THE HARRIS COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
The dedicated attorneys and paralegals of the Harris County Attorney's Office advise and represent the nation's third largest county, its officials, and more than 15,000 employees. Our clients include the sheriff, constables, district attorney, medical examiner, district and county clerks, budget management office, juvenile justice center, county judge, and commissioners. This rewarding practice gives us a unique perspective of the inner workings of a large urban county. Our Defensive Litigation team is a small group of approximately 20 of our most accomplished attorneys and paralegals who defend cases that often receive national attention. We frequently argue before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Texas appellate courts, and Texas Supreme Court, and our attorneys have a rare opportunity to develop their civil litigation skills from case inception to appeal. Most of our work involves civil rights, constitutional law, employment, and Texas Tort Claims Act cases. We also represent the Sheriff's Office in civil service hearings.
POSITION OVERVIEW
Our paralegals work under the direction of the administrative manager, deputy administrative manager and assigned attorneys. They perform delegated and supervised substantive legal work which requires an understanding of legal principles and procedures. They ensure the smooth and timely preparation of cases from inception through trial and appeal.
Our paralegals must be able to assist attorneys in drafting, proofing, and filing answers, motions, and other legal documents, gathering, organizing, redacting, and producing discovery, and preparing for motions, trial, and appeal by compiling motion and trial notebooks, assembling jury instructions, and compiling exhibit lists. They must be familiar with Texas and federal electronic filing systems such as Texas e-file and federal ECF/Pacer to both file and retrieve court documents. They must also have an ability to gather, organize, redact, and produce discovery, help prepare and organize pleadings, and assist attorneys and other paralegals as needed. It is crucial that our paralegals identify deadlines and procedural requirements based on Texas and federal rules of civil procedure and local judges' procedures. This requires that they maintain accurate and up-to-date files and calendar entries to keep up with (and remind attorneys about) deadlines. They must communicate well with clients, attorneys, court personnel, and staff, be comfortable with technology, and open and close files in a case management system, report and maintain time and other records, and handle other administrative matters.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Assisting attorneys in drafting, proofing, and filing answers, motions, and other legal documents, gathering, organizing, redacting, and producing discovery, and preparing for motions, trial, and appeal by compiling motion and trial notebooks, assembling jury instructions, and compiling exhibit lists
Utilizing Texas e-file and federal ECF/Pacer to file documents in state and federal court and pulling pleadings and other documents from courts to file internally
Identifying deadlines and procedural requirements based on state and federal rules of civil procedure and local judges' procedures
Maintaining accurate and up-to-date files and calendar entries to keep up with (and remind attorneys about) deadlines
Communicating well with clients, attorneys, court personnel, and staff
Opening and closing files in case management system, assisting with attorney and case reports, reporting and maintaining time and other records, and handling other administrative matters
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Performing other duties as assigned by supervisors
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
