Essential functions, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include any of the following representative duties, knowledge, and skills. Factors such as regular attendance at the job are not routinely listed in job descriptions but are an essential function. Essential duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Follow the State Bar of Texas, Paralegal Division Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility, and the Texas Paralegal’s Creed.

• Assist attorney in preparing for and during abatement of nuisance hearings, animal hearings, unemployment hearings, and other proceedings.
• Assist attorney in gathering information from other City departments, conducting interviews to gain information.
• Filing information in practice management system, paper filing system.
• Prepare letters and memoranda related to municipal functions and city business.

• If requested by an attorney or City Manager, attend City Council meetings and other board and commission meetings as needed to take notes and assist attorney during meetings.
• Assist attorney in criminal and civil litigation including witness interview and preparation, drafting, and filing of motions, trial briefs and pleadings.
• Prepare for pre-trial conferences and hearings by organizing evidence, statements, reports, and criminal history for City Attorney.

• Attend pre-trial conferences, municipal court hearings, and other proceedings as directed.

• Effectively collaborate on work with colleagues and attorneys.
• Communicate legal guidance from attorney to authorized persons.
• Use legal research platforms to print, save, or forward cases, statutes, or other materials.
• Read, interpret, and apply federal and state statutes, municipal ordinances, policies, procedures, case law and other guidelines.
• Maintain confidentiality, and exercise discretion and good judgment.
• Respond to inquiries from the public appropriately.
• Prepare, record and file official documents.

• Process public information requests appropriately.
• Receive, review, and process claims for and against the City.
• Attend professional development training as requested or required.
• Perform clerical tasks and business errands for attorney as needed, including, but not limited to type, answer phones, check voicemail, fax, file, mail, copy, keyboard, deliver or pick-up documents outside the office, and maintain calendar and tickler system.

• Assist with clerical and secretarial duties for the City Manager, City Council and Public Works Departments.
• Assist with departmental purchasing requisitions and payment reports for Finance Department.

• High school diploma or GED.
• Two years of college desired. Five (5) years of direct legal support experience in lieu of education is acceptable.
• Two years of experience in a municipal setting or in a legal administrative support position preferred.
• Completion of a computer skills test PRIOR to submitting application. Applicants must submit the results of Skills Testing with Application for Employment. Applicants can contact the Texas Workforce Commission at (432) 263-8373, to make arrangements for skills testing. The Workforce is located at Howard College (1001 Birdwell Lane, Suite 106, Big Spring, Texas 79720; next door to Howard Cottage day care).
• Possession of a valid driver’s license issued by the State of Texas for the vehicle or type of vehicles operated.
• Within two years of employment, or later, upon department head discretion, employee must have and maintain one of the following:
  • A specialty certification conferred by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
  • A CLA/CP certification conferred by NALA.
  • A PACE certification conferred by National Federation of Paralegal Associations; or
  • A bachelor’s or higher degree from an accredited university in any field together with a minimum of one (1) year of employment experience performing substantive legal work under the direct supervision of a duly licensed attorney AND completion of 15 hours of Continuing Legal Education within that year.
  • A certificate of completion from an American Bar Association-approved program of education and training for paralegals; or
  • A certificate of completion from a paralegal program administered by any college or university accredited or approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board or its equivalent in another state.
• Have and maintain membership in the State Bar of Texas Paralegal Division, as an active member, within two years, two months of employment, or later, upon department head discretion for good cause.

• Good verbal and written communication skills.

• Ability to read and write in English.
• Knowledge of English, grammar, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation; knowledge of legal writing, format, citations etc.

• Knowledge of legal principles, research techniques, and procedures.

• Knowledge of or ability to become conversant with municipal government, the city charter and city ordinances, policies, and procedures, municipal law, contract law, and real estate law.

• Good interpersonal and customer service skills.
• Good organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Good time management skills with ability to meet deadlines.

• Ability to learn new procedures.

• Ability to do detailed work with little error.

• Ability to function in a high-paced and at times stressful environment.
• Ability and willingness to track and meet deadlines.
• Knowledge of general office practices and procedures.
• Use records maintenance systems including indexing, filing, and retrieval functions.
• Ability and willingness to attend court sessions locally and out-of-town.
• Ability and willingness to attend out-of-town professional and educational workshops.
• Assisting attorney with departmental purchasing requisitions and payment reports for Finance Department.
• Ability to answer and operate desk telephone and voicemail.
• Typing proficiency.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, word processing, e-mail.
• Ability and willingness to learn how to use technologies such as practice management systems, video conferencing, data management, search engines, customer relationship management software, business software, spreadsheets, PDF software, Internet software, and messaging.
• Skill in use of calculator, copier, postage machine and facsimile machine.

• Employees contribute 7% of their gross salary; the City contributes 14% for a total contribution of 21% of the employee's gross salary.
• Employees can retire with full retirement benefits after twenty (20) years of service or at age sixty (60) and above, with a minimum of five years of service. Individual retirement benefits vary based on annual salary and tenure.
• There is a Supplemental Death Benefit with TMRS that is equal to one year's annual salary. TMRS is a tax-sheltered program.

• Employees pay 6.7 percent of their adjusted gross salary; the City matches 5.51% into the retirement plan and 2.19% for a life and disability insurance package for a total matched funds 7.70%. The Deferred Compensation is a tax-sheltered program.

• The life insurance package pays the beneficiary four times the employee's annual salary with a maximum payout of $200.000.00 with additional life insurance options available. The disability package ensures that in the event of a permanent disability, a maximum of 60% of the employee's monthly salary is paid, up to a maximum of $3,000.00 per month.

• After one year of service, longevity pay is paid bi-weekly. After the one (1) year anniversary, employees may choose to bank longevity payments to begin in January of the following year. Employees who bank longevity payments receive a lump sum payment in November of each year.

• For qualified employees, three to five uniforms are furnished by the City, along with other suitable foul weather and safety gear. Police and Fire Department personnel have different uniform benefits.

• The Flexible Spending Plan allows employees to tax shelter eligible medical expenses. This program provides a tax savings, increasing the employee's take home pay.

• The City of Big Spring pays 100% of the cost of employee's health insurance and supplements the cost of dependent insurance. Health insurance coverage is effective on the first day of the month following the date of hire. The in-network office co-pay is $30.00.
  
• Pharmacy benefits are included in the health insurance package. The pharmacy plan provides benefits for retail and mail order prescriptions. Navitus in-network pharmacies offer a thirty (30) day generic prescription for a $0 co-pay.

• Dental & Vision insurance is available to City employees at a semi-monthly cost.

• The City meets the standard state requirements for Workers' Compensation.

• New Year's Day
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• Presidents' Day
• Good Friday
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Veteran's Day
• Thanksgiving Day and the day following
• Two (2) days at Christmas.

• Standby pay is paid to employees who are required to maintain contact with the City to provide essential emergency services after normal business hours. Employees are paid $75.00 per full week of standby duty.

• 1-2 years - 5 days/year
• 3-4 years - 10 days/year
• 5-9 years - 12 days/year
• 10+ years - 15 days/year

• Eligible employees can sell back to the City, for cash, up to 68 hours of their accumulated vacation leave.

• City employees have no entry fee into Moss Lake and are eligible for discounted fees at the Comanche Trail Golf Course.

• An employee may take college courses which are either related to their job duties or designated in their degree plan and the City will reimburse the employee for those courses according to the City's reimbursment schedule.

• Discounted membership fees at the Big Spring YMCA.
• Co pay reimbursement for annual wellness physicals.
• Employee Assistance Program to provide counseling.
• Tobacco Cessation Program