Paralegal 1/2

Salary

Depends on Qualifications

Location

Baton Rouge, LA

Job Type

Classified

Job Number

KB

Department

DPS-Office of State Police

Opening Date

11/07/2025

Closing Date

11/14/2025 11:59 PM Central

About the Job

At DPS, PSS, Office of Legal Affairs, our mission is to empower communities and improve lives by delivering responsive, inclusive, and forward-thinking public services. We are proud to serve the people of Louisiana with integrity, innovation, and a deep commitment to equity.

We're looking for paralegals to join our legal division — a proactive, people-focused team working to attract and support the talent that drives our mission forward. The paralegal will perform a variety of legal tasks for attorneys/legal advisors in the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, Public Safety Services, Office of Legal Affairs.

If you're driven, collaborative, and ready to make an impact—this could be the opportunity for you

Selected Preferred Competencies:

• Accepting Direction: The ability to accept and follow directions from those higher in the chain of command.
• Communicating Effectively: The ability to relay information correctly and appropriately to connect people and ideas.
• Demonstrating Accountability: The ability to accept ownership for your actions, behaviors, performance, and decisions.
• Displaying Professionalism: The ability to recognize how your actions impact the perceptions of both you and your organization.
• Following Policies and Procedures: The ability to comply with policies and procedures of the organization as well as state Civil Service rules and all applicable Federal and State laws.
• Managing Time: The ability to control your time to increase effectiveness, efficiency, or productivity.

Completion of an approved Paralegal or Legal Assistant program approved by the American Bar Association (ABA), or at an accredited college or university; OR

Possession of a Certified Paralegal (CP) certification issued by the National Association of Legal Assistants, Inc.; OR

A Juris Doctorate.

NOTE:

Disbarred attorneys and those who have permanently resigned from the practice of law in lieu of discipline may not be hired in any position in connection with the practice of law. Suspended attorneys or an attorney transferred to disability inactive status during the period of suspension may not be hired in any position in connection with the practice of law unless such hiring is first preceded by the submission of a fully executed registration statement to the Office of Disciplinary Counsel, on a registration form provided by the Louisiana Disciplinary Board and approved by the Louisiana Supreme Court. See Rule 5.5(e)(1) of the Louisiana Rules of Professional Conduct; In Re Davenport, La. 11/3/21) and 326 So.3d 882; In re Sharp, La. 1/11/13), 106 So.3d 105. The hiring agency is responsible for conducting the necessary background checks prior to appointment.

The official job specifications for this role, as defined by the State Civil Service, can be found here.

Job Duties:

This position provides paralegal assistance to a team of attorneys in OLA, which is managed by an Assistant Secretary, a Deputy General Counsel, one (1) Attorney Supervisor, and currently seven (7) attorneys.

• Conducts legal research on a wide variety of issues and levels using Westlaw, law library, and other legal resources and materials.
• Communicates verbally by making and receiving phone calls, and in writing via email and formal correspondence, in a professional manner with the public, the judiciary, law enforcement officers, legal professionals, and members of Public Safety Services.
• Assist with accepting services of legal citations and subpoenas for the agency and employees, and distributing them properly.
• Works as a second-line assistant for composing briefs, memoranda, and other legal correspondence.
• Assist with drafting pleadings and setting up interviews with potential witnesses and gathering vital information needed in the preparation for hearings and or trials.
• Assist with maintaining files and reference manuals/materials; ensures confidentiality of information, as necessary. Responsible for communicating with the legal staff about the receipt of documents in the office, and may need to deliver and pick up various materials as needed.
• Responsible for maintaining the organization of the OLA's legal library.
• Assist with creating and maintaining electronic files in the OLA database and assisting with the retention and destruction of paper files in the OLA file room.

Position-Specific Details:

Appointment Type: Probational, Promotional, or Job Appointment.

Career Progression: This position participates in a Career Progression Group.

Work Schedule: Work hours are 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday – Friday.

Location: This vacancy is located in East Baton Rouge Parish.

Compensation: The salary offered will be determined based on qualifications and experience. The bi-weekly rate for this position is as follows:

Paralegal 1/2 (AS612) - $1,

Louisiana is a State As a Model Employer (SAME) that supports the recruitment, hiring, and retention of individuals with disabilities.

How To Apply:

No Civil Service test score is required in order to be considered for this vacancy.

Applicants are responsible for checking the status of their application to determine where they are in the recruitment process. Further status message information is located under the Information section of the Current Job Opportunities page.

• Information to support your eligibility for the position must be included in the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education). Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completed education and experience sections. Applications may be rejected if incomplete.

Contact Information:

For further information about this vacancy, contact: Department of Public Safety

ATTN: Human Resources/Katy Bradley

P.O. BOX 66614

Baton Rouge, LA. 70896

Email:

The Department of Public Safety and Corrections, Public Safety Services, is a State as a Model Employer (SAME) agency that supports improved employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. For more information on employment-related resources available for those with disabilities, refer to the Louisiana Employment Resource Guide .

Louisiana State Government represents a wide variety of career options and offers an outstanding opportunity to make a difference through public service. With an array of career opportunities in every major metropolitan center and in many rural areas, state employment provides an outstanding option to begin or continue your career.

As a state employee, you will earn competitive pay, choose from a variety of benefits, and have access to a great professional development program:

Insurance Coverage More information can be found at

Parental Leave – Up to six weeks paid parental leave

More information can be found at

Holidays and Leave – State employees receive the following paid holidays each year:

• New Year's Day
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day,
• Mardi Gras,
• Good Friday,
• Memorial Day,
• Independence Day,
• Labor Day,
• Veteran's Day,
• Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

***** Additional holidays may be proclaimed by the Governor

State employees earn sick and annual leave which can be accumulated and saved for future use. Your accrual rate increases as your years of service increase.

Retirement– State of Louisiana employees are eligible to participate in various retirement systems (based on the type of appointment and agency for which an employee works). These retirement systems provide retirement allowances and other benefits for state officers and employees and their beneficiaries. State retirement systems may include (but are not limited to):

• Louisiana State Employees Retirement System ). LASERS has provided this video to give you more detailed information about their system
• Teacher's Retirement System of Louisiana ),
• Louisiana School Employees Retirement System ), among others