Support Staff Vacancy

Position Purpose: Describe the primary purpose of this position and how it contributes to the organization’s objectives. Example: Provides clerical and office support within the Division to ensure its operations are conducted efficiently and effectively. 


Performs highly responsible, confidential administrative work supporting the Governor’s Office of General Counsel’s (OGC) attorneys for Right-To-Know Requests & Litigation. 

The incumbent in this position performs advanced specialized administrative and professional legal support work within the Office of General Counsel (OGC) main office.  Work involves assisting OGC litigation attorneys with all aspects of an administrative proceeding and/or civil case, including trial or other hearings, and also involves drafting responses to correspondence and discovery requests, legal arguments for briefs or memoranda and analyzing legal issues as well as preparing draft documents for adjudicators appointed by the General Counsel. Incumbent possesses the ability to understand and interpret constitutional provisions, statutes, administrative regulations as well as analyze facts and evidence.

Description of Duties: Describe in detail the duties and responsibilities assigned to this position. Descriptions should include the major end result of the task. Example: Types correspondence, reports, and other various documents from handwritten drafts for review and signature of the supervisor.


RIGHT-TO-KNOW PROGRAM

Assist in Right-To-Know Law (RTKL) requests for OGC, the Governor’s Office and the Lieutenant Governor’s office. 

Maintain the RTKL database; ensuring responses to requests are made within the 5 days statutory limits.

Request extensions of time when appropriate and coordinate responses with various agencies.  

Research and determine individuals who may have responsive records; contact and communicate with identified individuals to procure accurate information.

Conduct independent research and prepare detailed and comprehensive reports of findings. 

Important aspects of this work include monitoring and coordinating OGC RTKL programs and projects under Deputy General Counsel oversight, overseeing senior level RTKL policy development, identifying and resolving problems, researching issues and recommending action, and providing advice to OGC senior staff on sensitive RTKL-related matters.

This employee assists in managing OGC’s eDiscovery platform, Relativity within both OGC headquarters and agency legal offices with eDiscovery. This work involves providing guidance and instruction to attorneys and staff throughout the duration of eDiscovery projects.

Conduct significant email review processing, voluminous searching and production actions within Relativity.

LITIGATION SUPPORT

Work involves assisting OGC litigation attorneys with all aspects of an administrative proceeding and/or civil case, including trial or other hearing, and also involves drafting responses to correspondence and discovery requests, legal arguments for briefs or memoranda and analyzing legal issues as well as preparing draft documents for adjudicators appointed by the General Counsel

•   Case Management/Litigation Coordination:
  •  Responsible for tracking litigation deadlines
  • Monitors litigation holds; compliance and issues periodic reminders
  • Responsible for creating and maintaining policies and procedures
  • Responsible for all civil litigation records (electronic and/or paper), including creating and maintaining case information in the case management system. 
  • Independently reviews Notices of Intent and determines which agencies may be involved; alerts those agencies as well as the Bureau of Finance and Risk Management; maintains electronic files of all notices received; issues litigation holds if relevant to OGC
  • Responsible for acceptance of service; reviewing all incoming coming civil litigation mail and making a recommendation for appropriate action.
  • Responsible for overseeing all new case matter intake, review and coordinating referral/delegation
  • Schedules meetings/conference calls, makes travel arrangements and processes expense reimbursements
     
• Legal Analysis:
  • Conducts legal research; cite checking; proof reading; docket review
  • Drafts pleadings (answers, motions, applications, briefs, reproduced records), correspondence, memoranda, litigation hold notices; representation letters
  • Drafts interrogatories; requests for production
  • Prepares summaries of expert reports and deposition transcripts
  • Collects, preserves, produces and manages electronically stored information
  • Performs document review; redaction; Bates numbering; preparation of Vaughn Indices/privilege logs
  • Assists at hearings; exhibit preparation/trial binders
  • Files pleadings, etc. with courts (electronically and paper copies)
  • Summarizes court opinions
  • Coordinates and conducts communications with clients, opposing counsel, and court/agency officials
  • Attorney admissions to various courts (applications, scheduling, collecting documents, obtaining electronic filing IDs)
     

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANCE

Provide a broad spectrum of administrative support to OGC’s RTK attorney, including preparing letters and memos; screening attorney’s visitors and phone calls; assisting callers and taking telephone messages when necessary; opening, reviewing, distributing, or take action on incoming mail; schedule meetings or conference calls; maintaining calendars monitoring all deadlines ensuring they are met and advise appropriate staff person of upcoming due dates; and create and maintain a confidential filing system.

Respond to email requests for information.

Serve as backup for the receptionist providing coverage for the front desk during lunch, breaks or absences for the main receptionist, handling all phone calls, mail or hand-carry deliveries, conference room calendar maintenance or inquires, and assisting visitors.

Serves as OGC’s Backup Records Retention Officer in transferring files to the archives quarterly.

Establish and maintain effective working relationships with administrative officials, civil groups and the general public.

Assist other support staff on special projects, as needed.

Perform other duties as assigned.

Decision Making: Describe the types of decisions made by the incumbent of this position and the types of decisions referred to others. Identify the problems or issues that can be resolved at the level of this position, versus those that must be referred to the supervisor. Example: In response to a customer inquiry, this work involves researching the status of an activity and preparing a formal response for the supervisor’s signature.

All work is performed with considerable independence.  Review all correspondence and independently research matters and make inquiries to other offices or OGC personnel to obtain all the facts for appropriate action or response.  Draft responses when appropriate for the attorney’s signature.  

Essential Functions: Provide a list of essential functions for this position. Example: Transports boxes weighing up to 60 pounds.
 

Operates office equipment.

Possesses ability to utilize all of Microsoft® Office applications (e.g., Outlook, Teams, OneNote Word, Excel) and Adobe® Acrobat

Answers telephone in a professional manner.

Conducts legal research via online research services (e.g., Lexis/Nexis®, Westlaw®) 

Applies knowledge of established OGC office procedures.

Coordinates project management. Possesses ability to prioritize tasks independently.

Communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.

Exercises judgment and discretion with minimal attorney/supervisor intervention.

Maintains and displays a professional and positive attitude.

Compiles and evaluates confidential data.

Interprets, analyzes, and composes legal documents.