Paralegal I/II

Job Description

PARALEGAL I & II | State of Maryland

The Tone:
This is a full-time role at the State of Maryland, Maryland Office of the Public Defender (MOPD), located in Baltimore, MD. MOPD is a State agency committed to providing full inclusion and equal opportunity in employment, services, programs, and activities for all qualified individuals. This role is crucial for supporting Assistant Public Defenders in providing legal defense to indigent clients, ensuring they receive dedicated legal assistance throughout their cases.

The TL;DR
• Role: Early to Mid-Career
• Type: Full-time
• Location: In-person, Baltimore, MD

• Team: Supports Assistant Public Defenders
• Mission: To provide essential legal and administrative support to attorneys representing indigent defendants and their families.
• Tech Stack: Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Westlaw

What You’ll Actually Do
• Legal Research: Conduct legal research and obtain necessary documents, including through the Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA).
• Document Preparation: Draft a variety of legal documents, such as subpoenas, and ensure accurate filing in court.
• Case Management: Prepare and review comprehensive case files from court, police, DSS, and trial records.
• Client & Witness Interaction: Interview clients and witnesses, answer correspondence, and provide support in various settings including offices, courts, detention centers, hospitals, and state prisons.
• Pre-hearing Support: Assist with pre-hearing preparations, case investigations, and the service of legal documents to advance cases.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate. Thirty credit hours or a certificate in paralegal studies from an accredited college or university, or thirty credit hours from an accredited law school, may substitute for the required experience.
• Experience: Two (Paralegal I) or three (Paralegal II) years of experience as a legal assistant or legal secretary performing legal research or preparing legal documents for an attorney. Additional years of experience may substitute on a year-for-year basis for the required education, and U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a non-commissioned officer in paralegal specialist classifications may substitute on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.
• Skills: Excellent interpersonal communication, legal research, organizational, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills, along with high proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook.
• Bonus: Basic knowledge of criminal law terminology and procedures; familiarity with Westlaw or other legal research applications; strong interest in working with underprivileged/impoverished defendants and their families; experience working with individuals with cognitive or mental health concerns; experience organizing and reviewing body camera footage; and a valid motor vehicle operator’s license if assigned duties requiring vehicle operation.