In close association with an attorney or attorneys, Legal Assistants perform a variety of paralegal activities that require formal education and certification as a paralegal. When classified in agencies other than the Office of the Attorney General, Legal Assistants are typically assigned to Counsel's Offices.
The preponderance of duties performed by Legal Assistants is legal work, rather than office management or secretarial keyboarding activities.
LEGAL ASSISTANT 1: performance level; as directed by an attorney or Legal Assistant 2, performs less complex paralegal work, for example, legal research in areas where precedent may be expected; may perform limited analysis of the research obtained; limited program or case involvement.
LEGAL ASSISTANT 2: highest level in the series; independently performs the more complex paralegal work, for example, legal research in areas where clear precedent may not be found; provides an analysis of the information gathered with minimal direction from attorneys; reviews and analyzes complex materials; assignments are varied and require extensive involvement in the program area or cases.
Law Department Document Specialists type legal documents for attorneys, in the appropriate format, under the supervision of an attorney or higher level clerical staff. They also perform duties similar to those of a Keyboard Specialist 2.
Collection and Civil Prosecution Specialists attempt to collect payment of debts and perform related paralegal work, such as monitoring files in which legal process has been served, drafting papers for review by attorneys, performing occasional legal research, closing files, and monitoring enforcement of judgment.
Attorneys perform professional legal work in a variety of settings for State agencies.
LEGAL ASSISTANT 1
When in a litigation or administrative hearing setting, performs pre-trial or pre-hearing related activities.
Manages the flow of case-related materials.
May draft legal responses to the courts or other interested parties as directed or authorized by the attorney.
May answer routine complaints received from the public, either orally or in writing, and provides routine information regarding processes or procedures to the public.
LEGAL ASSISTANT 2
When in litigation or administrative hearing setting:
When located outside of a litigation or an administrative hearing setting, performs a variety of activities:
Legal Assistants 1 and 2 are expected to set their own priorities and manage deadlines in accordance with legal timeframes.
Legal Assistants 1 are expected to work closely with the attorneys that assign the work, but may independently perform portions of the work assigned. The scope and depth of their work is clearly defined by the attorneys.
Legal Assistants 2 are expected to perform independently the full range of duties allowed by their certification. They may be expected to have a caseload and manage all the related activities independently. Their work receives minimal oversight from the attorneys who assign the tasks.
Legal Assistants 1 and 2 are distinguished by the complexity of the work that they perform. Legal Assistants 1 are expected to perform the less complex paralegal activities related to the program area in which they are assigned. The Legal Assistants' 1 involvement is limited in complex programs or cases, but may be moderate to full level in less complex programs or cases. Legal Assistants 2 are expected to perform the highest level, most complex paralegal duties related to the areas in which they are assigned.
Legal Assistants 1 and 2 read, respond to, and prepare legal documents and other written materials. They speak with attorneys and other staff in their own agencies and, depending on the assignment, with outside attorneys or legal, regulatory, or enforcement staff, claimants, litigants, court staff, legislative staff, other interested parties, and the general public. They write letters requesting information, answer questions regarding the status of cases, and write responses to inquiries from the public.
Supervision is not required for classification of a Legal Assistant 1 or 2.
Legal Assistants 1 and 2 may directly or indirectly supervise lower level clerical and legal staff.
LEGAL ASSISTANT 1
Promotion: one year of permanent service in a position allocated to Grade 4 or higher whose duties are primarily clerical, secretarial, or administrative, and completion of a two-year traineeship.
Open Competitive: an Associate's Degree in paralegal studies; or a certificate of satisfactory completion in general practice legal specialty training from an accredited or ABA-cited institution; or law school graduation.
LEGAL ASSISTANT 2
Promotion: one year of permanent service as a Legal Assistant 1.
Open Competitive: a Bachelor's Degree in paralegal studies; or an Associate's Degree in paralegal studies and a year of experience as a paralegal assistant; or a certificate of satisfactory completion in general practice legal specialty training from an accredited or ABA-cited institution and a year of experience as a paralegal assistant; or law school graduation and a year of experience as a paralegal assistant. Candidates with either the Associate's Degree in paralegal studies or the general practice legal specialty certificate may substitute any Bachelor's Degree for the year of required experience.
NOTE: For current information on minimum qualifications, please contact the Division of Staffing Services.