*Paralegal - Civil Litigation Section (Salem or Portland)

Initial Posting Date:

04/08/2025

Application Deadline:

04/20/2025

Agency:

Department of Justice

Salary Range:

$5,066 - $7,774

Position Type:

Employee

Position Title:

*Paralegal - Civil Litigation Section (Salem or Portland)

Job Description:

The Oregon Department of Justice, Trial Division, Civil Litigation Section is seeking to hire a seasoned Paralegal for the Salem or Portland Legal office. This position offers a hybrid schedule which requires a minimum of 1 day in office and up to 4 days remote work. Note: Training will require additional days in the office. If you are looking for a challenging opportunity with day-to-day variety, this may be the position for you. If selected, you will work closely with Assistant Attorney Generals in the Trial Division to investigate, analyze, and prepare cases.

The Trial Division defends the State of Oregon and all its agencies, departments, boards, commissions, and district attorney's offices before the state and federal trial courts in Oregon. This position will work with the Civil Litigation Section, which handles most of the jury trials for the State, including employment, civil rights, contract, and tort litigation. In exchange, we'll ensure you are paid well, and we'll make work-life balance attainable, and we'll show you the door to professional development and job satisfaction.

Job Duties

Paralegals primarily are responsible to perform specifically delegated legal work which, for the most part, would otherwise have to be performed by an attorney. You’ll be entrusted to (in part):

• Assist in trial and trial preparation, including organizing exhibits, preparing factual portions of pretrial order, consulting with attorneys regarding witnesses' ability to effectively testify at trial, prepare trial notebooks and witness notebooks, tracking trial exhibits, taking notes during trial, coordinating trial witnesses, and suggesting questions or additional documents to be used in examination of witnesses.

• Conduct factual investigation of the section's cases, including arranging, preparing for, and assisting with, subpoenas and document collections from clients and third parties, and conducting interviews of witnesses.

• Independently manage proposed pleadings and correspondence relating to cases.

• Draft discovery requests and responses for your attorneys' review, including requests for production, interrogatories, and requests for admissions, and responses and objections to each of those forms.

• Read, organize, and analyze document production from our client agencies, third parties, and opposing parties.

• Assist in the process of preparing for depositions, including identifying potential exhibits, organizing, and preparing the exhibit sets, and assisting in depositions.

• Work with expert witnesses or consultants on cases and assist them by supplying information and documents necessary for their testimony and reports.

Required Experience

Research suggests that women and people of color are less likely to apply unless they are confident they meet 100% of the listed qualifications. We strongly encourage all interested individuals to apply, and allow us to evaluate the knowledge, skills and abilities that you demonstrate, using an intentional equity lens.

• Two-year Associate degree in Paralegal or Legal Assistant Studies;

OR

• Eighteen months of Paralegal experience;

OR

• Any combination of training and experience that demonstrates experience in legal work, independent judgment, legal terminology principles, concepts, systems, and processes. Experience must include discovery and trial methods and procedures, legal ethics, and skill in preparing legal documents, interviewing witnesses, and explaining legal issues.

Work experience is based on a 40-hour work week. (Example: 20 hours a week for one year would equal six months of work experience.)

Desired Skills, Experiences, and Attributes

• Experience working independently as a paralegal with a trial caseload.

• Experience reviewing, analyzing, and organizing large volumes of discovery documents, on paper and in databases such as Relativity, EDT, Summation, or Everlaw.

• Experience in trial.

• Experience in working independently to prepare a busy team of lawyers for trial.

• Experience in working with clients in either written or oral communication.

Preference may be given to those with professional experience as a paralegal versus those qualifying by education alone.

 

What’s In It For You

• Job satisfaction as part of a team whose mission is to serve Oregon's public and government agencies.

• Permanent, full-time employment in Salem or Portland, Oregon.

• Vacation, sick leave, paid holidays, and special days off.

• Excellent medical, vision, and dental.

• Pension and retirement programs.

• Endless peer and management support, and representation by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

• Opportunity to expand your professional skills.

For more information about our benefits, you can learn here.

 

Application Process

The Department of Justice is an equal opportunity employer, does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, or disability, and is committed to workplace diversity.

• Click "Apply" and complete the online application and all supplemental questions.

• Attach your resume.

• Attach your cover letter identifying your attributes that meet desired and requested skills.

ALL APPLICANTS: You will only have one opportunity to upload the required resume and cover letter. Drag and drop both resume and cover letter into Workday when prompted to upload your resume. If you are concerned that one or both requested documents didn't attach to your application, if you need an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), have questions, or need assistance with the application process, please contact doj.recruitment@doj.oregon.gov. Any materials emailed will be associated on your behalf if received before the posting deadline.

CURRENT STATE EMPLOYEES: Login to Workday using your state-issued login and apply via the Jobs Hub Worklet located on your home page. Using a private account disrupts the hiring process for all internal candidates. Prior to clicking "Apply", update your employee profile to reflect your Education, Skills, and Job History (including your current job).

For additional information regarding working for the Department of Justice and application assistance, click HERE.

Oregon Department of Justice
1162 Court St NE
Salem, OR 97301
DOJ.recruitment@doj.oregon.gov 

Phone: (503) 947-4328
Fax: (503) 373-0367