Paralegal Specialist
2 days ago
St Louis
Facility Location SAINT LOUIS LAW OFFICE 1720 MARKET ST RM 2400 SAINT LOUIS, MO 63155-9948 Position Information NON-SCHEDULED DAYS: Saturday/Sunday HOURS: 08:00 A.M. to 05:00 P.M. BENEFIT INFORMATION: The salary will be based on previous experience, salary history, and current postal pay policies. We offer excellent benefits including health and life insurance, retirement plan, savings/investment plan with employer contribution, annual and sick leave. FUNCTIONAL PURPOSE: Provides legal support to attorneys and other Postal stakeholders. Conducts factual and legal research and analysis. Drafts legal documents and correspondence including pleadings, motions, discovery requests and responses, and declarations. Facilitates collaboration among legal teams, clients, and external stakeholders in preparation for and response to litigation and other legal proceedings. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 1. Conducts research on legal issues using legal databases and research tools (e.g., Westlaw, cyberFEDs, PACER, LexisNexis) and Postal databases, regulations, policies, and handbooks. Summarizes findings, presents conclusions and supporting analysis. Checks court and administrative legal decisions cited in memoranda and pleadings to determine if the decisions have been superseded or modified by subsequent decisions; checks legal citations for form and accuracy., 2. Investigates issues and allegations involved in legal matters and inquiries to include identifying and obtaining documentation, policies, and other materials. Interviews and collects oral and written information from witnesses and other persons with knowledge and information. Summarizes information for inclusion in legal filings and responses to courts, administrative agencies, commissions, or Congressional bodies; provides information, analysis, and recommendations to attorneys and other stakeholders., 3. Drafts discovery requests, responses, and legal objections to discovery requests, in accordance with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, including interrogatories, requests for admissions, and requests for production of documents. Identifies appropriate parameters and conducts investigation and research which includes the use of eDiscovery software to locate, review, and sort relevant documents for use in litigation and other legal matters. Uses litigation hold systems to secure and retain information from potential witnesses., 4. Responds to requests and inquiries from Postal stakeholders, external government officials (e.g., federal, state, local), and private businesses or individuals regarding information pursuant to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Privacy Act, subpoenas, and judicial and administrative discovery rules and orders, or legislative review and clearance procedures. Drafts correspondence and provides advice to internal and external stakeholders regarding Postal Service procedures, regulations, and policies., 5. Prepares, drafts, and revises legal documents including pleadings, motions, declarations, and correspondence for use in legal proceedings. Incorporates appropriate legal and organizational standards and utilizes applicable procedures and formats when drafting legal documentation., 6. Collaborates cross-functionally to gather required information needed to monitor and ensure compliance with administrative orders, decisions, and settlement agreements. Follows legal and organizational procedures, regulations, and policies while tracking and monitoring deadlines for filings, hearings, trials, and other events to ensure timely action and compliance. REQUIREMENTS: 1. Ability to identify legal issues arising from moderately complex factual situations and investigate the underlying circumstances., 2. Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with internal and external stakeholders sufficient to present results, ensure compliance with legal and organizational standards, and provide guidance and recommendations., 3. Ability to draft, revise, and format legal documents with attention to accuracy using Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Adobe Acrobat Professional., 4. Ability to work effectively on multiple projects with stringent deadlines set by multiple attorneys sufficient to complete research, gather information, and organize legal documents., 5. Ability to gather and analyze data from various business systems (e.g., timekeeping systems, reports from operations databases, payroll journals)., 6. Ability to utilize eDiscovery platforms to obtain, review, sort, and redact voluminous emails or other documents necessary for discovery production., 7. Knowledge of general legal principles and practices sufficient to support research, analysis, and case preparation in units focusing on various areas of law (e.g., procurement, corporate, intellectual property, facilities, labor, employment, tort law)., 8. Ability to conduct legal research utilizing standard legal research materials, including statutory and regulatory materials, policy handbooks and manuals, and legal research databases (e.g., LexisNexis, Westlaw, cyberFEDS, PACER)., 9. CERTIFICATION/EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT: Applicants must possess one of the following: 1. A paralegal certification, OR 2. At least two (2) years of related paralegal experience obtained within the past five (5) years (e.g., work experience at a law firm, or in an in-house litigation department). Reimbursement of relocation expenses will NOT be authorized. Qualified applicants must successfully pass a pre-employment drug screening to meet the U.S. Postal Service's requirement to be drug free. Applicants must also be a U.S. citizen or have permanent resident alien status.