Paralegal

Paralegal-(24140873)

Why live in Helena, Montana?

Helena is surrounded by rolling hills and lofty mountains and is tucked below the Continental Divide. It is a relatively quiet place to call home where small-town living collides with outdoor adventure. Helena has a rich history and was originally founded as a gold camp during the Montana gold rush.

Why should you keep reading and consider working here?

We know you have other work options, but we ask you to consider working with us at the State of Montana Department of Administration. Our foundation of success is having effective working relationships, built on mutual trust and respect. We will challenge you to be the best you can be and will work hard to provide a work environment that allows you to succeed.

What is this career opportunity?

Montana public records laws, see MCA 2-6-1001 et seq., give citizens the right to inspect any “public writings” of the state except where prohibited by statute. Further bolstering Montana’s culture of open records, the state Constitution stipulates, “No person shall be deprived of the right to view documents.” Requests for public records, also referred to as Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, have significantly increased in number and complexity. Prior to releasing public records, agencies must balance the right to know with individuals’ right to privacy which is also protected under the Constitution. Given this complexity, the Department of Administration seeks to broaden its legal expertise in this important and highly visible arena.

The Department of Administration is seeking an individual to support requests for information as afforded under Montana public records laws. The incumbent will directly support and assist specialist attorneys and generally engage in the following duties:

Gather and compile information sought in a request for public records, typically in the form of emails, reports, memoranda, and other forms of legally available documentation; Conduct research and make recommendations on interpretations of case law and precedent; Track and maintain case files, work flow, legal documents, and case information; and Support litigation activities such as: summarize depositions and transcripts; prepare and respond to discovery requests.

While this position primarily serves the Office of Public Information Requests, there will be opportunities to support specialist attorneys in other areas of the Department such as: procurement, construction and human resources.

What are we looking for?

Education and Experience:

Associate’s degree in paralegal studies; or Bachelor’s degree in any subject and at least 18 hours of paralegal studies; Substantive experience providing legal support to attorneys; Alternate combinations of education and experience will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Competencies: 

Knowledge of:

Montana public records laws and processes support requests for information; Case file organization and management; Legal discovery procedures and techniques; and Investi¬gative techniques, legal concepts of state law, policies, adminis¬trative regulations, and case law.

Ability to:

Gather and compile a significant amount of information for presentation to a requestor; Manage work flow and timely responses; Communicate professionally and directly with requestors; Organize gathered records for production; Identify confidential and privileged material; Make decisions about the substance of material that will be released as part of a public record request; Appropriately redact confidential and privileged information with input from Attorney; Provide litigation support, though lawsuits are somewhat rare in this field. Work independently, effectively time manage, and meet varying demands of position which may include extremely short deadlines, complex and detailed projects; Calendar critical deadlines and set appropriate task reminders; Provide public records customer service support to requesters and agencies; Act with initiative and apply sound judgment to a variety of assignments; and Handle confidential and sensitive material;

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