Paralegal

State of Montana; East Helena (MT); On-site; USD 42,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

The State of Montana's Office of Legal Services seeks a Paralegal to provide vital legal and administrative support that helps the Employment Standards Division deliver timely, accurate, and well-organized work. You will conduct legal research, prepare and file documents, organize case materials, and support staff attorneys before courts and agencies.

This role offers mentorship from staff attorneys, exposure to the full lifecycle of cases, and opportunities to develop skills in legal writing,

Qualifications

• Experience supporting legal work through research, writing, and case preparation.
• Experience filing legal documents with courts and agencies.
• Experience maintaining confidential case files and legal records.
• Strong written and verbal communication with diverse audiences.
• Ability to manage multiple assignments and deadlines.
• Familiarity with calendar and deadline management in legal contexts.

Responsibilities

• Conduct legal research to support staff attorneys and case preparation.
• Prepare and file legal documents for courts, agencies, and hearings.
• Maintain organized case files and records for accessibility and confidentiality.
• Review and organize evidence, documents, and correspondence.
• Track deadlines and calendars; provide timely reminders to attorneys.
• Coordinate with attorneys, clients, court staff, and external parties.

Skills

Legal research

Legal writing

Court filing

Case management

Deadline tracking

Professional communication

Accuracy

Multitasking

Education

Paralegal studies or related degree

Tools

Microsoft Outlook

Case management software

Job description

Note: Employees for the State of Montana must reside within Montana. All applications and required application documents must be submitted through the MT Careers site at: https://mtstatejobs.taleo.net/careersection/200/jobdetail.ftl?job=26142181&tz=GMT-06%3A00&tzname=America%2FDenver

The Legal Services team supports lawful, effective public service that benefits Montana communities, workers, and businesses. As a Paralegal, you will provide vital legal and administrative support that helps the Office of Legal Services deliver timely, accurate, and well-organized work. This role offers an opportunity to apply and grow your legal-support skills in a collaborative environment that values professionalism, sound judgment, and continuous improvement.

MISSION STATEMENT:

Empowering all Montanans through work and opportunity.

It’s about the people and the impact we make in our communities every day. We are proud of our open, team-based, supportive, and collaborative work environments. Learn more about DLI here.

POSITION OVERVIEW:

Legal Services provides legal guidance, representation, and support to advance the work of the Employment Standards Division. The Paralegal conducts legal research, prepares and files legal documents, organizes case materials, and supports staff attorneys in managing matters before courts, administrative agencies, and hearing offices. This position helps ensure that legal work is accurate, timely, and accessible by maintaining reliable case records, monitoring deadlines, and coordinating effectively with internal and external partners. The successful candidate will balance multiple assignments while providing professional, service-oriented support to the Office of Legal Services.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU:

• Direct experience preparing, filing, and managing legal documents before Montana courts, administrative agencies, and hearing offices
• Mentorship from staff attorneys while researching statutes, regulations, and case law that shape real Employment Standards Division matters
• Exposure to the full lifecycle of a legal case – from fact investigation and evidence gathering through deadline tracking and case resolution
• Skill-building in legal writing, discovery, and litigation support that strengthens your paralegal or legal-studies career
• The chance to see your work directly protect Montana workers and support fair, lawful business practices
• A professional foundation that can open doors to further roles within Montana’s legal and regulatory workforce

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Conduct legal research: Researches and analyzes statutes, regulations, codes, court decisions, rules, and other legal authorities to support staff attorneys and case preparation.
• Prepare legal documents:Drafts briefs, pleadings, appeals, contracts, affidavits, subpoenas, discovery requests, amended articles, and related documents for attorney review and use.
• File legal materials:Prepares and files documents with state and federal courts, administrative agencies, and hearing offices in accordance with applicable requirements and deadlines.
• Investigate case matters: Assists with fact development by interviewing witnesses, gathering evidence, reviewing information, and organizing supporting documentation.
• Manage case records:Maintains, organizes, and updates case files and legal records to promote accuracy, accessibility, confidentiality, and efficient legal operations.
• Track critical deadlines: Calendars hearings, briefing schedules, filing deadlines, and other key dates; provides reminders to attorneys and relevant parties.
• Coordinate professionally: Communicates and collaborates effectively with attorneys, clients, court personnel, agency staff, and outside parties in a professional and diplomatic manner.
• Prioritize legal support: Manages multiple cases and assignments, adjusts priorities as needs change, and completes work accurately within tight deadlines.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES:

