Paralegal I - General Litigation

Los Angeles City Attorney's Office; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Retirement benefits (LACERS)

Onsite work at City Hall East

Job summary

Los Angeles City Attorney's Office seeks a paralegal to support the General Litigation Division. You will handle discovery, draft pleadings, and prepare trial materials under supervision of Supervising Attorneys and Deputy City Attorneys.

Strong ethics and independent judgment are essential. The position emphasizes timely communications with attorneys, City departments, and opposing counsel, plus coordinating with staff and performing routine office duties.

Qualifications

• Paralegal training certificate or 24 law-related college units required.
• Strong oral and written communication and ethics required.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision and meet deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Assist with discovery matters including interrogatories, requests for admissions, and production of documents.
• Prepare State and Federal court pleadings, legal memos, and declarations.
• Draft and review law & motion documents; coordinate with attorneys and City departments.

Skills

Oral and written comms

Ethics and integrity

Organizational skills

Independent judgment

Team collaboration

Education

Paralegal certificate

Law-related coursework

Tools

Law office software

Job description

About Us

The Office of the Los Angeles City Attorney is one of the nation's largest municipal law offices. With over 1,000 legal professionals, including 500 attorneys, the Office provides the City of Los Angeles (“City”) with the highest caliber of legal services, ranging from prosecuting criminal misdemeanors and playing a leading role in criminal justice reform to advising on homelessness initiatives, defending civil lawsuits and claims, and bringing civil enforcement actions in the name of the People of the State of California.

Guided by an overarching commitment to integrity, service and accountability, we find great meaning in the work we do and the services we provide.

We seek collaborative team players who understand that fulfilling our mission is key to making a positive impact.

Description

The General Litigation Division defends the City of Los Angeles and its employees in civil tort litigation, particularly in personal injury and property damage actions.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Paralegal will work closely with the Supervising Attorney and Deputy City Attorneys assigned to the General Litigation Division and perform paralegal assignments in litigation and non-litigation matters. The Paralegal assigned to the position will be working extensively on discovery matters including responses to interrogatories, requests for admissions, and requests for production of documents and digesting deposition transcripts. Other duties and responsibilities include: Trial preparation and trial support; Preparing both State and Federal Court pleadings, including necessary legal research, drafting of declarations, legal memoranda and law & motion documents; Communicating directly with the assigned attorney(s), City departments and personnel, and opposing counsel; Routine administrative duties, including but not limited to CityLaw entries; Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• (1) Certificate of completion of an accredited paralegal training program, or (2) a degree from a postsecondary institution that requires the successful completion of a minimum of 24 semester units, or the equivalent in law-related courses, which has been accredited by a national or regional accrediting organization or approved by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education.
• The position requires a self-motivated, quick learner who can exercise independent judgment and is able of working with minimum supervision. Good oral and written communication skills are also required.
• Applicants must possess impeccable ethics, excellent organizational skills, and have the ability to work well with attorneys and staff of this Office, personnel from other agencies, and members of the public.
• The hours for this position are generally from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday; however, flexibility is required. Reliable attendance and punctuality are mandatory.

Desirable Qualifications

• Experience in preparing draft correspondence, motions and oppositions to motions to compel, and other pleadings is strongly desired, as is facility with computer systems and software used in law offices.

Requirements for Application

• Resume
• Cover Letter; and
• Paralegal Certificate

Supplemental Information

Retirement Benefits:

Employees participate in the Los Angeles City Employees' Retirement System (LACERS), which includes mandatory employee pension contributions through payroll deduction. The City also contributes toward the employee's retirement benefit. Contribution rates are established by the applicable retirement system an may vary based on employee classification, membership status, and other factors. For more information, please visit:https://www.lacers.org/

Current Location

City Hall East, 200 N. Main Street, Los Angeles. Position is subject to assignment at any location of the Office of the Los Angeles City Attorney.

This position requires regular onsite work. Employer-provided parking is limited and may not be available for this classification. Employees may be responsible for securing and paying for parking at nearby facilities. Applicants are encouraged to review available commute and transportation resources through the City's COMMUTEwell program. For more information, please visit:https://lacommutewell.com/

Probation

For external applicants – Appointment to this exempt position (non-Civil Service) will be subject to a one-year probationary period as required by Section 1050 of the City Charter. Successful completion of the one-year probationary period will result in tenure with the office.

Conflict of Interest

This position is designated as Category 10 on theConflict-of-Interest Code.

Contact

Questions? Please [e-mail].

AS A COVERED ENTITY UNDER TITLE Il OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS OF DISABILITY AND, UPON REQUEST, WILL PROVIDE REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION TO ENSURE EQUAL ACCESS TO ITS PROGRAMS, SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES. TO REQUEST A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION, PLEASE CALL THE HUMAN RESOURCES DIVISION AT [phone].