Paralegal – Landscape Construction Industry – Public Works Law

Job Description

Paralegal | Synectics Inc.

The Tone:
This is a full-time role at Synectics Inc., located in Orange, CA. Synectics Inc. is involved in landscape construction, bridges, and public works projects. This role is crucial for ensuring legal compliance, managing contracts, and mitigating risks across various public sector construction initiatives. As a 100% employee-owned company, employees share in the company’s growth and prosperity.

The TL;DR
• Role: Early Career
• Type: Full-time
• Location: In-person, Orange, CA

• Mission: To support legal, contract administration, and project compliance for landscape construction, bridges, and public works projects.
• Tech Stack: Westlaw, LexisNexis, e-discovery platforms, contract management systems

What You’ll Actually Do
• Public Contracting & Bidding: Draft and review construction agreements, requests for bids, and consultant contracts, ensuring compliance with public procurement codes and bidding requirements.
• Compliance Monitoring: Verify contractor adherence to prevailing wage laws, local hiring ordinances, and labor standards, including managing certified payroll records.
• Risk Management & Claims: Assist legal counsel in evaluating and responding to contractor claims, track deadlines for notices of completion and stop notices, and support subcontract negotiations.
• Litigation & Dispute Resolution: Support senior management in bid protests, mediation, and litigation by managing document discovery, maintaining case chronologies, and organizing trial binders.
• Regulatory Research: Conduct legal and administrative research regarding land use, environmental regulations (such as CEQA), and zoning laws.

The Must-Haves
• Background: An ABA-approved paralegal certificate or a Bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies, public administration, or a related field, with a strong understanding of government contracting, public records laws, and lien laws.
• Experience: A minimum of Five (5) years of progressive paralegal experience, ideally split between general municipal law and the heavy construction industry.
• Skills: Meticulous attention to detail, exceptional contract drafting skills, proficiency with e-discovery platforms and contract management systems, strong written and verbal communication, and familiarity with legal concepts relevant to the construction industry.
• Bonus: Ability to read and interpret schedules, contract drawings, and specifications; construction scheduling and claims experience; bilingual English and Spanish skills; and relevant professional paralegal, public procurement, or construction compliance certifications (e.g., CP, ACP, RP, CPPB, CPPO, CRIS, CPWP).