Functional Title:                               Paralegal-MPIA

Position Number:                          128120

Position Summary

Paralegals within the Office of General Counsel (OGC) work collaboratively to provide legal and administrative support services to all attorneys in OGC, the in-house office that provides legal support and guidance to the University of Maryland, College Park. The breadth of OGC’s legal practice requires Paralegals to be capable and willing to support and its attorneys in a wide range of legal, operational, and administrative matters. These include but are not limited to administrative tasks, as well as litigation/adversarial matters, administrative hearings, public information requests, and human resources, corporate, transactional, real estate, and policy matters. Paralegals work collaboratively with OGC’s Executive Assistant to provide administrative support for OGC and its attorneys as needed, which may include scheduling, coordinating, and tracking grievances, denials of access, and similar matters; supporting office operations and information management; and maintaining filing systems.

Paralegals assist with the University’s responses to internal and external information requests, such as supporting Public Information Act (PIA) requests; subpoenas or other court/legal orders; the Employee Grievance Hearings process; the Public Safety Denial of Access Appeal process; and similar matters handled by OGC. As the need arises, the Paralegal may be assigned primary responsibility for such matters.

This particular Paralegal role will be to support compliance with the Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA). The Paralegal-MPIA works under the guidance of the Public Records Officer to draft correspondence and legal documents; perform legal and factual research; prepare exhibits and presentations; analyze, preserve and maintain evidence; and communicate and interact with clients, outside counsel and third parties, including other governmental units.

Minimum Qualifications

• BA or BS degree from an accredited college or university.
• Four (4) or more years of experience working with [a] practicing attorneys in either a law firm or in-house setting, or [b] as an executive-level support professional. 
• Demonstrated ability to perform legal research involving federal, state, and administrative statutes, regulations, and case law.
• Strong proficiency using Microsoft Office suite of applications, specifically Word, PowerPoint, and Excel; and Google Workplace, including Gmail and Google Calendar. Ability to become proficient with new software applications as needed.
• Excellent organizational, planning, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated ability to: communicate effectively both verbally and in writing; use discretion and good judgment; and work under multiple deadlines. Must interact courteously and professionally with all constituencies and maintain strict confidentiality regarding all OGC matters.
• Ability to follow directions, take initiative, and work efficiently in a deadline-driven environment.

Other:

This position requires an incumbent to be a State of Maryland Notary or have the ability to become a notary upon employment. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Paralegal degree or certification.
• Previous experience working in the higher education industry or public sector.
• Working knowledge of the Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA) and/or federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), as well as other laws applicable to a public university.
• Previous experience as a litigation or transactional paralegal or legal assistant, including public records, business, or procurement transactions.
• Demonstrated ability to perform legal research involving federal, state, and administrative statutes, regulations, and case law.
• Ability to create and update websites.
• Proficiency with one or more legal document/case management applications.

Physical Demands

Work is performed in an office environment and requires the ability to operate standard office equipment and keyboards. Must have the ability to lift and carry small parcels, packages and other items, to walk short distances, and drive a vehicle to deliver and pick up materials/supplies.

Additional Information:

The salary range for this position starts at $71,396.00, commensurate with experience.

For best consideration, qualified applicants should submit a resume, cover letter, and a list of at least three (3) professional references as soon as possible, no later than Wednesday, March 1, 2023.