Paralegal

Summary of Job Perform responsible and confidential duties of a legal nature requiring individual judgment and specialized knowledge in carrying out procedures and regulations.
The City Attorney’s Office performs all legal services for the City, including legal advice to City Officials, preparation and review of contracts and other legal documents, prosecution of persons accused of violating City ordinances, and representation of the City and City officials in lawsuits.
The City Attorney’s Office does not provide legal advice to members of the public.
Responsibilities Understand the operations of the City of Sheboygan, including City ordinances and city and departmental policies and procedures.
Have a sufficient general working knowledge of a wide variety of areas of legal practice to identify and flag general legal issues, including real estate, public meetings, law, bankruptcy, collections, labor law, open records law, prosecution, building codes and nuisances, public construction law, general city ordinances, legal time frames and court procedures and rules.
Conduct legal research.
Draft, edit and review legal documents and pleadings.
Assist with, and as appropriate, conduct, legal proceedings, including hearings, reviews, pre-trial proceedings, and quasi-judicial matters.
Prepare clear and concise written reports and correspondence in accordance with established policies and considerable difficulty, including the ability to create and edit a variety of materials relating to legal, labor relations, arbitration, disciplinary matters, and briefs for judicial and quasi-judicial hearings.
Maintain and track a large and varied collection of records.
Develop, maintain responsibility for, and recommend needed improvements on efficient filing systems.
Have knowledge of the City’s records retention schedule and assist with compliance, both within the office and throughout City departments.
Be able to accurately and consistently handle questions and requests about a large variety of legal and procedural matters, including the ability to properly direct people to the resources and departments they need.
Assist in preparation of annual departmental budget.
Serve as a notary, including notarizing or witnessing the notarization of legal documents.
Maintain confidentiality of matters required to be kept confidential.
Education & Experience Paralegal certification by the State Bar of Wisconsin or similar paralegal licensing organization, or the ability to be so certified within six (6) months of hiring, or an Associate’s Degree or higher in paralegal studies.
No less than three years of experience as a legal assistant or paralegal under the supervision of a licensed attorney.
Qualifications & Skills Knowledge of legal terminology, principles, procedures, and practices.
Knowledge of legal research procedures, methods, and techniques Knowledge of civil rules and procedures of Municipal, State, and Federal Court Systems, including electronic filing requirements, legal citation format, and other rules related to the creation and filing of legal documents.
Knowledge of modern office procedures and practices as they apply to a municipal legal office, including calendaring, filing, billing, and purchasing.
Ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing.
Considerable knowledge of office methods, practices, and equipment, including competence in the use of computers and technology in a law office setting.
Word processing experience required.
Advanced knowledge of MS Office and Outlook, and the ability to adapt and utilize multiple software programs.
General knowledge of police procedures, the court system, and other city departments.
Ability to learn the laws, ordinances, and regulations with respect to functions performed within three months and the ability to keep up with changes in those laws, ordinances, and regulations, as needed.
Ability to obtain a satisfactory grade on clerical examinations involving English, spelling, business math, clerical accuracy, proficiency and accuracy in dictation and transcription, and proficiency in typing accurately and efficiently.
Ability to keep accurate records and make reports.
Skill in handling difficult and complex office situations and discretion in maintaining confidentiality.
Ability to work with all demographics preferred.
Benefits: Medical Insurance Dental Insurance Life Insurance Vision Insurance Voluntary Long and Short Term Disability Insurance Wisconsin Retirement Fund Paid-Time-Off (PTO) Paid Holidays