal research, and prepares drafts or summaries.
• May train new legal assistant employees and handle related duties.

Job description

Recruitment Number OHHI-25009
Salary: Legal Assistant II: $4,725 per month (SR-18, Step D)
Legal Assistant III: $5,107 to $6,221 per month (SR-20, Step D to I)
Hiring rates will be based on availability of funds, the applicant's qualifications, and other relevant
factors.
NOTE: Employees appointed to temporary positions may also gain membership in the civil service
upon satisfactory completion of an initial probation period of at least six months. Once you become
a member of the civil service, you become eligible to apply for promotion and transfer opportunities
to permanent as well as other temporary positions. You may also enjoy other rights and benefits
afforded to an employee in a permanent position with the exception of return rights and placement
rights associated with a reduction-in-force.

Duties Summary

Performs paralegal work in support of attorneys; provides preliminary legal consultation
services to line departmental personnel; establishes evidence and develops cases;
performs legal research; prepares drafts, outlines or summaries of legal subjects, laws,
statutes, briefs and other legal documents; and performs other related duties as assigned.
Level II reflects workers who are fully competent in basic paralegal functions, procedures,
techniques and skills, but must receive on-the-job orientation in State paralegal work and
develop working relationships with court personnel, State line departmental personnel,
attorneys, legal clerical staff and others who are contacted in the course of the work.
Level III provides the full range of paralegal services required in an assigned program
area. Positions independently provide preliminary legal consultation services to line
departmental personnel; establish evidence and develop cases; perform legal research;
prepare drafts, outlines or summaries of legal subjects, laws, statutes, briefs and other
legal documents and related duties. Work at this level may also include training new legal
assistant employees.

Minimum Qualification Requirements

Applicants will be placed on the eligible list for ALL levels for which they are
qualified.
To qualify, you must meet all of the following requirements:

General Specialized Total

Class Title Experience (years)

Experience (years)

Experience (years)
Legal Assistant II 4 2 6
Legal Assistant III 4 4 8

GENERAL EXPERIENCE/EDUCATION

Four (4) years of progressively responsible administrative, professional or analytical work
experience that provided knowledge, skills and abilities comparable to those acquired in four (4)
years of successful study while completing a college or university curriculum leading to a
baccalaureate degree. To be acceptable, the experience must have been of such scope, level and
quality as to assure the possession of comparable knowledge, skills and abilities; or
Graduation from an accredited four (4) year college or university with a bachelor’s degree.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE

Paralegal work experience which demonstrates that the applicant possesses knowledge of rules of
evidence; the legal system and procedures; legal research methods and sources of legal
information; and that the applicant also has the ability to understand and explain legal processes
and procedures; evaluate and analyze facts and legal issues; prepare legal reports, documents
and correspondence; speak clearly, and follow oral and written instructions.
The education or experience background must also demonstrate the ability to write clear and
comprehensive reports and other documents; read and interpret complex written material; and
solve complex problems logically and systematically.

Substitutions Allowed

1. Associates degree from an American Bar Association (ABA)-Approved Legal
   Assistant/Paralegal program with at least sixty (60) semester credit hours may be
   substituted for four (4) years of general experience requirement and two (2) years of
   specialized experience requirement.
2. Bachelor’s degree plus Certificate of Achievement from an ABA-Approved Legal
   Assistant/Paralegal program with at least twenty-seven (27) semester credit hours may be
   substituted for four (4) years of general experience requirement and two (2) years of
   specialized experience requirement.
3. Bachelor’s degree plus fifteen (15) semester credit hours from an ABA-Approved Legal
   Assistant/Paralegal program may be substituted for four (4) years of general experience
   requirement and one (1) year of specialized experience requirement.
4. Possession of a degree from a school of law approved by a nationally recognized,
   specialized accrediting body (or a law degree deemed comparable by a nationally
   recognized specialized accrediting body) may be substituted for four (4) years of general
   experience requirement and four (4) years of specialized experience requirement. Partial
   completion at an approved School of Law may be substituted for specialized experience,
   on the basis of fifteen (15) semester credit hours for one (1) year of specialized
   experience, up to four (4) years.

The information provided above represents a summary of the complete Minimum
Qualification Requirements. To view the Requirements in its entirety, please visit the
website:

https://files.hawaii.gov/dhrd/main/eccd/Class%20Specifications%20and%20Minimum%20Qualification%20Requirements/Group_II/2140mq.pdf