Paralegal - Child Support

Milwaukee County Wisconsin; Wisconsin; On-site; USD 33,000 - 49,000; Full time

Job summary

The Department of Child Support Services within the Department of Health and Human Services seeks a paralegal to perform paternity and order establishment, review orders for modifications, and support state and federal remedies. Responsibilities include interviewing participants, drafting pleadings, updating case records in OnBase, and coordinating hearings.

Requirements: associate degree or paralegal certificate with one year of related experience; familiarity with OnBase, KIDS/wiKIDS and

Qualifications

• Must be a current resident of the State of Wisconsin.
• Associate degree in a related field with 1 year of paralegal or family law experience.
• Paralegal Certificate with 1 year of paralegal or family law experience.
• Basic knowledge of word processing and spreadsheets (including e-courts).

Responsibilities

• Interview participants face-to-face or by phone.
• Review data to determine actions (paternity establishment, order establishment, modification, interstate actions).
• Draft pleadings, motions, orders, and income withholding notices.
• Update case database with notes, locate efforts, court dates, and sanctions; communicate with parties.
• Investigate systems like KIDS/wiKIDS, CLEAR, CARES for demographics.
• Maintain case files and prepare information for hearings.
• Document files per state and federal regulations; OnBase management.
• Serve parties with legal documents as needed; perform other duties.

Skills

Time-management

Oral communication

Written communication

Analytical thinking

Problem-solving

Independent work

Interpersonal skills

Education

Associate degree in Paralegal/related field

Paralegal Certificate

Tools

OnBase

KIDS/wiKIDS

e-courts

CARES

Job description

Paralegal – Child Support Services Department of Health and Human Services

Hourly Pay Range $23.92 - $35.88 Closing Date: September 23, 2026, or sooner upon receipt of the first 50 application submissions received

Job Summary

This position provides paralegal services to the Department of Child Support Services, including paternity and order establishment, and reviewing child support orders for a modification. Duties include interviewing for information gathering, locating parties, facilitating genetic testing, legal document preparation, scheduling hearings, filing and case management. This position enables the Department to meet establishment obligations mandated under Wisconsin law and by Title IV-D of the Social Security Act.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Conduct face-to-face or phone interviews with participants.
• Review and evaluate data to determine and take next appropriate actions such as paternity establishment, order establishment, modification of court orders, interstate action, and eligibility for various support services.
• Draft pleadings, motions, orders, income withholding notices and other legal documents.
• Update database with document interview notes, locate efforts, court dates, sanction, and other information as required by state and federal regulations, communicate as necessary with parties via telephone, email or letter, request and withdraw benefit sanctions as appropriate.
• Investigate systems such as KIDS, CLEAR (law enforcement data base), CARES (Human Services system) and the internet to determine current demographic information for parties.
• Review and maintain case file materials to ensure that necessary information is prepared in advance of court hearings.
• Document files in accordance with state and federal regulations.
• Scan and locate documents in OnBase (electronic filing system).
• Serve parties with legal documents in the office when necessary to ensure case moves through establishment process in a timely manner.
• Performs other duties as may be assigned.

Minimum Requirements and Education

• Must be a current resident of the State of Wisconsin
• Valid Wisconsin Driver's License and access to a reliable insured transportation.
• An Associate Degree from an accredited College/Technical College and 1 year of experience working as a Paralegal or in Child Support or Family Law.
• Or a Paralegal Certificate and 1 year of experience working as a Paralegal or in Child Support or Family Law.
• Any Bachelor's, higher degree or law degree does not need experience
• Basic knowledge of all related computer and software applications, such as word processing and spreadsheets including e-courts

Preferred Experience

• Basic experience with Software Systems OnBase, KIDS/wiKIDS and e-courts knowledge

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

This position requires time-management, oral and written communication, analytic and problem-solving skills. Candidates must have the ability to work independently, develop in-depth knowledge of Child Support Program laws, regulations and policies, and apply that knowledge to a wide-range of situations to assist in the improvement of departmental performance. Candidates must be able to work effectively and harmoniously with other staff, case participants, the public and other agencies, and occasionally travel to offsite locations. Candidates need to have the ability to Push/Pull/Lift/Carry up to 10lbs as needed.

NOTE

NOTE: This ORIGINAL APPLICATION is open to qualified residents of the State of Wisconsin at the time of application. Candidates need to submit a full account of their training and experience (i.e., by submitting an up-to-date resume or by fully completing the application) during the application process and may also be asked to take additional written or performance tests as part of the selection process.

APPLICANTS MUST POSSESS MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AT TIME OF FILING APPLICATION