Location
Description
The County of San Mateo District Attorney's Office is accepting applications for the position of Paralegal.
About the Agency
The San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office mission is to prosecute adult and juvenile offenders, provide services to support victims, enforce consumer and environmental laws, provide legal and investigative support to public safety partners and to remain committed to the principles of equity and transparency in seeking justice and greater public safety. To that end, we are committed to ensuring that no member of our office will seek or obtain a criminal conviction or seek or obtain a sentence of any individual based on race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, or disability. To learn more about the District’s Attorney’s Office please visit: https://www.smcgov.org/da.
The Position
Paralegals perform a wide range of complex legal support work, such as conducting legal research, preparing legal memoranda, motions and other documents, responding to discovery requests, corresponding with attorneys, and assisting attorneys in all aspects of case preparation. Incumbents may receive general direction regarding the scope and approach to projects or assignments, but procedures and techniques are discretionary, and incumbents are expected to possess the initiative to operate with a significant degree of independence.
The ideal candidate for this position will be able to handle several projects and assignments simultaneously, have experience with complex legal support work, strong oral and written communication skills, well developed computer skills, as well as proficiency with the full range of Microsoft products (including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook) in addition to legal case management software. The ideal candidate will work collaboratively with office management, attorneys, support staff, and other County departments, and will be able to accept assignments outside of their prior work experience. The abilities to independently conduct legal research, use initiative, exercise sound judgment, set priorities and meet critical deadlines are also strongly desired. In addition, the ideal candidate will have experience in processes and procedures related to the field of criminal law.
There is currently one vacancy to be filled.
NOTE: The eligible list generated from this recruitment may be used to fill future extra-help, term, unclassified, and regular classified vacancies.
Examples Of Duties
Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Perform legal research under the direction of an attorney; gather information regarding statutes, rules, regulations, court decisions, local resolutions and ordinances, and similar materials related to assigned responsibilities.
- Draft and prepare responses to motions, including points and authorities, discovery requests and other legal actions.
- Format and edit briefs written by attorneys.
- Prepare and send subpoenas and subpoenas duces tecum to witnesses, agencies, medical professionals, and businesses.
- Organize, index, and summarize research results and assist in preparation for litigation.
- Prepare, file, and serve a variety of legal documents such as motions, petitions, and orders, while utilizing a computerized case management system.
- Work with law enforcement and other government agencies in obtaining reports and records.
- Prepare and organize digital files, exhibits and other documents for court hearings and trials.
- Prepare a variety of correspondence and written materials.
- May direct the work of others on a project basis; train others in work procedures as needed.
- Compile and review confidential and sensitive materials/records.
- Review reports, transcripts, criminal history documents and prepare summaries.
- Review audio and video evidence and prepare summaries.
- Use LexisNexis, Evidence.com and other legal software platforms, and have familiarity with E-Filing (superior court and appellate levels).
- Perform related duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS
Education and Experience:
Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to qualify is:
- Completion of coursework leading to paralegal certification or completion of the first year of law school, or two years of increasingly responsible legal office experience including legal research and policies and procedures related to the specified field of law.
Knowledge of:
- Legal research techniques and standard legal reference materials.
- Processes and procedures related to criminal law.
- Legal office terminology, processes, procedures, and the format for legal documents.
- Record keeping, report preparation and filing methods.
- Correct English usage, including spelling, grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary.
- Office administrative practices and procedures, including filing, business letter writing and the operation of common office equipment, including a computer, scanner, and printer/copier.
Skill/Ability to:
- Perform legal research from varied sources.
- Communicate with individuals of various backgrounds.
- Prepare a variety of legal documents.
- Use initiative and sound independent judgment within established guidelines.
- Organize and maintain accurate records and files.
- Organize work, set priorities, meet critical deadlines, and follow up on assignments.
- Establish and maintain effective working relationships.
APPLICATION / EXAMINATION
Open & Promotional. Anyone may apply. Current County of San Mateo and County of San Mateo Superior Court of California employees with at least six months (1040 hours) of continuous service in a classified regular, probationary, extra-help/limited term positions prior to the final filing date will receive five points added to their final passing score
Responses to supplemental questions are required and must be submitted in addition to the standard County of San Mateo employment application. A resume or reference to a resume will not be accepted as a substitute for your responses to these questions or the employment application.
The examination process will consist of an application screening (weight: pass/fail) based on the candidate's application and responses to the supplemental questions. Candidates who pass the application screening will be invited to a panel interview (weight: 100%). Depending on the number of applicants, an application appraisal of education and experience may be used in place of other examinations or further evaluation of work experience may be conducted to group applicants by level of qualification.
All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the examination. All examinations will be given in the County of San Mateo, California and applicants must participate at their own expense.
IMPORTANT: Applications for this position will only be accepted online. If you are currently on the County's website, you may click the "Apply" button. If you are not on the County's website, please go to https://jobs.smcgov.org/ to apply. Online applications must be received by the Human Resources Department before midnight on the final filing date.
TENTATIVE RECRUITMENT SCHEDULE
Final Filing Date: June 12, 2025, at 11:59 PM
Application Screening: June 17-18, 2025
Panel Interviews: June 25-26, 2025
About the County
San Mateo County is centrally located between San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay. With over 750,000 residents, San Mateo is one of the largest and most diverse counties in California and serves a multitude of culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse communities.
The County of San Mateo is committed to advancing equity to ensure that all employees are welcomed in a safe and inclusive environment. The County seeks to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community. We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply. Eighty percent of employees surveyed stated that they would recommend the County as a great place to work.
The County of San Mateo is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering diversity, equity and inclusion at all levels.
Analyst: Chet Overstreet (05292025) Paralegal (E008)