Paralegal I

City Attorney

Exempt | Location: Civic Center

Annual Salary

$77,026.32 - $115,716.96

contact information

Xochilt Chavira
xochilt.chavira@lacity.org

job description

PARALEGAL I

DEPARTMENT OF WATER & POWER

Salary Range: $ 77,026 - $ 115,716

About Us

The Los Angeles City Attorney's office is one of the nation's largest municipal law offices. With over 1,000 legal professionals, including 500 attorneys, the Office provides the City with the highest caliber of legal services, ranging from prosecuting criminal misdemeanors and playing a leading role in criminal justice reform, advising on homelessness initiatives, defending civil lawsuits and claims, and bringing civil enforcement actions in the name of the People of the State of California.

Guided by an overarching commitment to integrity, accountability and transparency, we find great meaning in the work we do and the services we provide.

We seek collaborative team players who understand that fulfilling our mission is key to making a positive impact.

Description

The Department of Water & Power Division of the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office serves as counsel to the Department of Water & Power (DWP), its officers and employees, and the Board of Water & Power Commissioners.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Paralegal will work closely with Division attorneys to perform paralegal assignments typical of complex civil litigation. This includes e-discovery, cite checking briefs, preparing exhibits, assisting with discovery responses and document productions, summarizing deposition transcripts, gathering necessary documents, and interviewing City employees and third parties. The Paralegal may also assist with preparing motions, memos, and pleadings; perform legal research, summarize court decisions, laws and other legal authorities using Westlaw and other research tools; and analyze and organize documents and exhibits. Familiarity with Outlook, NextRequest, Clearwell, Sharepoint, and use of dropbox systems is desirable. The Paralegal may also be assigned routine paralegal and administrative duties.

Requirements

? (1) Certificate of completion of an accredited paralegal training program, or (2) a degree from

a postsecondary institution that requires the successful completion of a minimum of 24 semester units, or the equivalent in law-related courses, which has been accredited by a national or regional accrediting organization or approved by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education.

? Substantial experience working on complex, document-intensive litigation and with e-discovery.

? A successful applicant will be a self-motivated, quick learner who can exercise independent judgment and work with minimal supervision.

? Applicants must possess impeccable ethics, excellent organizational skills, and have the ability to work well with attorneys and staff of this Office, personnel from other agencies, and members of the public.

The hours for this position are generally from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday; however, some flexibility and overtime hours may be required. Reliable attendance and punctuality are mandatory.

Requirements for Application

? Resume

? Cover Letter; and

? Paralegal Certificate

Benefits Offered

· Medical, Dental, Vision	· Paid Time Off
· Life Insurance	o 13 Yearly Holidays
· Disability Insurance	o Vacation
· Tax-Advantage Spending Accounts	o Personal Leave
· Retirement Plan (LACERS)	o Floating Holidays
· Deferred Compensation Plan (457(b))	o Sick Leave
· Employee and Family Assistance Program	o Bereavement Leave

Telework

This position may qualify for up to 2 days of telework per week.

Current Location

City Hall East, 200 N. Main Street, Los Angeles. Position is subject to assignment at any location within the County of Los Angeles.

Probation

Appointment to this exempt position (non-Civil-Service) will be subject to a one (1) year probationary period as required by Section 1050 of the City Charter. Successful completion of the one (1) year probationary period will result in tenure with the office.

Conflict of Interest

This position is designated as Category 10 on the Conflict of Interest Code.

Contact

Questions? Please email atty.recruit@lacity.org.

How to apply

Application and Deadline

Interested candidates should go to: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/lacityattorney/

to apply online by 5:00 PM on Monday, June 30, 2025.

exempt employment

If employment is said to be exempt, it is meant that the employment is exempted from the civil service provisions of the City Charter. In order to receive a regular civil service appointment, employees must have successfully participated in a civil service examination, received a high enough score on the examination to be placed on and receive an appointment from an eligible list, and they must serve a probationary period. Exempt employees do not compete in a civil service examination, they are not placed on an eligible list and receive an appointment from that list, nor do they serve a probationary period. As a result, exempt employees do not have what is referred to as a “property interest” in their job. Exempt employees serve at the will of the appointing authority and can be terminated at any time without cause. Employees with a property interest in their job, i.e. civil service employees, cannot be deprived of their employment(discharged or suspended) without due process.

General Information About Exempt Employment

Exempt employees serve at the will of the appointing authority, and as such, they may be discharged, suspended or otherwise disciplined without cause. Exempt employees have no property interest in their employment, and any procedural benefit or other prerogative extended to them by their appointing authority is not intended to create and does not create any such property interest. No officer or employee of the City may make to any other officer or employee any representation of a property interest in employment which does not correspond to Charter provisions unless the City Council, by ordinance, permits such representation. No unauthorized representation can serve as the basis of an employee's reliance on, or expectation of, a property interest.

Employees Seeking To Become Civil Service Employees

There is no protective leave for an exempt employee appointed to a civil service position. Upon receiving a civil service appointment and passing probation, the former exempt employee will be subject to the Civil Service provisions described in Article X of the City Charter. Upon appointment, the civil service employee will begin to accrue displacement and layoff seniority on the first day of his/her civil service appointment and may file for promotional examinations for which s/he qualifies. A full or half-time exempt employee appointed to a full or half-time civil service position continues to: contribute to the Retirement System; accrue vacation time; accrue sick time; receive anniversary date salary increases; and, receive health and dental benefits identical to those received in the civil service position.