Address
Form of workRequisition No: 816150
Agency: Department of Transportation
Working Title: PARALEGAL SPECIALIST-LITIGATION - 55001925
Pay Plan: Career Service
Position Number: 55001925
Salary: $45,000.00 - $50,000.00
Posting Closing Date: 12/19/2023
Total Compensation Estimator Tool
STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
JOB POSTING DESCRIPTION
916 / Office of General Counsel
OPEN COMPETITIVE
CAREER SERVICE
CONTACT PERSON: Sonya Daws, Chief Counsel, 605 Suwannee Street, MS 58, Tallahassee, FL 32399
CONTACT PHONE NUMBER: (850) 414-5314
CONTACT EMAIL ADDRESS: sonya.daws@dot.state.fl.us
Working for the State of Florida is more than a paycheck. The State's total compensation package for employees features a highly competitive set of employee benefits including:
- Health insurance (over 90% employer paid)
- $25,000 life insurance policy (100% employer paid)
- Dental, vision and supplemental insurances
- State of Florida retirement package
- Generous vacation and sick leave
- 10 paid holidays a year
- Career advancement opportunities
- Tuition waiver for public college courses
- Training opportunities
- Flexible work schedules and telework (for designated positions)
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Join FDOT and be part of the team that works as one to improve safety, enhance mobility and inspire innovation in the Florida transportation system!
For additional benefit information available to State of Florida employees, go to https://www.mybenefits.myflorida.com/
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: You may be required to provide your Social Security Number to conduct required verifications. Male applicants born on or after October 1, 1962, will not be eligible for hire or promotion in the Career Service, or appointment in the Selected Exempt Service (SES) or Senior Management Service (SMS) unless they are registered with the Selective Service System (SSS) before their 26th birthday, or have a Letter of Registration Exemption from the SSS.
THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION VALUES AND SUPPORTS EMPLOYMENT OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES. QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY.
In accordance with Section 110.112, Florida Statutes, and the Florida Department of Transportation's Individuals with Disabilities Affirmative Action Plan, the agency is committed to ensuring affirmative action and equal employment opportunity for qualified individuals with disabilities. Upon request and as appropriate, reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities may be provided. Please contact the Florida Department of Transportation's Human Resources Office located at 605 Suwannee Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399, or call (850) 414-5300 for assistance.
POSITION DESCRIPTION: Paralegal to Department's Office of the General Counsel. The person filling this position must exercise sound, mature judgment, and perform a variety of duties with little supervision, as summarized below. While the employee's responsibilities will include routine matters, a substantial portion of the employee's time will involve the exercise of independent judgment and initiative in the completion of a variety of tasks and preparation and finalization of litigation documents under the oversight of legal counsel. As new assignments and emergencies arise, the employee must be able to prioritize the duties of this position. Those duties and responsibilities include:
Responsible for preparing and filing legal pleadings and related documents in their correct format with minimum instruction from a Department attorney. Reviewing, investigating, collecting data; including electronic filing and scheduling, gathering background information necessary to respond to discovery and unique inquiries and requests; coordinating and preparing expert witnesses; coordinating deposition, hearing, and trial preparation. Preparing and ensuring compliance with pre-trial orders and case management orders. Performing basic legal research and reviewing legal documents for proper legal citation. Proofreading documents for spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors.
Responsible for organizing case files for expert witnesses, depositions, hearings, and trials; organizing and categorizing documents and hearing exhibits; assisting in preparation of, and responses to, discovery matters. Traveling to and providing litigation support during depositions, hearings, and trials.
Responsible for scheduling and updating appointment calendars for attorneys, arranging meetings and depositions, and locating and procuring court reporters for depositions, hearings, and trials in a timely manner. Preparing and maintaining up-to-date caseload lists and attend case review meetings. Accurately inputting case records into the OGC Sharepointe, and checking reports for accuracy.
Responsible for arranging travel, preparing itineraries, travel authorizations, and travel reimbursements for attorneys. Processing purchasing card payments according to Department policies and procedures.
Responsible for conducting special projects as assigned including reports, documents, and technical aspects of various types of presentations.
Responsible for receiving and routing telephone calls and properly delivering messages. Serving as back-up to receptionist on a rotating schedule with other support staff.
Qualifying Questions will not disqualify an applicant.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES: Knowledge of legal pleadings; knowledge of litigation process; skill in typing correspondence, memorandums, reports, legal pleadings and various legal documents with established format and with no supervision; ability to support attorneys during hearings; knowledge of administrative procedure and litigation process; ability to perform legal research and write legal memorandum; abiity to travel when required; ability to organize and maintain file system for cases; skill in preparing for hearings; skill in scheduling depositions and hearings, and preparing related documents; ability to perform basic legal secretarial duties including maintaining attorney's calendar, copying, mailing, and filing documents with the courts; ability to coordinate work assignments; ability to handle multiple tasks; ability to organize and maintain files; ability to prioritize work assignments; skill in meeting deadlines; ability to access, input, and retrieve information from a computer database; knowledge of electronic mail; ability to use electronic mail; knowledge of word processing software; ability to use word processing software; ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing; ability to read and comprehend written material; ability to use correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation; ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others; ability to work effectively as a team member; and ability to work with internal and external customers in a tactful and courteous manner.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Completion of a training program to become a legal assistant, a paralegal, a legal paraprofessional or a lawyer's or attorney's assistant; or A degree or certificate in legal technology, legal administration, legal studies or allied legal services; or Graduation from a school of law; or A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major in allied legal services; or Four years of experience involving paralegal work; or Four years of experience in legal secretarial work.
As a CANDIDATE, you may be required to provide documentation (i.e. HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA OR EQUIVALENCY, college transcripts, ETC.) to verify meeting these Minimum Qualifications.
THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION VALUES THE SERVICE VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE GIVEN TO OUR COUNTRY AND SUPPORTS THE HIRING OF RETURNING SERVICE MEMBERS AND MILITARY SPOUSES. If you are a preference-eligible applicant who receives notice of a hiring decision and believe that you were not afforded employment preference in accordance with applicable Florida law and regulation, you may file a written complaint within 60 calendar days from the date you receive the notice, requesting an investigation to the Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs, Division of Benefits and Assistance, 9500 Bay Pines Boulevard, Room 214, St. Petersburg, Florida 33708.
The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer, and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.
Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.
The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.
VETERANS' PREFERENCE. Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans' Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply. Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements. Candidates claiming Veterans' Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code. Veterans' Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here. All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.
