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GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF CLASS
The PARALEGAL 2 performs, under the direction and supervision of an attorney, specifically delegated legal work
of moderate to substantial difficulty which, for the most part, requires general knowledge of legal principles,
concepts, systems, processes and terminology, and legal skills such that the work would otherwise have to be performed
by an attorney.
DISTINGUISHING FEATURES
This is the second level of a three-level series. This class is distinguished from the lower level by the greater
complexity and diversity of assignments and by the greater degree of judgment required in this position. It is
distinguished from the higher level by the absence of less difficult, exacting, and discreet nature of litigation-related
assignments. It is further distinguished from clerical and administrative classifications by the absence, for the
most part, of typical clerical and secretarial tasks.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Legal Assistance. Typical tasks: independently analyzes and interprets legal documents (e.g., motions,
orders, interrogatories, depositions, requests for admissions, all pleadings) and financial documents (e.g., personal
and corporate bank records and accounts, business bookkeeping records) to determine necessary parties, language,
and exhibits to be used in written legal statements of the facts constituting claims by the state (i.e. pleadings,
such as complaints which initiate proceedings, answers to complaints, cross claims, and third party claims); answers
interrogatories and locates, reviews, and segregates documents to be produced at discovery process of litigation
by drafting objections to document requests and reviewing and deciding which documents are called for; provides
for production and delivery of the documents; examines the records of opposing parties for purposes of determining
and acquiring those important to the client's case by drafting document requests and by reviewing and designating
relevant documents; reviews, analyzes, and drafts subpoenas, interrogatories, pretrial orders, stipulations, findings
of fact, opinions, petitions, responses to subpoenas, responses to motions, and other legal documents; prepares
legal arguments for attorney use in filing briefs and responses to more complex cases (e.g., Board of Parole Disciplinary
Review, Habeas Corpus, Post-Conviction) through research of statutory legislative history, administrative rule,
and case law by analyzing issues, summarizing cases, and drafting legal documents or memoranda based on the research;
researches and summarizes legislative histories; reads, understands, and summarizes arguments in opponents' pleadings,
memoranda, and briefs; locates, interviews, ensures availability, and prepares witnesses (including expert) for
litigation purposes; prepares for litigation by establishing time and location of depositions, preparing necessary
subpoenas, collecting and organizing relevant documents, outlining routine deposition questions to be asked, summarizing
proceedings, identifying key legal issues of the cases, preparing and organizing exhibits; reviews case files for
sufficiency of documentation and obtains necessary additional materials; summarizes, digests, and codes transcripts
from trials and other proceedings; independently computes legal fees, interest, and other costs as required for
preparation of cost bills, judgments, and other legal documents.
- Comprehensive Review and Analysis of the Construction of Statutes. Typical tasks: complies with ORS
174.020 so that the intention of the legislature is to be pursued in the construction of a statute; reviews and
analyzes Oregon and Federal statutes to detail the time and content of all amendments; analyzes individual acts
of Congress and Oregon Session Laws: reviews proposed legislative bills, proposed amendments to bills, and committee
minutes noting relevant proposals and changes; reviews and analyzes committee minutes and recordings of proceedings,
exhibits, staff analyses, and floor debate minutes for discussion and evidence significant to the issues presented;
reports verbally and in writing directly to agency attorneys from comprehensive summaries and conclusions resulting
from analyses regarding all amendments to Oregon statutes and regarding specific amendments to Federal statutes
and specific Oregon legislative bill histories as required by agency attorneys; maintains and periodically updates
agency's index of specific legislative research actions, which is used by all agency attorneys and legal assistants.
- Case Management Assistance. Typical tasks: coordinates with clients and representatives of the opposing
party regarding pertinent case records and case status; conducts computer organization of factual information;
assists in preparation of trial, appellate review, or administrative hearings by reviewing, organizing, and indexing
documents and managing document flow; maintains and updates casebooks and casefile logs; attends meetings between
attorney and client or third party and other case-related meetings and writes memoranda recording matters discussed;
prepares routine and nonroutine legal correspondence for own signature or signature by attorney; prepares status
reports and calendars and monitors for litigation process deadlines.
RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS
Employees in this class have daily in-person and telephone contact with clients, representatives of opposing
parties, court officials, witnesses (including expert), and consultants regarding case development, coordination,
and closure activities.
SUPERVISION RECEIVED
Employees in this class receive general supervision from a supervising attorney and direction from an attorney
responsible for a specific case, program, or project. Employees may also receive case assignment and work priorities
direction from a Paralegal 3. Work is reviewed for accuracy and compliance with established court and other legal
deadlines, guidelines, policies and procedures, and legal standards and ethics.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Positions require the willingness to travel in-state, including occasional overnight trips, and the willingness
to occasionally work long days and weekends. Some positions may occasionally require the willingness to work out
of doors.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- A two-year Associate's degree in Paralegal or Legal Assistant Studies; OR
- one year of general college
courses and a one-year nondegree certification program in Paralegal or Legal Assistant Studies; OR
- A one-year
nondegree certification program in Paralegal or Legal Assistant studies and one year paralegal experience or two
years of subparalegal experience (e.g., legal secretarial, administration of laws within a judicial or administrative
hearing process); OR
- two years of paralegal experience; OR
- three years of subparalegal experience;
OR
- one year of Law School; OR
- a Bachelor's degree in a field related to law (e.g., Criminal Justice,
Law Enforcement).
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