Legal Assistant 1 (NY HELPS) - Civil Recoveries (Student Recoveries Unit)

Job Description

In close association with an attorney or attorneys, Legal Assistants perform a variety of paralegal activities that require formal education and experience. Incumbents compile and organize files and documentation; prepare and assist in the preparation of legal documents and forms; catalog information; update databases or spreadsheets; and prepare correspondence. The incumbent of this Legal Assistant 1 position performs the following duties:
• Prepare legal documents such as complaints, discovery demands and responses, motion papers, affidavits, judgements, satisfactions of judgements, and proposed orders in support of Collection Specialists, Legal Assistants and Attorneys in the Student Recoveries Unit.
• Conduct legal research, analyze case law, and check citations utilizing department research software.
• Independently prepare demand letters, negotiate repayment programs or prepare summonses and all other paperwork which must accompany the commencement of lawsuits.
• Possess a working knowledge of the judgment enforcement provisions of Article 52 of the New York Civil Practice Law and Rules.
• Draft information subpoenas, restraining notices, income executions, and executions upon real and personal property, as well as any other documents that are incidental to performing judgment enforcement on behalf of the Student Recoveries Unit.
• Perform and analyze reports from the Student Recoveries Unit database in order to develop an efficient prioritization of judgment enforcement for the Unit's large volume of judgment accounts.
• Contact and effectively communicate with debtors, county clerks, court clerks, third-party subpoena recipients, banks, debtors' employers, and sheriffs' departments in furtherance of the Unit's judgment enforcement efforts.
• Effectively communicate with Unit attorneys to develop strategies for and effectively execute judgment enforcement.
• Meet all deadlines and monitor all time periods incidental to each judgement enforcement account.
• Skip trace and asset search on pre-judgement and post-judgement accounts.
• Respond to bankruptcy filings by debtors by executing all necessary administrative tasks to note the bankruptcy filing on the Unit database and to notify the client of its responsibilities during the various stages of the bankruptcy proceeding.
• Respond to bankruptcy filings by preparing proofs of claim for submission to bankruptcy court.
• Monitor bankruptcy cases utilizing the bankruptcy court's telephonic case-monitoring system and/or PACER reports and taking appropriate action as the bankruptcy case progresses.
• Function as backup to handle the Student Recoveries call line when needed.
• Become familiar with Silvercar, Word, LEXIS and other bureau case management packages.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:
NON-COMPETITIVE QUALIFICATIONS
Legal Assistant 1 (CSEA, SG-14, current starting salary $56,506, job rate $68,630)*: Candidates must have:
A minimum of two years of full-time experience as a Paralegal/Legal Assistant (see "definition" below).
OR
An associate degree (or higher) in Paralegal/Legal Assistant/Legal Studies or a certificate in a Paralegal/Legal Assistant program where the degree was granted from a regionally accredited college or university or one approved by the American Bar Association (ABA).
OR
An associate degree in any field where the degree was granted from a regionally accredited college or university or one approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) AND one year of full-time experience as a Paralegal/Legal Assistant (see "Definition" below).
Substitution: Graduation from an accredited (ABA approved) law school with a degree required for NYS Bar will be accepted as meeting the educational and experience requirements for this title.
Definition: A Paralegal/Legal Assistant is someone who applies knowledge of the law and legal procedures in rendering direct assistance to lawyers, clients, and courts; prepares and interprets legal documents and forms; researches, compiles, and uses information from legal materials to provide both written and verbal comments on their findings; and analyzes and handles routine procedural problems independently with minimal attorney oversight. Non-qualifying experience includes receptionist, records clerk, bookkeeper, and office manager.
Legal Assistant Trainee 1 (CSEA, NS ~ equated to SG 11, current starting salary $47,695; job rate $58,447)*: Candidates must have:
High school or high school equivalency diploma AND one year of clerical, administrative, or paraprofessional experience.
OR
An associate degree (or higher) in any field, where the degree was granted from a regionally accredited college or university, or one approved by the American Bar Association (ABA).
OTHER WAYS TO QUALIFY:
Reachable on the Department of Civil Service eligible list for Legal Assistant 1 or Legal Assistant Trainee.
Employees appointed via the NY HELPS program are restricted for promotional appointment until their position is covered into the competitive class by the New York State Civil Service Commission (CSC), or they otherwise obtain permanent competitive status. The CSC has recently covered-in employees who were appointed via NY HELPS on a permanent or contingent permanent basis between June 26, 2024, and June 11, 2025. Notification to employees regarding a change in their status is forthcoming. You may wish to apply if you received a permanent NY HELPS appointment to a qualifying title within these timeframes and are interested in this opportunity. Your eligibility for promotion will be reviewed by Human Resources. Employees with a permanent NY HELPS appointment occurring effective 6/12/25 or later will be addressed with a subsequent cover-in.
OR
Eligible for a lateral transfer or eligible for transfer under Section 70.1 of the Civil Service Law by having one year of permanent competitive service in an appropriate title. To determine if your current Civil Service title is eligible for transfer to this title, visit the Career Mobility GOT-IT website.
TRAINEESHIP NOTE: Trainees must successfully complete a set training and development program to be advanced to the full performance level of this title. If you are appointed as a Trainee 1 (CSEA, NS ~ equated to SG-11, current starting salary $47,695; job rate $58,447), upon satisfactory completion of the 12-month training as a Trainee 1, you will automatically advance to Trainee 2 (CSEA, NS ~ equated to SG-13, current starting salary $53,413, job rate
$65,061). Upon satisfactory completion of the 12-month training as a Trainee 2, you will advance to the full level of this title (CSEA, SG-14, current starting salary $56,506, job rate $68,630) without further examination.*

