Paralegal/Municipal Analyst

Responsibilities:

• Serve as liaison between legal team and public agency client to assure quality and timely response.
• Act as a representative on behalf of the public agency counsel, demonstrating a positive attitude with professionalism, courtesy, and appropriate tact and discretion in all interactions with members of the public, opposing counsel, other agencies, and other employees.
• Research state and federal regulatory, statutory, case and other authorities applicable to the practice area, such as the Ralph M. Brown Act, the California Public Records Act, Political Reform Act, Fair Political Practices Commission regulations and opinions, California Environmental Quality Act, Conflict of Interest Codes, former Redevelopment statutes, and State and Federal records retention regulations.
• Select, assemble, summarize and compile substantive information by using federal, state, and local agency statutes, regulations, ordinances, resolutions, digests, commentaries, legal instruments and other materials/sources of information specific to the applicable practice area [subject matter].
• Conduct legal, public record, and other research (including cite check/Shepardizing) relating to simple and complex matters, summarize findings and recommend proposed course of action and/or solution to the assigning attorney; be knowledgeable about internet research sources; assist with problem formulation, data collection, and analysis as needed by the assigning attorney.
• Prepare legal documents[1] and correspondence applicable to the practice area in draft and final forms – including redline, as directed by the assigning attorney, and utilizes independent judgment to determine proper distribution; proofreads legal documents and correspondence and makes required corrections in spelling, grammar and punctuation.
• Perform research and analysis of real property legal descriptions, property ownership, property profiles, title reports, leases, licenses, and contracts.
• Review client records (written, verbal and electronic) and confer with assigning attorney to prevent the unauthorized release of records.
• Collect and analyze evidence for hearings – as required.
• Maintain and ensure timely response of work in progress within the firm and update task logs for City and General Counsel clients
• Monitor agenda deadlines (review agendas, communicate with City Clerks/Board Secretaries regarding meeting schedule and agenda item due dates and posting)
• Monitor agenda planning guides and action agendas for City Attorney/General Counsel items
• Daily calendar review and prepare materials for upcoming meetings (i.e. background for meetings with staff, handouts, etc.)
• Manage workflow/delegate assignments as-needed for attorneys and client staff
• Prepare closed session memos and monitor items for future closed sessions and reporting out
• Regular check-in with City Clerk/Board Secretary and Department Directors regarding work in progress
• Maintain budget spreadsheets, prepare mid-year budget review and annual budget docs, draft goals and accomplishments, prepare budget overviews/breakdowns by matter
• Monitor legal services agreement provisions and deadlines, prepare amendments as necessary, review CPI adjustments and increases
• Prepare materials for annual performance evaluations of City Attorney/GC and City Manager/GM, rough draft of self-evaluation memos, evaluation questionnaires and prepare transmittals for Council/Board
• Routine Public Records Act, Brown Act and Political Reform Act research and assignments

Requirements

• 6+ years of legal experience in a municipal or governmental role.
• Compliance with the Calif. Business and Professions Code Sections 6450-6456 is preferred or equivalent experience as a City Clerk, Deputy City Clerk, or other municipal employee is acceptable.
• Previous work experience in a public agency or law office practice serving public agency clients.
• Proficient or expert in use of computer software in a law office environment that includes, but is not limited to, Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Eclipse/IPro or other discovery software, and the internet