PARALEGAL I - BUSINESS AND COMPLEX LITIGATION DIVISION

Exempt | Location: Civic Center

Annual Salary

$69,279.00 - $101,288.00

contact information

Human Resources
2139787160
atty.recruit@lacity.org

job description

Office of the Los Angeles City Attorney

Hydee Feldstein Soto

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT

PARALEGAL I

BUSINESS AND COMPLEX LITIGATION DIVISION

CIVIL LITIGATION BRANCH

SALARY RANGE: $69,279 - $101,288

POSITION: Paralegal I in the Business and Complex Litigation Division of the Civil Litigation Branch.

DIVISION: The Business & Complex Litigation Division is responsible for complex litigation matters involving a broad range of practice areas, including contract disputes, civil rights and constitutional challenges to City ordinances and policies, class actions, the Americans with Disabilities Act and a variety of other civil litigation against the City and its departments.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: The Paralegal assigned to the position will be working extensively on litigation and discovery matters that involve gathering and organizing large amounts of Electronically Stored Information (“ESI”), therefore the applicant must have previous paralegal experience in the following:

1. Assisting with the collection and analysis of ESI under attorney supervision;

2. Using technology assisted review eDiscovery software (i.e., Relativity, CS Disco, Zylab, etc.) to aid in both the review and production of large numbers of electronic documents and email;

3. Ensuring all eDiscovery policies and procedures are in compliance with State and Federal law, including analyzing court orders and stipulations between parties related to the production of ESI; and

4. Acting as a liaison for attorneys and various internal City Department IT personnel who may be providing and searching for ESI.

This position also requires the applicant be familiar with preparing responses to interrogatories, requests for admission, and requests for production of documents, preparing privilege logs, drafting legal memoranda and correspondence, preparing declarations in support of discovery motions, summary judgment motions and other pleadings associated with litigation, and with performing the necessary legal

research to complete such documents. The paralegal will also be required to assist with preparing for trial, including preparing trial exhibit lists, witness lists, exhibit notebooks and running trial exhibit demonstration software at trial via Sanction software, via in person or remotely utilizing virtual meeting platforms (Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, etc.).

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS: Either (1) Certificate of completion of an accredited paralegal training program or (2) a degree from a postsecondary institution that requires the successful completion of a minimum of 24 semester units, or the equivalent in law-related courses, and which has been accredited by a national or regional accrediting organization or approved by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education.

Must provide proof of CLE compliance for the previous two reporting periods.

This position requires an individual who is self-motivated, learns quickly, can exercise independent judgment, and is able to work with minimal supervision. Applicants must possess excellent writing and organizational skills; the ability to compile and analyze documents; conduct legal research; and work well with other employees of this Office and personnel from other City Departments. Reliable attendance and punctuality are mandatory. Applicants must be well skilled in the operation of personal computer equipment, and will be expected to have an intermediate grasp of common programs like Word and Excel, in addition to some understanding of data sources, software applications, and Information Technology infrastructure.

PROBATION: Appointment to this exempt position (non Civil-Service) will be subject to a one (1) year probationary period as required by Section 1050 of the City Charter. Successful completion of the one (1) year probationary period will result in tenure with the office.

COVID -19 VACCINE REQUIREMENT: For candidates seeking initial City employment, in accordance with Los Angeles City Ordinance 187134, information regarding COVID -19 vaccination requirements as conditions of employment may be found at: https://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2021/21-0921_ord_187134_8-24-21.pdf.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST: This position is designated as Category 4 on Schedule B of the Conflict of Interest Code.

How to apply

APPLICATION AND DEADLINE: Interested paralegals should submit the following documents in one (1) PDF file: resume, paralegal certificate and cover letter specifying PARALEGAL I – BUSINESS AND COMPLEX LITIGATION #3080 to Atty.Recruit@lacity.org.

Position announcement will remain open until position is filled.

Selected applicants who meet the required qualifications will be invited to interview.

exempt employment

If employment is said to be exempt, it is meant that the employment is exempted from the civil service provisions of the City Charter. In order to receive a regular civil service appointment, employees must have successfully participated in a civil service examination, received a high enough score on the examination to be placed on and receive an appointment from an eligible list, and they must serve a probationary period. Exempt employees do not compete in a civil service examination, they are not placed on an eligible list and receive an appointment from that list, nor do they serve a probationary period. As a result, exempt employees do not have what is referred to as a “property interest” in their job. Exempt employees serve at the will of the appointing authority and can be terminated at any time without cause. Employees with a property interest in their job, i.e. civil service employees, cannot be deprived of their employment(discharged or suspended) without due process.

General Information About Exempt Employment

Exempt employees serve at the will of the appointing authority, and as such, they may be discharged, suspended or otherwise disciplined without cause. Exempt employees have no property interest in their employment, and any procedural benefit or other prerogative extended to them by their appointing authority is not intended to create and does not create any such property interest. No officer or employee of the City may make to any other officer or employee any representation of a property interest in employment which does not correspond to Charter provisions unless the City Council, by ordinance, permits such representation. No unauthorized representation can serve as the basis of an employee's reliance on, or expectation of, a property interest.

Employees Seeking To Become Civil Service Employees

There is no protective leave for an exempt employee appointed to a civil service position. Upon receiving a civil service appointment and passing probation, the former exempt employee will be subject to the Civil Service provisions described in Article X of the City Charter. Upon appointment, the civil service employee will begin to accrue displacement and layoff seniority on the first day of his/her civil service appointment and may file for promotional examinations for which s/he qualifies. A full or half-time exempt employee appointed to a full or half-time civil service position continues to: contribute to the Retirement System; accrue vacation time; accrue sick time; receive anniversary date salary increases; and, receive health and dental benefits identical to those received in the civil service position.

For candidates seeking initial City employment, in accordance with Los Angeles City Ordinance 187134, information regarding COVID-19 vaccination requirements as conditions of employment may be found at: https://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2021/21-0921_ord_187134_8-24-21.pdf.

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