Requirements

NON-COMPETITIVE QUALIFICATIONS
Legal Assistant 1 (CSEA, SG-14, current starting salary $56,506, job rate $68,630)*: Candidates must have:
A minimum of two years of full-time experience as a Paralegal/Legal Assistant (see "definition" below).
OR
An associate degree (or higher) in Paralegal/Legal Assistant/Legal Studies or a certificate in a Paralegal/Legal Assistant program where the degree was granted from a regionally accredited college or university or one approved by the American Bar Association (ABA).
OR
An associate degree in any field where the degree was granted from a regionally accredited college or university or one approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) AND one year of full-time experience as a Paralegal/Legal Assistant (see "Definition" below).
Substitution: Graduation from an accredited (ABA approved) law school with a degree required for NYS Bar will be accepted as meeting the educational and experience requirements for this title.
Definition: A Paralegal/Legal Assistant is someone who applies knowledge of the law and legal procedures in rendering direct assistance to lawyers, clients, and courts; prepares and interprets legal documents and forms; researches, compiles, and uses information from legal materials to provide both written and verbal comments on their findings; and analyzes and handles routine procedural problems independently with minimal attorney oversight. Non-qualifying experience includes receptionist, records clerk, bookkeeper, and office manager.
Legal Assistant Trainee 1 (CSEA, NS ~ equated to SG 11, current starting salary $47,695; job rate $58,447)*: Candidates must have:
High school or high school equivalency diploma AND one year of clerical, administrative, or paraprofessional experience.
OR
An associate degree (or higher) in any field, where the degree was granted from a regionally accredited college or university, or one approved by the American Bar Association (ABA).
OTHER WAYS TO QUALIFY:
Reachable on the Department of Civil Service eligible list for Legal Assistant 1 or Legal Assistant Trainee.
Employees appointed via the NY HELPS program are restricted for promotional appointment until their position is covered into the competitive class by the New York State Civil Service Commission (CSC), or they otherwise obtain permanent competitive status. The CSC has recently covered-in employees who were appointed via NY HELPS on a permanent or contingent permanent basis between June 26, 2024, and June 11, 2025. Notification to employees regarding a change in their status is forthcoming. You may wish to apply if you received a permanent NY HELPS appointment to a qualifying title within these timeframes and are interested in this opportunity. Your eligibility for promotion will be reviewed by Human Resources. Employees with a permanent NY HELPS appointment occurring effective 6/12/25 or later will be addressed with a subsequent cover-in.
OR
Eligible for a lateral transfer or eligible for transfer under Section 70.1 of the Civil Service Law by having one year of permanent competitive service in an appropriate title. To determine if your current Civil Service title is eligible for transfer to this title, visit the Career Mobility GOT-IT website.
TRAINEESHIP NOTE: Trainees must successfully complete a set training and development program to be advanced to the full performance level of this title. If you are appointed as a Trainee 1 (CSEA, NS ~ equated to SG-11, current starting salary $47,695; job rate $58,447), upon satisfactory completion of the 12-month training as a Trainee 1, you will automatically advance to Trainee 2 (CSEA, NS ~ equated to SG-13, current starting salary $53,413, job rate
$65,061). Upon satisfactory completion of the 12-month training as a Trainee 2, you will advance to the full level of this title (CSEA, SG-14, current starting salary $56,506, job rate $68,630) without further examination.*