11/03

City of San José

LEGAL ANALYST I (2123)

LEGAL ANALYST I PT (2128)

 CLASS CODE: 2123/2128    
DEPARTMENT:

City Attorney 		ACCOUNTABLE TO:

Varies

 FLSA STATUS:

Non-exempt

CLASS SUMMARY

   This position typically reports to the Sr. Legal Analyst and/or Legal Services Manager in the Office of the City Attorney. Performs paraprofessional legal duties and/or performs work of a moderate degree of difficulty in the investigation and processing of liability claims against the City and the Redevelopment Agency, and provides support services for transactional and/or litigation attorneys. Performs related work as required.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

   This is the position in the Legal Analyst series where paraprofessional legal experience and/or claim investigation experience are/is required and is further developed on the job in order to progress into the higher class of Legal Analyst II. Initially, training and supervision are given, but as an incumbent becomes more capable, the incumbent works with a higher degree of independence. This class differs from that of the Associate Legal Analyst in that incumbents of the latter class are assigned work of the simplest degree of difficulty under close supervision. This class differs from that of Legal Analyst II in that incumbents of the latter class are assigned paraprofessional legal duties and/or claim investigation work with a higher degree of difficulty. This class differs from that of Senior Legal Analyst in that incumbents of the latter class perform paraprofessional legal duties and/or claims investigation work of the most complex nature and serve as supervisors.

QUALIFICATIONS:

   (These qualifications are typically required. An equivalent combination of education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities sufficient to satisfactorily perform the duties of the job may be substituted.)

Education and Experience

   Successful completion of a Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university and three years of increasingly responsible investigations or paralegal experience, of which at least one year has been at a level comparable to an Associate Legal Analyst with the City of San Jose.

   Additional years of increasingly responsible investigations or paralegal work experience may be substituted for up to two years of the education requirement on a year-for-year basis.

   Completion of a Paralegal program, including possession of a Paralegal certificate, may be substituted for one year of the required experience or education requirement.

Licensing Requirements (such as driver’s license, certifications, etc.)

· Possession of a valid California Driver’s License.


Minimum Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (position requirements at entry and depending on area of assignment):

· Knowledge of general legal terminology, principles and practices.

· Knowledge of civil litigation practice and procedure including government tort claims.

· Knowledge of the rules governing state and federal court practice and procedure.

· Ability to organize and summarize a wide variety of material and information.

· Ability to draft correspondence and reports.

· Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.

· Ability to organize and prioritize workload.

· Ability to understand and follow written and oral directions.

· Ability to work well with all levels of employees, management, and the public.

· Ability to perform simple legal research.

· Ability to perform basic investigations including gathering, developing and analyzing evidence.

· Ability to evaluate liability for routine claims, assess damages and effectively negotiate a settlement within authorized limits.

· Ability to draft correspondence, reports and simple form pleadings, and discovery.

· Ability to review and edit simple contracts, loan and bid documents, or other legal instruments.

· Ability to perform simple legal research and present findings in a clear and concise manner.

· Ability to interview witnesses and take written or recorded statements.

· Ability to use law office software programs.

Desirable Qualifications (likely to contribute to more successful job performance; can often be learned on the job):

· Knowledge of San Jose Municipal Code and City Charter.

· Knowledge of the California Tort Claims Act.

· Knowledge of City and Agency departments, programs, and services for obtaining information, materials and documentation.

· Knowledge of typical cases and claims against the City and Agency and types of evidence needed for adequate defense.

· Knowledge of workers’ compensation practices and procedures.

· Knowledge of policies, procedures and role of the Office of the City Attorney and General Counsel.

· Knowledge of report writing techniques and the principles of editing and proofreading.

· Knowledge of photography, still and video.

· Ability to perform AOE/COE investigations.

· Ability to review, edit and draft a variety of contracts.

· Ability to conduct subrosa assignments.

· Ability to write and/or revise form documents, policies, and procedures for a law office.

DUTY

NO.		 TYPICAL CLASS ESSENTIAL DUTIES: (These duties and estimated frequency are a representative sample; position assignments may vary depending on the business needs of the department.) Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

FREQUENCY
1. Completes form complaints, declarations, simple discovery documents and other simple pleadings. Daily
2. Collects, organizes and summarizes a wide variety of information, materials, documents, reports and evidence. Daily
3. Drafts a variety of discovery requests and prepares discovery responses. Daily
4. Investigates claims and potential claims against the City and Redevelopment Agency. Daily
5. Assists in the investigation of workers’ compensation claims against the City, including both fact finding and fraud investigations.

 Daily
6. Represents the City and testifies in small claims court.  As Required
7. Participates in the preliminary work of reviewing, editing and drafting resolutions, contracts, leases, loan documents, permits, public bid and construction documents, and other legal documents and instruments Daily
8. Participates in the collection of City Council and Redevelopment Agency Board agenda items for the agenda review process. Daily
9. Assists with the tracking and monitoring of Redevelopment Agency projects. Daily
10. Files court documents and performs records research. Daily
11. Performs simple legal research. Daily
12. Maintains and updates Office Law Library and other research materials. Daily
13. Performs other tasks in support of an attorney, including preparation of trial exhibits and service of subpoenas. Daily
14. Responds to citizen complaints and inquiries. Daily
15. Performs other duties of a similar nature or level.  As Required

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

  Climbing X Kneeling   Crawling
  Balancing X Lifting X Reaching
X Stooping X Fingering X Standing
X Talking X Grasping X Walking
X Hearing X Feeling X Pushing
X Crouching        

 

 

 


Depending on the position assignment, the physical requirements may be either sedentary or light.

Sedentary Work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met.

Light Work: Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. If the use of arm and/or leg controls requires exertion of forces greater than that for Sedentary Work and the worker sits most of the time, the job is rated for Light Work.

CLASSIFICATION HISTORY

(Formerly Legal Assistant I); (2/26/86), (Rev. & Ret. 1/25/91), (P/T class added 9/92), (Rev. & Ret.1/15/98).(Formerly Litigation Analyst I) (2/15/80), (Rev. 9/19/80), (Rev. 2/2/83), (Rev. 6/11/90), (Rev. & Ret.1/17/91), (Rev. & Ret. 1/15/98). (Formerly Legal Assistant I) (1/98)2123s002, (10/02)2123s003, (9/03) Add part-time Legal Analyst I (2128)

Revised 11/03; s004