Paralegal - Property Tax Division

Position Description

The Harris County Attorney's Office (HCAO) is seeking a Paralegal to join the Property Tax Division which specializes in lawsuits for debt collection and enforcement of laws that protect the interest of Harris County. The paralegal in this role will perform delegated and supervised substantive legal work, including, but not limited to, the job duties listed below, and ensures the smooth and timely preparation of cases from inception through trial, which requires an understanding of legal principles and procedures.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Manages a high-volume caseload.

• Manages a high call-volume with the public.

• Provide litigation support to the department and attorneys in the collaborative efforts to move cases forward.

• Maintains knowledge of the procedures to open, close, and update files and notes accurately using the case management database and run reports.

• Manually maintains and updates case files as needed.

• Drafts and/or mails demand letters and installment agreements.

• Formats and drafts legal forms such as petitions, citations, judgments, notices of trial, etc.

• Generate dismissals, non-suits and releases of judgment when required.

• Track the litigation costs and send court costs letters when necessary.

• Responsible for two district courts.

• Reviewing and proofing 'citation returns.'

• Skip tracing (locating individual and their location).

• Drafts abstract judgments and sends Writs of Execution to Constables for service.

• Calendars hearings, docket control orders, and case management in cases for trials.

• Attends court hearings, mediations, trials, and tax-sales.

• Communicates regularly with attorneys and other staff members.

• Communicates with the public and defendants, including the ability to resolve issues within attorneys' parameters.

• Acts as a liaison between courts, clerks, and attorneys as needed.

• Meet daily and weekly deadlines related to the many aspects of the litigation process including the collection of amounts owed on cases.

• Pick up documents and evidence from tax office and other locations.

• Participates in one-on-one sessions with management to give and receive feedback.

• Encourages and mentors other paralegals and interns.

• Participates in Division staff meetings.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Other Duties:

• This Job Description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this position. Management may, at its discretion, assign, or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer

https://hrrm.harriscountytx.gov/Pages/EqualEmploymentOpportunityPlan.aspx

If you need special services or accommodations, please call (713) 274-5445 or email ADACoordinator@bmd.hctx.net.

This position is subject to a criminal history check. Only relevant convictions will be considered and, even when considered, may not automatically disqualify the candidate.

Requirements

Supporting Job Application Documents:

Applicants should provide a cover letter and resume with three (3) professional references.

Education and Experience Requirements:

• An Associate Degree or higher in Paralegal Studies or a closely similar field

OR

• Paralegal certificate

OR

• A minimum of five (5) years of experience as a paralegal.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Excellent research, writing, and communication skills.

• Excellent interpersonal communication skills and ability to communicate and work in a collaborative group.

• Proficiency with technology and legal tools such as Windows 10, Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Adobe Acrobat Software, and PowerPoint.

• Familiarity with the Texas Tax Code, Texas and Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Bankruptcy, and the Texas Rules of Professional Conduct.

• Ability to comply with the Harris County Personnel Policies and Procedures and the policies of the County Attorney.

• Familiarity with commonly used legal terms.

• Ability to perform thorough legal and factual analyses and exercise good judgment.

• Occasional ability to work extended hours to accommodate case load demands.

• Ability to problem solve, organize, and prioritize assignments to meet deadlines.

• Ability to comply with office training requirements.

NOTE: Qualifying education, experience, knowledge, and skills must be documented on your job application. You may attach a resume to the application as supporting documentation but ONLY information stated on the application will be used for consideration. "See Resume" will not be accepted for qualifications.

General Information

Located in downtown Houston, the Harris County Attorney's Office represents Harris County government, the Harris County Flood Control District, the Harris County Toll Road Authority, and the Greater Harris County 9-1-1 Emergency Network in all civil matters, including lawsuits. The office also provides legal advice to county officials and employees.

Position Type and Typical Work Schedule:

• This is a full-time position.

• Days and hours of work are typically Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with occasional weekends and holidays as necessary.

• Hours may vary based on the business needs of the HCAO.

Work Environment:

• This position primarily operates in a professional office environment.

• The individual in this role uses standard office equipment such as computers, printers, scanners/copiers, and phones.

Physical and Mental Demands:

• This is largely a sedentary role that requires standing or sitting for prolonged periods, exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body, repetitive motions requiring dexterity such as keyboarding that may include the wrists, hands, and/or fingers, communicating with others to exchange concepts and information, problem-solving, decision-making, organization, the ability to read/write, and the ability to manage workplace stressors such as adversarial interactions.

Compensation:

• The base compensation for this position will be determined on the candidate's qualifications and the pay of other employees in the job function.

