Paralegal 1 (04-0015)

This position is open to all United States of America applicants.

What You Will Be Doing

This position provides paraprofessional operational support to OAH`s entire administrative law judiciary (generally, 9-11 judges), including support to administrative law judges conducting hearings for a variety of state agencies; support with OAH's hearing-process-related ancillary functions; and serving as the liaison between the judges, litigants, and counsel, and between OAH and an array of other agencies. The position assists OAH management in managing case flow through the OAH and in case-related operational improvements.  A high degree of independent judgment is necessary to expeditiously resolve operational problems.

The successful candidate for the OAH paralegal position will be somebody who is meticulous, efficient, and well-organized, and able to interact respectfully with people from all walks of life.  Proficiency with word processing software is essential; familiarity with case management software is strongly preferred.

Our Organization, Mission, and Culture

The Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) is Alaska's statewide hearing tribunal for most Executive Branch administrative hearings and appeals.  With roughly 1,000 new cases filed each year, OAH's ten administrative law judges hear and decide a wide range of administrative disputes from across state government.  OAH's paralegal assists the management team in designing and implementing agency-level processes, assists individual judges with case-specific support, and provides guidance and assistance to the legal support staff.

The Benefits of Joining Our Team

The position offers a stimulating spectrum of work, ranging from working closely with the management team on special projects, working independently with regard to day-to-day and other legal administrative and management issues, working with individual administrative law judges, and collaborating with an innovative team of law office assistants.  You will have considerable flexibility to design and implement effective systems for carrying out assigned tasks and for improving aspects of OAH operations.

The Working Environment You Can Expect

The Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) is centrally located in downtown Anchorage.  Our office on the top floor of the Robert B.

Atwood Building offers stunning views of the Chugach Range and Anchorage Bowl, as well as walking distance to downtown attractions.  Covered employee parking is available at no charge.

OAH fosters a welcoming work environment which values employees' skills and contributions.  This challenging position is part of a friendly and supportive group of professional staff with years of experience and a high level of dedication.

This position may potentially require travel to various locations around the state in a supporting role of Administrative Law Judges (1-2 times per year).

Who We Are Looking For

To successfully perform the duties of this position, a candidate should have the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Working knowledge of legal practices and procedures. (Court/tribunal experience, legal office management/practices, paralegal training, or comparable experience is preferred).

• Ability to read, comprehend, interpret, learn, and apply written material such as statutes, regulations, legal terminology, court rules and procedures, texts and journals, contracts, constitutional law, board/commission opinions, and/or similar resource material.

• Ability to effectively use a variety of computer software and systems and adapt to changing technology.  (Proficiency in Microsoft Office required; experience with electronic case management systems is strongly preferred).

• Ability to self-exercise successful time management, be highly productive, prioritize assignments, and meet deadlines under stressful conditions.

• Strong attention to detail.

• Strong verbal, written, and interpersonal communication abilities.

Your experience in each of these referenced competencies should be addressed in your applicant profile.

PI01B1 - Paralegal 1

Any combination of education and/or experience that provides the applicant with competencies in:

• Attention to Detail: Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail.

• Interpersonal Skills: Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences.

• Reading: Understands and interprets written material, including technical material, rules, regulations, instructions, reports, charts, graphs, or tables; applies what is learned from written material to specific situations.

• Written Communication: Writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience.

Equivalent to those typically gained by:

Post-secondary and/or vocational education in a legal or legal support area and/or experience preparing, reviewing, or processing legal documents such as affidavits, court reports, demand letters, discovery requests or responses, hearing transcripts, memoranda of advice/instruction/understanding, letters of agreement, motions, legal opinions, subpoenas, and/or writs.

Please read the below information carefully. This applies to your application submission.

LEGAL EMPLOYMENT

The State's online recruitment system, Workplace Alaska, requires applicants to certify that they have a legal right to accept employment in the United States. It is the responsibility of the employee to maintain the appropriate documentation to accept or continue legal employment. The State of Alaska does not function in the role as an employer sponsor.

SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONS

For your application to be evaluated you must answer the Supplemental Questions.  Be specific in your answers and tell us how you acquired the relevant experience.

Please use complete sentences and proof-read your submissions when answering the supplemental questions. Your responses will be considered a writing sample and will be used to determine which applicants will advance to the interview phase of the recruitment process.

Applicants invited for an interview will be required to provide the following at the time of interview:

• List of three (3) professional references including daytime phone numbers

• Copies of your two (2) most recent performance evaluations or two (2) letters of professional reference

EDUCATION

If post-secondary education is required to meet the minimum qualifications, you must fill in the Education section of the application. If you have not obtained a degree, please indicate the number of units completed.

Copies of transcripts are required to verify educational credentials if used to meet the minimum qualifications for a position. Transcripts can be attached at the time of application or within 48 hours of the close of this recruitment to the contact person listed below.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR FOREIGN EDUCATION

Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above requirements, if applicable. If utilizing this education you must show that the education credentials have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and that such education has been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs; or an accredited U.S. state university reports the other institution as one whose transcript is given full value, or full value is given in subject areas applicable to the curricula at the state university. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying.

WORK EXPERIENCE

If using work experience not already documented in your application, also provide the employer's name, your job title, dates of employment, and whether full-or part-time. Applications will be reviewed to determine if the responses are supported and minimum qualifications are clearly met. If they are not, the applicant may not advance to the interview and selection phase of the recruitment.

NOTE: Attaching a resume or curriculum vitae is not an alternative to filling out the application in its entirety. Noting "see resume or CV" or any similar response on any portion of your application may lead to a determination your application is incomplete and removal from consideration for this job posting.

APPLICATION NOTICE

You can ONLY apply for this position through the Workplace Alaska website or via hardcopy application. If you accessed this recruitment bulletin through a job search portal such as AlaskaJobs or any other database, you MUST use a Workplace Alaska online or hardcopy application to successfully apply. Instructions on how to apply with Workplace Alaska may be found on the Workplace Alaska "How to Apply" webpage, found here: http://doa.alaska.gov/dop/workplace/help/

EEO STATEMENT

The State of Alaska complies with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Individuals with disabilities, who require accommodation, auxiliary aides or services, or alternative communication formats, please call 1-800-587-0430 or (907) 465-4095 in Juneau or TTY: Alaska Relay 711 or 1-800-770-8973 or correspond with the Division of Personnel & Labor Relations at:

P.O. Box 110201, Juneau, AK 99811-0201. The State of Alaska is an equal opportunity employer.

NOTICE

If you choose to be contacted by email, please ensure your email address is correct on your application and that the spam filter will permit email from the 'govermentjobs.com' domains. For information on allowing emails from the 'governmentjobs.com' domains, visit the Lost Password Help page located at https://www.governmentjobs.com/OnlineApplication/User/ResetPassword.

WORKPLACE ALASKA APPLICATION QUESTIONS & ASSISTANCE

Questions regarding application submission or system operation errors should be directed to the Workplace Alaska hotline at 1-800-587-0430 (toll free) or (907) 465-4095 if you are located in the Juneau area. Requests for information may also be emailed to recruitment.services@alaska.gov.

For applicant password assistance please visit: https://www.governmentjobs.com/OnlineApplication/User/ResetPasswordBrandt Hultberg

Administrative Officer 1

Phone: (907) 269-0496

Brandt.hultberg@alaska.gov