Legal Assistant 1, G-14 or Trainee 1/2, G-NS (Equated to a G-11/G-13) (NY HELPS)

About the Role

The Legal Assistant’s primary responsibility is the highly visible and critically time-sensitive role of managing the subpoena function of the office. This includes processing subpoenas—court-ordered demands for records or expert testimony from DMV representatives—as well as providing guidance to the FOIL Representative on applicable laws and policies and overseeing the prioritization and timely completion of both subpoenas and FOIL requests.

Responsibilities

• Communicate directly with District Attorneys’ Offices, Attorney’s offices, and other state, local, and federal government agencies to clarify the requirements of subpoenas served on DMV.
• Communicate directly with DMV managers and staff to explain subpoenas served on the Department and coordinate the provision of records or testimony within required timeframes.
• Order or produce records to respond to subpoenas.
• Maintain careful oversight of compliance dates and deadlines.
• Ensure records are provided in a timely manner and in the requested format.
• Contact appropriate DMV subject matter experts to arrange for courtroom testimony as required.
• Provide training, guidance, and oversight for staff assisting in the performance of the above tasks.

Qualifications

To be eligible for the Legal Assistant 1, G-14 or Legal Assistant Trainee 1/2, G-NS position, you must meet one of the following conditions:

• NY HELPS - Legal Assistant 1, G-14: Two years of full-time experience as a Paralegal/Legal Assistant.
• Legal Assistant Trainee 1, G-NS (Equated to G-11): High school or high school equivalency diploma and one year of clerical, administrative, or paraprofessional experience.
• Legal Assistant Trainee 2, G-NS (Equated to G-13): High school or high school equivalency diploma and two years of clerical, administrative, or paraprofessional experience, plus six courses in Intro to Law, Legal Research and Writing (verification of required coursework is at the appointing agency’s discretion).

Substitutions:

• Legal Assistant 1, G-14:
  • An associate degree (or higher) in paralegal/legal assistant/legal studies or a certificate in a paralegal/legal assistant program from a regionally accredited college or university (or one approved by the American Bar Association) AND one year of experience as a Paralegal/Legal Assistant; OR
  • An associate degree in any field from a regionally accredited college or university (or one approved by the American Bar Association) AND two years of experience as a Paralegal/Legal Assistant; OR
  • Graduation from an accredited (ABA-approved) law school with a degree required for NYS Bar AND two years of full-time experience as a Paralegal/Legal Assistant.
• Legal Assistant Trainee 1 or 2 (Equated to G-11 or G-13): An associate degree (or higher) in any field from a regionally accredited college or university (or one approved by the American Bar Association).

Additional Appointment Paths:

• List Appointment: Eligible for appointment from the Legal Assistant Trainee 1, G-NS or Legal Assistant 1, G-14 eligible lists.
• Transfer: One year of permanent, contingent-permanent, or 55b/c service allocated to a G-9 or higher eligible for transfer under Section 70.1 of Civil Service Law, or currently serving in the title and eligible for reassignment.
• Reinstatement: If you previously served in this title or in a title otherwise transferable to this title, you may be considered for reinstatement pursuant to Civil Service Law, if it is in the best interest of the agency. If you left state service more than one year ago, the reinstatement must also be approved by the Civil Service Commission. All reinstatements must serve a mandatory 52-week probation period.
• 55b/c Appointment: This position is eligible for 55b/c designation, and candidates with 55b/c eligibility are encouraged to apply. Candidates must meet the minimum qualifications stated above and submit their current 55b/c eligibility letter with their application.

Note: This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS). For the duration of the program, this title may be filled via a non-competitive appointment (no examination required), but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications. At a future date (within one year of permanent appointment), non-competitive employment status will convert to competitive status without requiring a civil service test.

A Paralegal/Legal Assistant is defined as someone who applies knowledge of the law and legal procedures in rendering direct assistance to lawyers, clients, and courts; prepares and interprets legal documents and forms; researches, compiles, and uses information from legal materials to provide both written and verbal comments on their findings; and analyzes and handles routine procedural problems independently with minimal attorney oversight.

Examples of non-qualifying experience: receptionist, records clerk, bookkeeper, office manager.

Benefits

• Paid Leave
• Paid Holidays
• Pension
• Health Insurance
• Dental & Vision Coverage
• Flex Spending
• Voluntary 457B Retirement Savings Program
• Health Care Spending Account
• Tuition Assistance Programs
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
• Transportation Savings Program
• Employee Assistance Programs