• Total compensation includes attractive paid leave programs, health benefits, and retirement plans.

• In addition, the position is eligible for the accrual of compensatory time off for hours worked over 40 in a workweek, consistent with Harris County personnel policies and procedures.

Employment may be contingent on passing a drug screen and meeting other standards.

Due to a high volume of applications positions may close prior to the advertised closing date or at the discretion of the Hiring Department.

BENEFITS

Harris County offers a competitive benefits program, including comprehensive group health and related benefits plan as well as defined benefit retirement plan.

The following list of benefits is offered only to employees in regular (full-time) positions:

• Medical Coverage

• Dental Coverage

• Vision Coverage

• Wellness Plan

• Life Insurance

• Long-term disability

• Employee Assistance Program

• Ten (10) days of vacation each year for the first five (5) years of service

• Accrual rates increase based on years of service

• Eleven (11) County-observed holidays and one (1) floating holiday

• Professional development opportunities

• Dependent Care Reimbursement Plan

• Healthcare Reimbursement Account

• 457 Deferred Compensation Plan

The following benefits are also available to regular (full-time) employment and may be available to part-time employees:

• Retirement Pension (TCDRS)
• Flexible schedule (varies by department)
• Transportation Assistance (Metro RideSponsor Program)

In accordance with the Harris County Personnel Regulations, Group Health and related benefits are subject to amendment or discontinuance at any time. Commissioners Court reserves the right to make benefit modifications on the County's behalf as needed.

For plan details, visit the Harris County benefits website:

https://benefitsathctx.com/

01

Which of the following best describes your highest level of education completed as it relates to this position?

• High School or GED diploma

• Associate Degree

• Bachelor's Degree

• Master's Degree or higher

• None of the above

02

If you selected a college degree in response to the previous question, which of the following best describes your major?

• Paralegal Studies

• Other Related Field

• Unrelated Field

• N/A; No Degree

03

Please describe your educational background including level of education completed, area of study and completed major and minor programs.

04

Do you have a Paralegal certificate?

• Yes

• No

05

Which of the following best describes your verifiable experience as a paralegal? (To be considered, qualifying experience must be documented in your application's employment history)

• Less than five (5) years

• Five (5) years but less than six (6) years

• Six (6) years but less than seven (7) years

• Seven (7) years or more

• I do not have this experience

06

Please provide details about your verifiable experience as a paralegal. Do not use "Please see Resume" or "See Resume" (To be considered, qualifying experience must be documented in your application's employment history) Please include your (a) role(s), (b) types of organizations, (c) scope of duties and responsibilities If you do not have this experience, please type "None" in the space provided.

07

Do you have proficiency with technology and legal tools such as Windows 10, Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Adobe Acrobat Software, and PowerPoint?

• Yes

• No

08

Which of the following describes your level of proficiency using a personal computer and common office software such as MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook). Please select your level of proficiency based on the following descriptions: Advanced: A person with this level of skills is able to produce very large, complex formal documents that require a table of contents, footnotes, endnotes, bookmarks, and other special elements; a wide range of graphic effects, and use advanced techniques for analyzing and manipulating data. Has full mastery of Macro commands and skills to tie the objects together into a cohesive system by using Macros and Visual Basic for Applications code. Makes interactive presentations by using hyperlinks and action buttons. Intermediate: A person with this level of skills is able to customize toolbars, import and insert graphs, embed Excel data, and elaborate reports. Understands the concepts of databases and is able to work with charts and to use the list management capabilities of Excel. Able to use complex query techniques, create efficient forms and reports, and create Macros to automate these forms. Makes interactive presentations by using hyperlinks and action buttons. Basic: A person with this level of skills is able to use basic formatting, editing, printing functions, and understands the document page setup. Has the ability to enter and correct data, modify a workbook, format a worksheet, and use printing functions. Understands the different database concepts and structures and is familiar with data validation and is able to create a simple presentation in PowerPoint, run it, and print it. Entry Level: A person with this level of skills has the ability to open, create, save and modify documents in Word, send and receive email in Outlook and create spreadsheets in Excel. Format documents for printing, comfortable using the printer menu to preview documents. Has ability to change the font, the margins, insert or delete pages and use the built-in spellchecker and grammar check.

• Advanced

• Intermediate

• Basic

• Entry Level

• Not proficient

09

Applicants should provide a cover letter and resume with three (3) professional references. Did you provide these supporting documents along with your application?

• Yes

Required Question

Agency Harris County

Address 1111 Fannin St

Ste. 600

Houston, Texas, 77002

Phone 713-274-5445

Website https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/harriscountytx