Requisition No: 710961
Agency: Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle
Working Title: PARALEGAL SPECIALIST II - 76004864
Position Number: 76004864
Salary:  $39,765.25 Annually
Posting Closing Date: 09/30/2022
FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAY SAFETY AND MOTOR VEHICLES
OFFICE OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
OFFICE OF GENERAL COUNSEL
Applicants who live in Hillsborough, Orange and Palm Beach county are encouraged to apply.
*Open Competitive Advertisement*
In order to be considered for this position, applicant responses to qualifying questions must be clearly stated within the employment history. Software systems, actual work experience, and years of employment must be clearly defined , or the application may not be considered for the position.
Contact Person: Bill Minton, WilliamMinton@flhsmv.gov
Total Compensation Statement
Your Benefits are a significant part of your state compensation. The total compensation package could be anywhere from $56,844 to $67,496 annually.  The total compensation package includes annual salary, insurance, retirement, leave and holidays.
The Organization
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) provides highway safety and security through excellence in service, education, and enforcement. With a workforce of approximately 4,500 employees throughout the state, the Department is leading the way to A Safer Florida through the efficient and professional execution of its core mission: the issuance of driver licenses, vehicle tags and titles, and operation of the Florida Highway Patrol.
Our Benefits include
• Annual and Sick Leave Package
• Nine Paid Holidays
• State Health and Life Insurance
• Educational Benefits
• Contributory Retirement Plan
To learn more about DHSMV and why it’s a great place to work, visit our website at: flhsmv.gov/careers .
WHO ARE WE?
At the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), our vision is: A Safer Florida .  We impact the lives of nearly every Floridian as well as many visitors to our state.  Our mission is to provide highway safety and security to all of these individuals through excellence in service, education and enforcement.
The Office of General Counsel provides legal representation and counsel to Department members statewide. The cases vary from civil forfeitures to defense of departmental orders and civil actions, injunctions, appeals of traffic cases involving state troopers, personnel actions, bid protests, and consumer protection, before the Division of Administrative Hearings, every county and circuit court in the state, up to the district courts of appeal, the Florida Supreme Court, and even the United States Supreme Court.
WHAT WILL I BE DOING?
This Legal Assistant position provides support to the Chief Counsel and Deputy Chief Counsel for the Florida Highway Patrol, as well as other FHP Troop Legal Advisors as assigned. As a Legal Assistant, you will provide assistance to attorneys handling Department civil, administrative, and appellate litigation primarily involving Florida Highway Patrol asset forfeitures. Duties and responsibilities will include:
• Preparing drafts of legal documents to include pleadings, orders, motions, memoranda of law and other legal correspondence.
• Performing legal research and data collection.
• Managing attorney calendars and tracking deadlines.
• Maintaining litigation files in the case management system.
• Filing litigation documents with clerks of court and/or judges.
• Requesting and scheduling hearings with courts.
WHAT DO I NEED TO SUCCEED IN THIS JOB?
• Knowledge of court filing requirements.
• Knowledge of proper preparation of court pleadings and legal correspondence.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, computer skills, and the aptitude to learn new software.
• Skills in organization and the ability to work independent of close supervision.
• Ability to conduct legal and general research.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, deadline driven environment, where attention to detail is crucial.
• Ability to effectively interact with all customers with courtesy and professionalism.
• Ability to maintain the confidentiality of information.
WHAT ARE THE PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS?
Preference will be given to applicants with the following:
• Two years of experience working in a legal office as a paralegal or legal assistant with significant experience drafting legal documents and pleadings.
• Experience with civil forfeitures and/or criminal law practice.
Additional preference will be given for experience with:
• Court filing requirements
• Online legal research tools
• Civil, appellate, or administrative litigation
• State travel rules and regulations
• Scheduling/managing calendars
WHAT ARE THE JOB-RELATED REQUIREMENTS?
The position you are applying is subject to a Level 2 background check, along with Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) clearance, to include a fingerprint-based check of the criminal records of the FBI, as a condition of employment pursuant to Chapter 110.1127, 435 and 943, Florida Statutes.  Please note that, since this position requires CJIS clearance, the Department will have access to all an applicant’s criminal and juvenile delinquency records, even those that have been sealed or expunged.
GENERAL INFORMATION
The elements of the selection process may include a skill assessment and/or oral interview.
Applicants being considered for employment will be required to submit to a fingerprint-based background investigation, which will include a check of the criminal history records of the FBI.  Fingerprints and associated information/biometrics will be retained in the FBI’s Next Generation Identification (NGI) system and fingerprints may continue to be compared against fingerprints submitted to or retained by NGI.
The process for selecting applicant(s) for this position could take up to six months.  Following the six-month period, a new application must be submitted to an open advertisement to be considered for that vacancy.
HSMV employees are paid once a month on the last workday of each month.  All state employees are required to participate in the direct deposit program pursuant to s. 110.113 Florida Statutes
The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer, and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.
Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.
The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.
VETERANS’ PREFERENCE. Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans’ Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply.  Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements.  Candidates claiming Veterans’ Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code.  Veterans’ Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here .  All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.