• Legal research and analysis: Research, interpret, and apply statutes, regulations, court decisions, rules, and other legal authorities; analyze case law; and verify that legal authority remains current.
• Legal document preparation: Draft, format, proofread, and revise a variety of legal documents with close attention to accuracy, completeness, consistency, and attorney direction.
• Court and agency filing: Prepare and submit legal documents to state and federal courts, administrative agencies, and hearing offices while following applicable filing requirements and procedures.
• Case management and organization: Maintain organized, complete, and accessible case files, legal records, evidence, correspondence, and related materials.
• Deadline and calendar management:Track hearings, briefing schedules, filing dates, and other critical deadlines; organize priorities; and take proactive steps to support timely completion of work.
• Fact investigation and documentation: Gather, evaluate, and organize information through witness interviews, evidence collection, document review, and other case-development activities.
• Professional communication:Communicate clearly, respectfully, and diplomatically in writing and verbally with attorneys, clients, court staff, agency personnel, and external partners.
• Accuracy and adaptability: Produce high-quality work with strong attention to detail while managing changing priorities, multiple assignments, and time-sensitive legal matters.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS (Education and Experience):

• Demonstrated experience supporting legal work through legal research, writing, litigation support, case preparation, document review, records management, or comparable administrative coordination.
• Experience researching, interpreting, and applying laws, rules, regulations, court requirements, policies, procedures, or other authoritative materials.
• Experience preparing, proofreading, organizing, and filing formal documents requiring accuracy, consistency, confidentiality, and careful deadline management.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience interacting professionally with diverse audiences and explaining or coordinating complex information.
• Experience maintaining confidential case files, legal records, sensitive documents, or other materials requiring sound judgment and appropriate privacy practices.
• Proficiency using Microsoft Outlook, calendar tools, office software, and electronic records, case-management, or document-management systems; knowledge of legal practice-management software is preferred.

A bachelor’s degree, or formal training in paralegal studies, legal studies, criminal justice, public administration, business administration, or a closely related field may supplement relevant professional experience but is not a substitute for demonstrated skills and competencies in the areas noted above. Equivalent combinations of education, training, and directly related experience will be considered.

BENEFITS:

Being able to enjoy the quality of life in the beautiful state of Montana is one of the benefits you will love about this opportunity! Our mountains, waterways and open spaces provide not only beautiful scenery but year-round recreational opportunities including hiking, camping, biking, fishing, boating, hunting, skiing and snowmobiling. Montana boasts a high-quality education system and a variety of entertainment including fairs, rodeos, and theaters. Read more about our great state here.

See our other incredible benefits here. These are some of our benefits just to name a few:

• Work/life balance with hybrid schedules or partial telework may be available within the state of Montana.
• 38 paid days off a year including vacation, sick leave and holidays.
• Military leave: You’ll get up to 15 days of military leave with full pay.
• Longevity raises with continuous service, as well as any negotiated market increases and state statutory raises.
• Health, dental, vision, life insurance coverage, flexible spending accounts, EAP – click here to learn more.
• Free telehealth and access to free employee medical clinics through our medical plan – click here to learn more.
• Choice between two retirement plans with an employer contribution between 8.73% – 9.07% of your annual salary. A third optional 457(b) deferred compensation plan is also available. — Click here to learn more.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness- Employment with the State of Montana may qualify you to receive loan forgiveness- click here to learn more!
• Career progression, training opportunities and room for professional growth.
• State employee discounts at various businesses across the state.

*This position may be covered by a Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA)

++E-Verify:++

This agency is participating in E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility. After accepting a job offer and completing Form I-9, your information will be submitted to the Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration for verification. For more information about E-Verify, please visit the E-Verify website found here, https://www.e-verify.gov/