PARALEGAL I

Main Purpose of Job

The Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) is seeking a highly organized and customer-focused Paralegal to support the Legal Review and Ground Rent units. The primary purpose of this position is to ensure the timely, accurate, and courteous processing of business charter and ground rent filings.

Position Duties

• Reviews routine business charter and ground rent filings for compliance with applicable Maryland statutes, regulations, policies, and procedures. Determines whether submitted documents meet filing requirements. Identifies deficiencies and prepares appropriate notices or correspondence. Escalates filings requiring advanced legal analysis or statutory interpretation.

• Timely processes approved filings using SDAT systems. Maintains electronic records and updates databases. Verifies fees, supporting documentation, and required information. Completes assigned work in priority order. Assists with backlog reduction and workload balancing.

• Serves as the primary customer service contact for the public. Responds to inquiries from customers, businesses, attorneys, title companies, and other members of the public. Explains filing requirements and procedures. Drafts correspondence regarding filing deficiencies.

• Conducts research using statutes, regulations, agency policies, databases, and filing history. Assists with special projects. Maintain records and documentation. Supports implementation of procedural improvements.

• Works cooperatively with Ground Rent and Charter Review staff. Shares knowledge and assists coworkers. Maintains regular attendance. Protect confidential information. Completes required training. Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education: Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.
• Experience: Two years of experience as a legal assistant or legal secretary performing legal research or preparing legal documents on behalf of an attorney.
• Note: Thirty credit hours or a certificate in paralegal studies from an accredited college or university may be substituted for the required experience. Thirty credit hours from an accredited law school may be substituted for the required experience. Additional years of experience as stated above may be substituted on a year-for-year basis for the required education.
• Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a non-commissioned officer in paralegal specialist classifications or paralegal specialist specialty codes in the legal and kindred field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.

Desired Or Preferred Qualifications

• One year of professional experience conducting legal research, title searches, or processing filings specifically related to Maryland real estate, property records, deeds, or Maryland Ground Rent laws and regulations.
• Demonstrated experience performing high-volume administrative or legal document intake and auditing filings for strict regulatory compliance or legal sufficiency under tight daily accuracy standards.
• Experience explaining complex regulatory requirements, filing procedures, or statutory mandates to both the general public and legal professionals (such as attorneys or paralegals) in a high-volume customer service, court, or government agency environment.
• Experience serving as an administrative liaison or project coordinator between legal staff (attorneys and paralegals) and clerical or processing staff to streamline organizational workflow.
• Direct professional experience utilizing state government databases or proprietary filing tracking systems (such as the Maryland Business Express System or equivalent).