ISD Paralegal

Statement of Duties

The employee assists lawyers and staff to complete their objective by researching laws, investigating facts, preparing documents and managing information in relation to the City’s Inspectional Services Department (ISD), which carries out Building Code, Sanitary Code, Zoning Ordinance, and other health, safety, and general ordinance enforcement in the city. Employee is required to perform all similar or related duties and will be physically located in ISD.

Essential Functions:

The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various type of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

• Works with the City Solicitor, or his/her designee, as legal liaison to ISD in pursuing code compliance actions in and outside of court.
•  Provides support in administering code enforcement for ISD, reviewing, editing, and drafting violation notices, correspondence, tickets, and legal documentation, ensuring accuracy to facts and citations, and clear communication.
• Prepares legal documents, including but not limited to pleadings, applications for criminal complaints, civil complaints, injunctions, and orders for lawyers.
• Gathers responsive documentation and responds to public records requests regarding ISD.
• Provides litigation support and organizes litigation files.
• Administers code enforcement for ISD.
• Gathers and research data, statutes, regulations, decisions, legal articles and ordinances.
• Maintains up-to-date case list.
• Performs standard office duties through course of work such as maintaining files, answering telephones, responding to inquiries by phone or in person and greeting clients, visitors, constituents.

Recommended Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience:

Graduate of a two-year college with an Associate’s degree with one to five (5) years related work experience; or any equivalent combination of education, training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

Paralegal Certification or equivalent experience a plus.

Special Requirements

Paralegal Certification or equivalent experience a plus

Knowledge, Abilities and Skill

Knowledge: Considerable knowledge of office procedures and machines; knowledge of legal terminology and court procedures and forms. Knowledge of general litigation and legal procedures. Knowledge of enforcement protocols for enforcement of building codes, health codes and familiarity with application of enforcement protocols for local zoning or other city ordinances a plus.

Ability: Ability to meet and deal with the public effectively and appropriately; ability to handle problems and emergencies effectively; ability to communicate clearly, both orally and in writing; ability to operate a computer; ability to maintain, manage, and organize records.

Skill: Good organizational skills; good data processing skill in the use of personal computers and office software including word processing, database, internet and spreadsheet applications; independent research skills

Work Environment

The work environment involves everyday discomforts typical of offices, with occasional exposure to outside elements. Noise or physical surroundings may be distracting, but conditions are generally not unpleasant. Employee may be required to work beyond normal business hours to attend evening meetings or complete work assignments.

Physical and Mental Requirements
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the position’s essential functions.

Physical Skills
Few physical demands are required to perform the work. Work effort principally involves sitting to perform work tasks, with intermittent periods of stooping, walking, and standing. May also be some occasional lifting of objects such as office equipment and computer paper (up to 30lbs.)

Motor Skills
Duties are largely mental rather than physical, but the job may occasionally require minimal motor skills for activities such as moving objects, operating a telephone, personal computer and/or most other office equipment including word processing, filing and sorting of papers.

Visual Skills
Visual demands require constantly reading documents for general understanding and analytical purposes.

Hours: Full-Time
Salary: $75,000 annualized, plus benefits
Union: Non-Union
Date Posted: Friday, August 8th 

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The City of Somerville is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, disability or any other protected category. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Auxiliary aids and services, written materials in alternative formats, and reasonable modifications in policies and procedures will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities free of charge, upon request. Persons with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication (i.e., CART, ASL), written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures in order to access the programs, activities, and meetings of the City of Somerville should please contact Adrienne Pomeroy at 617-625-6600 x 2059 or apomeroy@somervillema.gov.

Pre-Employment Requirements for All Employees:

• MA Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) clearance
• Completion of Conflict-of-Interest Law Education training for municipal employees

Overview of Total Rewards:

• 4 weeks annual vacation for non-union positions. Union positions vary by contract. Please note, police officers are members of the SPEA union.
• Medical insurance through the Group Insurance Commission (GIC) - 80% of premium costs paid by City
• Dental coverage low and high plans through Cigna
• Vision care through Vision Service Plan (VSP)
• Long term disability through Sun Life
• Group and voluntary life insurance through Boston Mutual
• Health Care and Dependent Care flexible spending through Benefit Strategies
• Deferred compensation plans through a choice of three vendors
• Free, confidential services through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provided by E4Health
• Annual cancer screening & wellness release
• Somerville Retirement Pension System
• Tuition reimbursement
• MBTA pass program
• FREE Blue Bikes membership
• Eligible employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)

Benefits listed are for benefits-eligible positions and the above information is meant to be a general overview of the benefit programs offered by the City of Somerville and not a binding contract.