Job Description

Duties Description This position is located in the Watertown Regional Office.
Under the Direction of an attorney, attorneys, or a Legal Assistant 2, the Legal Assistant 1 performs a variety of paralegal activities that require formal education and experience. The Legal Assistant 1 compiles and organizes files and documentation; prepares and assists in the preparation of legal documents and forms; catalogs information; updates databases or spreadsheets; and prepares correspondence and subpoenas.
Specific duties include, but are not limited to, the following: When in a litigation or administrative hearing setting, the Legal Assistant 1:

• Performs pre-trial or pre-hearing related activities:
• Schedules witnesses and collects information relevant to the case.
• Reviews case-related materials for lines of questioning.
• Assembles exhibits and briefs.
• Assists at trials or hearings by managing the exhibits and suggesting relevant questions for the attorney to raise.
• Prepares and files with the courts all associated court papers as directed or authorized by the attorney.
• Performs service of process or arrange for service of process through an outside vendor.
• Calculates monies owed to the State, determines responsible parties, and locates and notifies them of the amount.
• Reviews administrative procedures and makes initial determinations regarding information releasable under the Freedom of Information Act.
• Negotiates and proposes preliminary settlements of fines as directed or authorized by the attorney.
• Completes routine investigative work for attorney review.
• Gathers complete information from a variety of sources.
• Provides a preliminary analysis of information to attorneys.
• Reviews draft legislative proposals for compliance with bill drafting requirements.

Manages the flow of case-related materials:

• Uses Shepard's Citations or other reference sources to check the cases cited to ensure that the case law is still relevant.
• Maintains or oversees tracking systems, calendars, and reporting systems.
• Opens and closes files or cases or oversees the process of opening or closing files and cases.
• Performs activities related to docketing, the placement of court-related activities on the court calendar, and on the attorney's calendar.

Drafts legal responses to the courts or other interested parties as directed or authorized by the attorney:

• Prepares portions of briefs, affidavits, affirmations, and other motion-related papers.
• Answers routine questions from the public,
• Prepares findings of decisions and findings of fact.
• Prepares opinions on routine matters.
• Prepares reports.

When located outside of a litigation or an administrative hearing setting, the Legal Assistant 1:

• Performs preliminary background work for routine cases or for administrative review processes.
• Answers routine complaints received from the public, either orally or in writing, and provides routine information regarding processes or procedures to the public.

Performs other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications NY HELPS:
This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).
For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title may be filled via a non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply.
At a future date (within one year of permanent appointment), it is expected employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive employment status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. Employees will then be afforded with all of the same rights and privileges of competitive class employees of New York State. While serving permanently in a NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified.
NON-COMPETITIVE QUALIFICATIONS
Legal Assistant 1 (CSEA, SG-14, current starting salary $56,506, job rate $68,630)*:
Candidates must have:
A minimum of two years of full-time experience as a Paralegal/Legal Assistant (see "definition" below).
OR
An associate degree (or higher) in Paralegal/Legal Assistant/Legal Studies or a certificate in a Paralegal/Legal Assistant program where the degree was granted from a regionally accredited college or university or one approved by the American Bar Association (ABA).
OR
An associate degree in any field where the degree was granted from a regionally accredited college or university or one approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) AND one year of full-time experience as a Paralegal/Legal Assistant (see "Definition" below).
Substitution: Graduation from an accredited (ABA approved) law school with a degree required for NYS Bar will be accepted as meeting the educational and experience requirements for this title.
Definition: A Paralegal/Legal Assistant is 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. Non-qualifying experience includes receptionist, records clerk, bookkeeper, and office manager.
Legal Assistant Trainee 1 (CSEA, NS ~ equated to SG 11, current starting salary $47,695; job rate $58,447)*:
Candidates must have:
High school or high school equivalency diploma AND one year of clerical, administrative, or paraprofessional experience.
OR
An associate degree (or higher) in any field, where the degree was granted from a regionally accredited college or university, or one approved by the American Bar Association (ABA).
OTHER WAYS TO QUALIFY:
Reachable on the Department of Civil Service eligible list for Legal Assistant 1 or Legal Assistant Trainee.
Employees appointed via the NY HELPS program are restricted for promotional appointment until their position is covered into the competitive class by the New York State Civil Service Commission (CSC), or they otherwise obtain permanent competitive status. The CSC has recently covered-in employees who were appointed via NY HELPS on a permanent or contingent permanent basis between June 26, 2024, and June 11, 2025. Notification to employees regarding a change in their status is forthcoming. You may wish to apply if you received a permanent NY HELPS appointment to a qualifying title within these timeframes and are interested in this opportunity. Your eligibility for promotion will be reviewed by Human Resources. Employees with a permanent NY HELPS appointment occurring effective 6/12/25 or later will be addressed with a subsequent cover-in.
OR
Eligible for a lateral transfer or eligible for transfer under Section 70.1 of the Civil Service Law by having one year of permanent competitive service in an appropriate title. To determine if your current Civil Service title is eligible for transfer to this title, visit the Career Mobility GOT-IT website.
Additional Comments TRAINEESHIP NOTE: Trainees must successfully complete a set training and development program to be advanced to the full performance level of this title. If you are appointed as a Trainee 1 (CSEA, NS ~ equated to SG-11, current starting salary $47,695; job rate $58,447), upon satisfactory completion of the 12-month training as a Trainee 1, you will automatically advance to Trainee 2 (CSEA, NS ~ equated to SG-13, current starting salary $53,413, job rate $65,061). Upon satisfactory completion of the 12-month training as a Trainee 2, you will advance to the full level of this title (CSEA, SG-14, current starting salary $56,506, job rate $68,630) without further examination.*
Careers with the State offer multiple benefits including paid vacation leave (13+ days per year), sick leave, paid State holidays off, health insurance including vision & dental, entry into the NYS retirement (pension) system, education and training, eligibility for public student loan forgiveness, and job stability with promotional opportunities. Workplace flexibilities include multiple options for employees including telecommuting (up to two days per week) and alternative work schedules.
The agency's hours of operation are Monday through Friday, between 8:30 am and 5:00 pm (37.5 hours/week).
Scheduling determinations are dependent upon the needs of the Office and will be communicated during interviews.
For new State employees appointed to graded positions, the annual salary is the hiring rate (beginning of the Salary Range) of the position. Promotion salaries are calculated by the NYS Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) in accordance with NYS Civil Service Law, OSC Payroll rules and regulations, and negotiated union contracts.
The Office of the NYS Attorney General (OAG) cannot provide sponsorship for work authorization. Candidates need to be authorized to work in the United States to be employed by this agency. It is incumbent upon employees to maintain work authorization for the duration of their employment with the OAG.
Some positions may require additional credentials or a background check to verify your identity.

Skills Required