Paralegal II – Sheriff’s Office Legal Services

Job Description

Paralegal II | Harris County Sheriff’s Office

The Tone:
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office maintains public safety and provides essential law enforcement services across Harris County. This full-time Paralegal II role, located in Houston, TX, is a critical part of the Executive Bureau’s Legal Department. This position supports the prompt and accurate preparation of legal cases, ensuring the department effectively manages responses to legal requests, supports disciplinary processes, and assists with litigation to uphold legal standards and operational integrity within the Sheriff’s Office.

The TL;DR
• Role: Early Career
• Type: Full-time
• Location: In-person, Houston, TX
• Team: Executive Bureau – Legal Department, reports to assigned supervisor
• Mission: Responsible for understanding instructions and following applicable departmental procedures for the prompt preparation of legal cases.
• Tech Stack: Harris County Justice Information Management System (“JIMS”), HCSO mugshot database, EXCEL, ACCESS, GovQA, IAPro, Superion, SIRS, CAD, LexisNexis, Westlaw, Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel)

What You’ll Actually Do
• Records Management: Handle and prepare responses to open records and subpoena requests.
• Disciplinary Process Support: Support employee disciplinary action processes by drafting letters and monitoring administrative appeals.
• Litigation Assistance: Assist the Harris County Attorney’s Office with discovery requests related to litigation.
• Grand Jury Documentation: Draft and prepare Grand Jury correspondence.
• Legal Research & Analysis: Conduct legal research, and gather and analyze legal documents and records from various HCSO bureaus/divisions.

The Must-Haves
• Background: An Associate’s degree in paralegal studies or a certificate of completion from a paralegal certification program of education and training is required. Candidates must possess knowledge of HCSO Policies and Procedures, Harris County Personnel Policies and Procedures, Texas Rules of Civil and Criminal Procedures, the Texas Public Information Act (TPIA), and relevant sections of the Texas Government Code.
• Experience: A minimum of three years of dedicated paralegal experience is required. Familiarity with, or the ability to quickly learn, various Harris County and HCSO specific information management systems such as JIMS, HCSO mugshot database, GovQA, IAPro, Superion, and SIRS, along with CAD and legal research platforms like LexisNexis or Westlaw, is preferable for success in this role.
• Skills: This role requires proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, specifically Outlook, Word, and Excel, and the ability to effectively use standard office equipment including computer terminals, copiers, calculators, printers, and fax machines. Exceptional written and oral communication skills are paramount for presenting clear and comprehensible information. The ideal candidate must be highly organized, self-motivated, and capable of working effectively both independently and within a team environment, while also distinguishing legal forms, drafting exceptional letters, and handling confidential information with discretion.
• Bonus: Five years of paralegal experience with a background in handling and processing subpoenas, discovery requests, and open records requests is preferred.